Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-05-15
Nhe AthenRun. ]

An Observant Jew Makes a Journey
Through Arabia Felix.
EThe Atheneum.l
On an expedition I undertook last summer
into the interior OF Yemen proper, in order TO
study the history and literature OF the Yemen
tie Jews, as well as to collect as many OF their
most interesting manuscripts as possible. was
enabled to take some notes OF the general
character OF the surface Of this classical land
the Seba and Theman OF the Bible. Arabia Felix
OF the Romans. well known to the old world,
but nowadays terra Obsc,tra, although small
part OF the southeastern corner belongs to the
English crOwn-and to use the barometer and
Ing my four months travelling in that noun
famous land passing some OF the most savage
and fanatfcal tribes.
Yemen proper is rightly called Arabia Felix.
1t is the mOst fertile and the most temperate
country on this side OF Asia owing its happiness
chiefly TO the absence OF the great curse OF Syria
Arabia, and north and central Africa, the Sha, ,
mum winds (destructioI), which are called In
Syria ..ShuroccOw" (east), and in Egypt Ham
SIN (ffty.) True, Alden and It's neighborhOod
know of hot eastern winds, but they are not the
terribly destructive Shumum. In the valleys
and the narrow chain Of mountains, all along
the southern side CT emen from Babel MandaO
as far as Alden, such wind is unknown and
Red Sea.
seasons OF no less than four months each, AMI
consequently two harvestS in the year. IL rains
IN Yemen proper regularly from June to Sep
TENDER and from December to March, L. raiped
last summer In the more elevated plate nus,
from 6,0O0 to 5000 feet high $50 far as my own
observation did not reach must depend Oh re-
ports), few times In the month OF June. ami
from the fourth quarter OF June uutil about thu
| Middle OF August every day nearly without
exception, In Sanaa and the neighborhOod ga
naa is ZOO feet above the sea- and the neighb)r-
hood rises to 300 feep. The mornings are in
general clear; at about IL o'clock IL begins to be
cloudy, lightning and thunder follow, and
O'Clock and goes on with some interruption
until O'Clock. There is less rain In the lower
parts, somewhat more in the western valleys,
very little southwark and nearly none in the
valleys east of the mountains OF Yemen.
The elevated mountains make the climate
temperate and healthy. Yemen has an area OF
longs TO series OF piateaus from 1000 to 800
feet above the level OF the sea, and not reckon
ing the eastern side on the slope of the noun
ta1nS toward the land of Hadhramaut, &C..
which, if reports are true Il gathered the best I
could), must be very bare, and inhabited only
by nomad Bedouin tribes, Mohammedans as
The boundary line Of Yemen Is as follows:
Western side, along the eastern side OF the Red
sea, from Babel Mandab south to Lohaya
north: then north side, from Lohaya northwest
to Saada northeast; then from Saada northeast
70 Alden southeast; then from Alden southeast
10 BABEL Mandab southwest, so that 1t forms an
and $50 long.
The country near the sea coast is fiat. and 1T
is very hot-abOut $50 to lv2o F.-near the sea
coast in the middle of the day or afternoon at B
The plain is about forty TO sixty miles wide
and is crossed by many brooks and rivers on
the western side, and there are large Old open
clsternS as well as Well-SpringS. Not 50 the
southern side which has very little water be-
yond few wells and the small river Lahaj
TWENTY-FIVE miles north OF Alden, and two or
miles north from Alden.
Inc plain Is often interrupted by low hills
ana SO the ground rises gradually to an eleya.
tlon OF about 2 500 feet. where the steep granite
mountains begin. At about 8. 500 feet we reach
the hrst wide and fertile plateau, where plenty
OF water Is found. The second plateau the
widest and largest, is from 6.OOO 10 900 feet
nigh. This plateau is full of wells, cistcrns and
small brooks at every thousand PAGES and
marshy ground: The chief and largest towns
Oh Yemen as the capital Sanaa, Jarl,n, Se1a
Demar (Which was rUed to the ground town as
well as walls and fortress, The day left the
place by the Turkish authorities) and Tai5
stand upon this plateau. The third plateau i
S,COO 1ett high, and upon 1t Jebel Kakuban and
JeDel Nakum rise to a,height OF 9. 300 feet. They
yield extremely white marble, of which all the
VICIOUS or Sanaa and nelghborhood are ma .e
instead OF glass. The fortified towns OF Amran
SeWlla Mathna, and many others are upon this
plateau.
