Page:The journal of the Royal Geographic Society of London. Volume 34, 1864. (IA s572id13663720).pdf/342

132 a deep trench surrounds part or the whole of the outworks. Often too, indeed in all places of any importance, there exists within the walls a central castle or fortress, whose walls rise from 40 to 60 feet in height, or somewhat more, and are of an enormous thickness, not unfrequently augmented by a glacis. The portal is generally small and narrow and placed on one side, deep sunk between protecting bastions; the windows are also small; a trench is sometimes added from without. Here resides the chief or local governor; earth-seats in the open space before the walls denote the situation no less than the primitive character of his highness’s customary audiences or leveés.

The streets present, as is generally the case in the East, but little arrangement or symmetry; they are sometimes broad, oftener narrow, never regular. But in every town or even village is to be found the central market-place, always close by the castle, and, in Nejed at least, on one side a large low mosque for the Wahhabee form of worship. This latter edifice is of never-failing occurrence since the establishment of the fanatical Ebn-Saood dynasty. Shops, or rather warehouses, are common enough in these towns; they form the greater part of the market-place and occupy its neighbourhood; a small number of artisans, chiefly in metal or in leather, here ply their trades. Among shopkeepers, butchers, cloth-sellers, and grocers, thrive better than any, and are more often to be met with.

Without the walls, rarely within, lie the gardens, the constant accompaniment of a Nejdean town, and a main source of sustenance to its inhabitants. They are thickly planted with palm-trees; and other fruit-trees are seldom or never wanting. Beyond the gardens are situated whatever fields of corn or of leguminous plants the irrigation from the neighbouring wells may suffice to maintain; for without a constant and artificial supply of water, no agricultural produce is to be obtained in Central Arabia. Date-trees are also watered almost daily, other fruit-trees less, the ithel not at all.

The wells are numerous and of moderate depth; indeed I do not remember having seen any in Nejed where water was not to be had at about 12 or 15 feet only below the surface; even less depth is required on the southern limits of Aared and in Yemamah. This presents a striking contrast to Djebel Shomer, where water often lies at 60 feet underground, and more. The better supply of moisture, in these regions is owing partly to their comparative proximity to the Persian Gulf, and its abundant rains, and partly to the greater elevation of the neighbouring Toweyk plateau and its steppes, much higher than the ragged peaks of the rocks of Shomer.