THE HAJ ROAD. 29 



the -winter torrent, wliich, even at tliis earlj season, con- 

 tained only occasional pools. As we advanced, the hills 

 become lower and less wooded, until we at last emerged 

 upon a vast undulating plain, the nearer part green grass- 

 land, the more distant, rich brown loam, recently ploughed. 

 The afternoon was hot and hazy, and from time to time 

 fine mirage effects were produced by the state of the 

 atmosphere. Er-Remtheh, the only village in sight, was 

 a long way off, but was conspicuous from its position on 

 a spur projecting from the low range of Ez-Zumleh which 

 bounded the north-eastern horizon. On entering the plain, 

 our Beni-Hassan guide requested to be allowed to return ; 

 he had committed some robberies lately in the district we 

 were entering, and was afraid to be caught there. We 

 gave him eleven francs for his services, and let him go. 



Soon after he left, a long train of camels met us, laden 

 with black basalt millstones, which seem to be the princi- 

 pal manufacture and, except corn, the only export of the 

 Hauran. 



After leaving behind Jebel Kafkafka, the country was 

 quite bare. With our goal full in sight, we pushed on ra- 

 pidly, and brought a long but fast day's ride to a conclusion 

 in capital time. Mr. Porter says that the dwellers on the 

 Haj road (the route of the yearly caravan from Damascus 

 to Mecca) are remarkable for their fanatical hostility to 

 Europeans ; we felt, therefore, some doubts as to what the 

 character of our reception would be. A meadow north 

 of the village, and near the pond which supplied the only 

 water in the neighbourhood,* was selected for our camping- 

 ground. After our tents were pitched, two of the party, 

 finding that the people appeared a remarkably mild and 



* Eastern travellers, who object to swallowing as much mud and insect life 

 as water, should provide themselves before leaving England with portable 

 filters. 