The chief mountains l passed on nv way
from Alden TO Sanaa Amram are, first about
SeVenty-flYe miles north or Aden Jebel Mashu-
war, 1900 feet high, second Jebel ASab 4 $40
teet, about enc hundred miles from Alden, and
about ten miles further on Jebel Howta. 900
Ieet nigh; JeOel Nakum, $500 feet high: Jcba!
hakuban, 5000 feet high; and on my way from
Salaa to Hodeide are Jebel Mathna, 5000 feet
IL,
Jenel HaTas, 1920 feet high.
The rivers | met on the way are only two:
nrst, about 12O miles from Alden, the river Bina.
about $50 to 200 feet wide, and only two to two
and nall feet deep. Its springs are betweeu
Seta and Jarim, $500 feet high. The sec)nQ
large river Is midway between Santa ana
mad TO pass this river In one day more than
twenty limes-the Ell kebla about 100 to Ggo
1eet VIDE, and two to three feet deep, very rapio
and noisy. The Bina Is Sweet ana clear: no. ~
f3l III fat,
The sea between HodtiGe aid Mecca. but am nor
cerIaln II IL were not again the kcbla, falling III
10 the Red Sea. was not able 10 get anvtDf una
ti0n 1fom the people met there. The sa.sl
sailing beat with one sail, which Is called b the
Arabs ''Jambrook,' with which | went Irog
HOdcide 10 Alden. took there water fc; ;hr ,yhHl
Oh It's proposed Journey or two months $ lin
vessels Should take notice OF the TACT, especial
as the small boat was able TO get in from The s.
filght INTO the river The place can easily b
known from afar by the many palm trees wiien
grow there and LOCK from The sea ike a mass OF
black lava
Up to about 5000 feet high, in Yemen, the
cnlel gram Is The red durd. the common Whit
ldia, also called aura, the maize twice a wear
AID few snall beans.
In the upper regions the winter crop consists
OF excellent wheat called there bel' (the bar
OF Inc Blble). then barley. then kind OF mile!
which grows upon stalks sixteen feet high Ill Is
called ,a!.nhdn, the 'dohan' OF the Bible AMI
many dlherent peas and beans as well as large
lentlls. The summer crop has less millet whe tJ
and barley, but more red dura.
Inc lower regions and first plateau up to an
elevation or 600 feet, are full or dun Tres
S5dI A'Udtcd, brushwOod; and In some par,
as, Tor example, between Manakha and uod q.
lde, the stone palm, and between Hodet1e and
mecca the date palm, are found in abundance:
also some garden trees, as coffee trees In the
Valleys OF about 500 feet and more high where
lhere Is regular temperature OF 500 in the dty-
tlme ana 100 to 65o In the night. In open ola, rs
TIE cof1ee tree suffers from the great heat or
Cou COiiee trees are most numerous in the
Jepei HaraS, and they need much water There
IS In Yemen another small tree called kahld,
the leaves OF which are cAewed by the rich The
whole day. They are the dearest leaves ever
met; small bundle OF wet leaves not more
IMAM about four hundred grammes weight.
costs TWO ShlllingS II IS to them the mos de-
nclouS thing In the Wor!d-no paradise without
IL. one Kind OF 1t Is said TO keep Off sleep and
the Inhabitants use Ii when travelling i'm the
night or when they have TO watch. / could
ma little taste In 1t. These small trees of ka
mad need also an abundance OF water Ia the
upper plateaus there Is no wild wood of aay
klnd TO he met. Besides many northern gar
zen trees, grapes mot good, figs, almonds
pears and pOmegranateS are common In Samoa
did not meet any Wild beast in al, my travels.
except thousands OF balloons. OF domestic ami.
mais there are many camels, oxen and cows.
small In the plain and larger In the mountains:
out cheese is never heard OF. The camels ara
not good, and are only used for filling the
ground, with hard piece OF wood instead of an
iron yN1nr ~, .yt,T nN@- Ea,4