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[-of-]{+Dr. Wallin’s’ Route in Northern Arabia.
11
of+} this tribe: “ Benoo ’Ukba (Bern! ’Ukbab) are descendants
of Gudbarn of the Kabtaniye (Kahtaniyeh).” Al-Hamdany
(Hamddnf) says: “they are the sons of ’Ukba (’Ukbab), son of
Maglirabe, son of Heram (Heram).” Tlie author of Al-’Ibar
says : “ their land extends from al-Karak to al-Azlam, in
al-Higaz (Hijaz), and they are bound to secure the road between
Egypt and Medina, (Mcdfnah), and as far as Ghazze (Ghazzch),
in Syria.” The author of Al-Mesaliku-l-Absar* says: “it is
incumbent upon them to conduct the Egyptian pilgrims from
al-’Akaba (’Akabah) to Al-Dama (al-Dama).” The same author
continues, “ and of them are the Benoo Wasil al-’Ukba, i. e. the
children of Wasil, son of ’Ukba in al-Higaz (Hijaz).” Tlie author
of al-’Ibar says likewise, “ and in Afrikiya (Afrikfyab), in the
west (al-magbrib), there are (some) of them, as well as in the
neighbourhood of Terabloos (Terabulus, Tripoli, in Africa).”
The same author mentions “ the Beni Wasil (Beni Wasil), whose
abodes are in Egypt, as a branch of the Benoo ’Ukha,f son of
Maglirabe, son of Gudham, of the Kabtaniye;” and al-Hamdani is
reported to say, that a “ part of them live in Aga (Aja) and Selma
(Selma), the two mountains of Tay. The only place in which 1
met with the Beni Wasil was in al-Sharm of the Shut peninsula,
where two of the fishermen I have mentioned said that they
belonged to that tribe, and used to entertain me with stories of
the former grandeur of their ancestors. In the. mountains of Tay,
in Gabal (Jabal) Shammar, I did not happen to hear of them.
The land in this part of Arabia, between the sea and the chain
of granitic mountains which runs parallel with the coast, at an
average distance of 8 hours on foot (24 miles) from the beach, is
known by the general name of Al-Sahil (Sahil—the shore), and,
excepting on the mere beach, the whole is intersected by valleys
running down from the main chain in a south-westerly direction.
One of the largest of these valleys is named Wadi Suit (Wadi
Suit), and extends from Gabal Shar (Jabal Shir) of the main
range, to Muweilah. It contains a copious well from which the
inhabitants derive their supply of drinking water. Another of
these valleys, about (5 hours (18 miles) N. of Muweilah, is called
Wadi Tiriam (Wadi Tiryam) ; in it are situated the wells known
as al-’Uyoon (al-’Uyun—i. e., the Springs), where the pilgrims
pass their first night after leaving Muweilah, on their way to
Egypt. To the S., between Dhoba (Dhoba)and Istabl ’Antar,}
is Wadi Dama (Wiidf Dama) ; and, nearer (query to the S. of
Istabl ’Antar?) to VVegh (Wejh), Wadi Fera’ (Wadf Eer.i’),
and Wadi Azlam. All these valleys, however, as well as the
smaller ones contiguous to the foot of the chain, are rather open
* The ways of sight.—A. t lien! ’Ukbah.—II.
t The stable of ’Antar.—li.
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