Page:The Northern Ḥeǧâz (1926).djvu/166

 is divided from al-Ḫwejme by the hills of Moṛr and Abu Daraǧ. Near the latter al-Mirǧihem is joined on the left by the šeʻîb of al-Maḥâš, which begins on the eastern slope of the ad-Darâbîǧ elevation near the mountains of Abu Ḫirḳa. On the western edge of the depression of al-Meḥteṭeb, the šeʻîb of al-Mḥarraḳ, which extends from the hills of al-Amṛar along the low table-shaped hillocks of al-Ḥawṣal, terminates in the šeʻîb of aẓ-Ẓamm. To the east of al-Amṛar, the eastern part of the al-Ḫaẓẓa plain is entered by the šeʻibân of al-Bezwa and al-Awẓâm, which rise west of the railway station of al-Ḥazm in the hills of aṭ-Ṭaff and Ṯṛâr al-Awẓâm.

On the right al-Ḥadad is joined by the šeʻîb of ad-Dṛâle, which begins east of the mountains of Ornub among the rocks of Abu Kṣejme, al-Mḥawwar, Ḫašm Nḳejb, al-Ḳwâra, al-Minḫ, Abu Ḫašaba, Abu Šdâd, and aš-Šiḳîḳ; farther on it is joined by the šeʻîb of Umm Neḳâdât, which separates the hills of al-Mhejmi and al-Ḳwejsi from Umm ʻArejḳîb, Abu Ṭbejḳ, Mšejjiš al-Ḫamîs, Muḥaššar al-Ḥâzem and al-Mhejbel; and finally it is joined by the šeʻîb of aš-Škâʻa.

On our return we found that our companions had been approached by about ten men who eyed us in no very friendly manner. They suspected that we were disguised envoys of the Turkish Government and that it was our purpose to ascertain the number of their flocks in order that higher taxes might be imposed upon them. Not yet having obtained a guide from their tribe, we were without a protector among them. Then one of them said: “Let us get rid of these strangers and divide what they have.” When I heard this, I sprang toward him, seized him by the shoulder and called upon him to repeat his words. He was taken aback and said nothing; after a while he went away. I then asked the others to conduct us to the nearest camp and announced that I was placing myself under the protection of the chief of this camp, before whose countenance I would present myself. In this way I made clear that I recognized this chief, hitherto unknown to me, as being so powerful that he could protect me from his own people. I had accordingly shown him honor and he would have forfeited his honor if he had not actually shown, or at least attempted to show, that he was as powerful as I had conjectured him to be. It was certain that some of the men present would report our conversation and that it would therefore be heard of by the chief to whom I wished to be taken. All who could leave the flocks joined us and guided us to the camp. They were inquisitive as to what would happen to us.