Page:The journal of the Royal Geographic Society of London. Volume 34, 1864. (IA s572id13663720).pdf/328

118 in that for instance where I myself crossed it, it does not exceed 40, and its general character is identical with that of the “Nefood” already described, only it is yet more unstable and barren. On reaching about 28° lat., behind the little territory of Koueyt, on the Persian Gulf, its sands give place to firmer soil, and it is thus ultimately merged in the waste lands behind Zobeyr and Basrah.

The other, or westerly branch, originates behind the Yemen and Wadi Nejran, and crosses the southerly extremity of Wadi Dowasir, of which more hereafter; it then proceeds northwards, leaving Kelaat Bisha to the west, and the main body of Wadi Dowasir to the east. It subsequently turns somewhat eastward by north, and passing in front of the provinces of Aflaj and Woshem, crosses Kaseem towards its western extremity. It is in general much less wild and desolate than the eastern branch, and before it finally merges in soil and gravel in the neighbourhood of Teymah it has lost much of the horrors, as well as the name, of the “Dahna.”

This western arm of the desert gives off at certain intervals lateral branches, which form the “Nefood.”

The northernmost branch of the “Nefood” is that crossed by Wallin, and by myself, between the Djowf and Djebel Shomer. It originates below Teymah, near Kheybar, and follows a line east by north, thus separating between Djehel Shomer and Teymah, the pilgrim-route, &c., till, arrived at about 28° 30' lat., it turns eastwards, and runs in between the Djowf and Djebel Shomer, dividing them completely one from the other, until it ultimately loses itself in the stony tracts to the east of the Djowf, on the verge of the ordinary caravan-track from that province otto [sic] Meshid-Alee. Its average breadth is about 50 miles.

Secondly, when we descend southward towards Kaseem, we meet with a similar, but somewhat smaller, sand-stream, running out below Kheybar in an easterly direction, and thus passing between Djebel Salma on its north, and the province of Kaseem to the south. This second “Nefood” terminates in the plains of upper Kaseem without entirely traversing them.

Thirdly, and yet more to the south, occurs another inlet of the same kind as the two former; its course is towards the north-east, above, and parallel with, the low range of mountains which line the pilgrim-road leading from Mecca to Nejed. It passes below Kaseem, and divides it from the Woshem, after which it takes a northerly direction, and borders the province of Sedeyr, following the western skirt of Djebel Toweyk and the adjoining prolongation of Wadi Haneefah (localities of which I will speak more fully in the course of these notes), till it finally joins in with and merges in the rocky desert east of Djebel Shomer.