Tues Feb 14 [14 February 1911] Nor had it come back this morning. I
was ready by 4.30 but we decided to wait till dawn. Then as it did not
come we got off at 7.25. At 7 temp 291/2, Bar 27.45. Wind in the west,
it was pretty cold. At 7.50 we saw the tell of Rummanah [Rummana]
far away to the S. We got into the Shehami at 8 and dropped down a
bit. All these different deserts are divided by watersheds and are
apparently more or less self contained. Pools of Shehami
10.15-10.45. They have been carefully dug out and banked up but
are now half full of mud and the banks breaking down. No masonry
but as far as I cd judge in the mud, rock cut. There were 3 pools in a
row to the N, dry; and apparently at least 2 more banked up but the
banks broken; the water was in a large depression which did not
seem to be artificial. The watershed between the Shehami and
Luktah is the W boundary of the Hamad [Hamad, Al] which now
begins, extraordinarily flat. We came to the pools of Luktah at 1 - lots
of water in them, banked up like Shehami. At 1.45 we saw the tells of
Zerka wa Kubud far to the S. This desert is called Ard el Luktah or Ard
Zerka wa Kubud. Got into camp at 2.55 near some tents of the Beni
Khalid. The sheikh came to call and invited us to stay. No milk
because their sheep have had Jiddri. Nahy ud Din questioned me
closely as to my views on the resurrection and last Judgement and
asked whether they corresponded with those of the Ulema with us.
Cloudy temp before sunset 46?. Sheikh Muhammad carefully inquired
of me the Kibly[?] that he might pray at sunset.