Page:The Northern Ḥeǧâz (1926).djvu/347

 flocks in it. Near the reservoir he saw a deep well containing good, fresh water, which was said to have been dug for the pilgrims by the Prophet al-Ḫaḍr, who was honored in the stronghold.

To the northwest of al-Uḫajḍer the pilgrims left the inhospitable valley, and it seemed to them as if they had departed from the lower world. From the valley they passed through the gap Naḳb al-Uḫajḍer, covered with stones and bordered by rugged crags. Here both the people and the animals were filled with fear and weariness. At the first gleam of daybreak they reached an extensive plain and an hour later arrived at the halting place of Moṛâjer Šuʻejb, where there was no water. They remained there until four o’clock in the afternoon. This halting place is certainly identical with the modern Ẓahr al-Ḥâǧǧ, situated about thirty-five kilometers to the northwest of al-Aḫẓar. Towards midnight they proceeded through the sandy valley of al-Eṯel and at sunrise had before them the stronghold of Tebûk, where they encamped. They thought that they would meet there with various traders and people dispatched toward them from Damascus, but these people were late and had not yet arrived. In the powerful stronghold of Tebûk there was a well containing good water drawn up by a pump which was set in motion by animals. The water thus obtained flowed into a spacious reservoir in the new fortress.

Having completed their afternoon prayers—that is, toward four o’clock—the pilgrims left Tebûk and throughout the night traveled along a plain covered with ṛaẓa until they reached the halting place of al-Ḳâʻ, or Ḳâʻ al-Bazwa, which name has been preserved in the modern Šeʻîb al-Bezwa south of the railway station of al-Ḥazm. Soon after noon they rode on, crossed a narrow but slippery plain at midnight, and encamped by the large stronghold of Ḏât Ḥaǧǧ, where a company of Syrian soldiers was guarding the reservoir. They remained there all night, watered their animals, provided themselves with water for three days, and at four o’clock in the afternoon continued the march. After midnight they again traversed a slippery soil, that of Zelâḳât ʻAmmâr near the modern station of Ḥâlât ʻAmmâr, and an hour after sunrise stopped at the waterless halting place of Ǧurajmân situated among the hills. This is probably another name for the site of the modern railway station of al-Mdawwara in the immediate vicinity of the ancient pilgrims’ halting place of Sorar; it is remarkable that ʻAbdalṛani makes no reference to this old stronghold. After the midday prayer the pilgrims rode on through almost impassable territory until daybreak, when they ascended the slope of ʻAḳabat al-Ḥalâwa, or the slope of sweetness so called, ʻAbdalṛani says, because it brought the pilgrims the joyful news that they would meet with their friends. After a short rest they started off again at noon and did not encamp until they reached Maʻân.