Page:The Northern Ḥeǧâz (1926).djvu/215

 caressed the hills and the shrubs. At 5.26 we passed by another ancient burial place similar to the one described above. On three slabs could be seen numerous carved tribal tokens. From 5.50 to seven o’clock we stopped to draw a sketch map of the surrounding district. Thence the road led us through the basalt rocks of al-Ḳṭejjât, the highest of which towered above the neighboring country to a height of one hundred and fifty meters with perfectly vertical sides. At 7.26 we had the well of al-Ḳṭejje on our left; then we crossed various small ravines and at 9.30 reached the valley of ar-Rumaẓa, which forms the border between the Beni ʻAṭijje and the Beli. From 10.15 to 11.55 we rested on the western slope of the black basalt mountain of al-Lâja (Figs. 80, 81). It was an unpleasant halt, for the sun blazed, the barrels of our rifles were so hot that we did not venture to touch them with our bare hands, and the camels were tired and hungry, having found no pasture.

At 12.30 P. M. we had the head of the deep šeʻîb of ar-Retâme on our left, to the south the beginning of the basalt rocks of ad-Dêreʻ, and to the east the table mountain of al-Watar, which is visible from Tebûk. Al-Watar is composed of five strata placed horizontally one on the other. Upon the fourth stratum from below, which has the appearance of being artificially cut out on the slopes, lies the fifth like a flat hat. At 1.35 we entered the eastern upland of an-Naʻâjem. This consists of numerous low, flat, black knolls separated by deep ravines, to the north of which rose the red groups of the an-Nimrijjât hills. On the right and left of the road could be seen piles of tiny stones in addition to the small, round towers which we have already mentioned. The guide explained that the clefts near by were inhabited by an evil female spirit, who, he said, was fond of enticing lonely travelers