Tuesday March 16. [16 March 1909] Left Baghdadi [Khan al
Baghdadi] at 6.40, or rather the Khan. About an hour further on is the
garden of Ibn Haddal after which the road leaves the river and turns
up into the hills. We met a large caravan of travellers and poor
people coming up to Aleppo [Halab] and Ana ['Anah]. They dare not
go in small companies but wait till there are assembled enough
people to protect one another. I believe among the party was the
Commandant of the Zaptiehs who has been recalled - I hope
because he eats all the pay of the zaptiehs. In one of the carriages
was an Armenian merchant who spoke English, gave me the latest
news and a copy of the Weekly Times. After about 1/2 an hour we
met a party of 5 or 6 peasants walking who complained that they had
been set upon and robbed in the valley below by 5 men who had
taken from them their abayas and all the bread we[?] had. Jusef and I
and my soldier 'Ali galopped [sic] on to look for them and were
presently joined by Fattuh who waid there were always here Deleim
robbers. We got down to the river at 12.15 having waited for the mules
to come up and there found 5 men with guns whom we are certain
were the robbers. Lunched till 12.30 opposite Fhemeh [Fuhaymi] then
up into the hills again. At 1.15 crossed the valley that comes from
Kbeisa [Kubaysah]. Rode on a bit and got to Hit [(Is)] at 3.
Extraordinary sight with the ground all covered with white salts and the
pitch furnaces burning with a horrible thick smoke. Found at the Khan
Mr Gunter with whom I presently had tea. He is in the Indian telegraph
service and is coming back this way on leave. A terrible dust storm
set in and the temperature was over 90?. We dined together I having
washed and changed my clothes. The hot wind continued and when I
went to bed at 9 it was 95.