Wadi Egat, the next important tributary of Alaqi, drains by very numerous branches the remarkable peak of Gebel Egat and the south faces of Gebel Heleikonti. It contains a well, Bir Egat, situated east-south-east of the peak, about twenty-six kilometres up from its junction with Alaqi, and there are extensive remains of old mining operations to be seen in the same neighbourhood. Passing east and south of Gebel Egat, the wadi emerges from the mountains, coursing almost due west; and after receiving various feeders, the principal of which is Wadi Hiteib, from the mountains to the north, it enters Wadi Alaqi in longitude 34° 40′, about twenty kilometres west of Gebel Egat.
Wadi Hateib,[88] which enters Wadi Alaqi about twenty kilometres below Wadi Egat, has its heads in the south faces of Gebel Um el Tiur el Foqani and the north flanks of Gebel el Hateib or Suhin. Coursing generally south-westward, it receives small feeders on the west from Gebels Adraq and Guqub. About four kilometres above where it enters Wadi Alaqi, Wadi Hateib is joined from the east by Wadi Suhin, the heads of which drain the south faces of Gebel Hateib or Suhin.
Wadi Guqub, a very small wadi which enters Alaqi six kilometres lower down than Hateib, drains the hilly tract which here lies to the north of Alaqi; it contains an important well, Bir Guqub, which yields good water though in varying quantity. A road leads from Wadi Alaqi up the Wadi Guqub past the well and on to Aswân, via El Haimur.
Wadi Um Teneideb drains the western faces of Gebels el Adraq and Guqub, and joins Wadi Alaqi in longitude 34° 11′, about thirty-three kilometres below Wadi Gugub. It has two main branches, which unite about ten kilometres above the point of junction with Wadi Alaqi. The old mines of Betam are situated near the northern of the two branches, about seven kilometres west of Gebel el Adraq, on the road just mentioned as leading from Wadi Alaqi to Aswân.
Wadi Defeit, which is probably the most important Egyptian tributary of Wadi Alaqi, has its heads in Gebels Heleikontî and Heianai, about the meridian of 35°. Its general course is that of a flat circular arc convex to the north and having its chord east and west; the total length of its main channel, from its head in Gebel Heleikontî to its junction with Wadi Alaqi in longitude 34° 10′, is over one hundred kilometres, while its numerous tributaries probably reach a total length three times as great. The principal head of Wadi Defeit is called Wadi Sarid; its branches extend among the hills close to the heads of Wadi Egat and Wadi Miaus. The name Defeit is applied to the wadi where Wadi Sarid is joined by the feeders from Gebel Heleikontî. Passing between the high ranges of Heianai on the north, and Heleikontî and Shanaiyet on the south, Wadi Defeit receives numerous feeders, of which the principal are the Wadis Dauriai and Hamidâ, both entering it from the mountain to the south; continuing westwards, it cuts through the north end of the mass of Gebel Um el Tiur el Foqani, and on emergence is joined by the Wadi Bint el Feqoh, a great westward-coursing tributary draining the north flanks of the Heianai range and the more northerly mountain of Anweyib. Continuing its westward course, Wadi Defeit passes between Gebels Um el Tiur el Tahtani and Adraq; then it enters on an extensive tract of more open country, receiving three main feeders, Wadi Meladoyeb, Rod Hauanin, and Wadi Bagharid, from the hills to the north, before joining Wadi Alaqi.
Wadi Seiga, the next great northern tributary of Wadi Alaqi, has only been partially explored. Its head is in the watershed range near the conspicuous twin peaks of Gebel Sheyenit. Pursuing at first a southerly course, it cuts through the east side of the mass of Gebel Seiga; and about thirty kilometres lower down passes through hills with old gold mines on either hand. Below the mines, Wadi Seiga takes a south-westerly course, and receives a large tributary from either side. That from the west, called Wadi Deheis, heads in Gebel Deheis and curves round east of Gebel Abu Brush, receiving in its course two great feeders, the Wadis Um Gholqa and Abu Had, both of which head far to the north in the main watershed. The eastern tributary, called Wadi Um Derera, drains the south part of the hill-mass in which the Seiga mines are situated. Wadi Seiga joins Wadi Alaqi in longitude 33° 53′, some forty-five kilometres below the mines; the junction is outside the limits of the maps in this volume.
[84]Dry in 1906.
[85]To be distinguished from another mountain of the same name further south, near the Wadi Hodein.
[86]To be distinguished from the better known Wadi Egat much further south, a feeder of Wadi Alaqi.