Page:The Northern Ḥeǧâz (1926).djvu/133

 Šerm Muǧawwan; and to the southwest the plain forms two capes: Râs Fartak with the small shrine aš-Šejḫ Ḥmêd and Râs al-Ḳaṣba.

To the east of Râs al-Ḳaṣba extend the šeʻibân Woḳob, as-Sbejti, al-Ḳmejle, an-Naḫala, al-ʻAṣla—all three of which proceed from the plateau of an-Ndejra—as well as al-ʻEšš, Abu Ẓufra, and al-Ḳijâl, rising on the southern slope of Matent aš-Šujûḫ.

In the oasis of Ḳijâl dwells the al-Farâḥîn clan of the Mesâʻîd tribe. This clan numbers about sixty families who live in tents or huts made of palm leaves. They cultivate date palms, pomegranates, and various vegetables.

Al-ʻEfâl, or al-ʻEfâr, is joined on the right, to the south of al-Bedʻ, by the broad valley of Umm Hašîm, which extends from al-Ḥamra’ to the southeast between Umm Ḳefa’, al-Ḫbejrât, and aṭ-Ṭlâḥ on the west, and Ṭwejjel Ǧedʻân on the east. Farther south al-ʻEfâl is joined on the right by Rbejla, known in its western part as al-Mṣejr, which proceeds from ar-Rîše and penetrates Matent aš-Šujûḫ. From the east al-EfâlʻEfâl [sic] is reached by the šeʻibân of al-Mhâš, which begin under the name of al-Ṛarîd near the ridge of aš-Šedîḫ; by al-Marra umm Ǧarda’, formed by the šeʻibân of al-Ḫomsi, al-Minḳâši, Ḳdejdi, and al-Ḳtejbe, which come from the hills of aḏ-Ḏbejbi and al-Mnîfe; and still farther on by Mšâš al-Ḥawa, al-Kûs, and al-Ḫrob, the latter being joined by the šeʻibân of al-ʻEsejle, ar-Râka, and al-Mrâḥ, which begin in the mountain range of az-Zihed and al-Mrejfeḳ.

We had not yet finished our work when Šerîf, out of breath, shouted to us from below that the Mesâʻîd had surrounded Mḥammad and our camels and were about to steal the animals. Seizing our firearms we hastened with Ismaʻîn to Mḥammad’s aid. Šerîf remained with the baggage. The attacking party numbered eight. From afar we heard them cursing the Government at Constantinople and the Sultan and threatening to kill Mḥammad if he fired at them. The leader informed me that he would at once take me and all my effects to his chief, saying: “Order your companions to pack your things immediately and to come with us to our chief. Here in al-Bedʻ no Government issues orders, here he alone issues orders, and you must submit to his will.”

To this I replied: “I submit only to the will of Allâh, by no means to the will of any of his creatures. There is no son of the Arabs in the whole of the Ḥeǧâz who could force me to do what I do not wish to do. Deliver a greeting to your chief from me and tell him that I shall not go to him, the chief of the Mesâʻîd, but to the chief of the Ḥwêṭât at-Tihama,