Page:The Northern Ḥeǧâz (1926).djvu/211

 Having left the river bed we proceeded after six o’clock along the side of the ridge of al-Ṛmejjem, which runs in a southerly direction. On the surrounding boulders Ṯamûd inscriptions could likewise be seen. The path was covered with coarse gravel, and my camel could make no headway. The guide advised us to bind up the left foot with a piece of skin. Accordingly, from a skin water bucket, known as maṭṭâra or zemzemijje, we cut out a piece of skin the size of a camel’s hoof, which we tied firmly above its ankles, but the animal had not gone ten paces before this artificial sole fell off. We then unsaddled the camel, made it kneel down, tied up its legs, rolled it over, and sewed the skin on to its