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Diary entry by Gertrude Bell

Reference code
GB/2/11/3/21
Creator
Bell, Gertrude Margaret Lowthian
Creation Date
Extent and medium
1 entry, paper
Language
English
Location
Coordinates

33.253712, 42.91011

Sun March 21. [21 March 1909] We got off at 6.45. It was exactly 9
hours' riding to Abu Jir [Abu el Jir] and we took another half hour to
find Muhammad al Abdullah's tents - a long day. We told the Mudir
we were going to Ramadi [Ramadi, Ar] and set out in that direction but
as soon as we were out of sight changed our course to the S. At 7.30
we crossed a little depression with pools. At 7.55 a valley with water
which comes from El Hejiyyeh. We stayed here a quarter of an hour
to readjust the camel loads. When we had got across we saw the
Jebel Gatat ej Jemal to the right. They were about 3 miles off and lie
as far as I could see NW to SE. We were opposite the upper end at 9
and at 10.15 we were opposite a high tell in the hills after which they
drop gradually down into the desert level. At 9 we passed some
Kebeisa [Kubaysah] people with donkeys gathering brushwood -
after that we saw no one all day. At 9.50 we came to the Wady el
Helabi with a little brackish water in it. At 10.55 to the Ain el Asfariyyeh
where we lunched till 11.25. It springs out of the bottom of a tell and is
bitter but drinkable. Everywhere was growing a green bush called
'Annab which has a red fruit that the Arabs eat. We saw a curious kind
of purple fungus also eatable. And a great many of the yellow flower I
saw riding to Kebeisa. It looks like the top of a mullin, springs out of
the ground without leaves from a sort of white tuber and smells like
cowslips. Looking SE from here I saw a great column of smoke which
rose from a small pitch well called 'Ain el Awasil about an hour away.
We turned a little W of S and came to the Zelib (Jibb) esh Sheikh,
several springs of very good water with little taste of sulphur. We
stopped at a deep still pool in the rocks and watered horses and
men. Fuwwaz says it only appeared about 10 years ago. Riding still
a little W of S we crossed the Wady Muhammadi at 12.35 and another
branch of it 10 min. later. In both valleys were pools of sulphur water. I
think the Ain el Awasil is to the N of it. Then we turned a little E of S
and rode on to a tell which we reached at 2.15 from which we cd see
far away the Alama of Abu Jir. We were due W of the alama about
3.30 and we then turned E and rode towards the black line of tarfa and
thorns that marks Abu Jir. From far off I saw a man walking there with
my glasses. We got to the edge of the pitch beds at 4.30 and
engaged recklessly in them. They must be a mile across - I thought
we shd never get out. There are 8 springs. At last at 5 I sighted 2 men
to the S and Fattuh saw 2 tents. We rode on and found that the Deleim
Sheikh Muhammad el 'Abdullah was camped 10 min. on. So we rode
up and were warmly welcomed. It was 5.30 by the time the camels
came in. Muhammad el 'A. was with Forbes when he drove his motor
from 'Ana ['Anah] to Baghdad in 8 hours. He is a fine handsome man
- rijal says Fattuh. Sfaga helped Fattuh to pitch the tent.

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