Gebel Dagalai, the next member of the sandstone hill-mass to the north, has numerous peaks ranging from 670 to 712 metres above sea. It is drained north-westward by the Wadi Dagalai, in which it is said that water can sometimes be obtained.
MAP OF THE
DISTRICT OF ABRAQ & ABU SAAFA
| Ball. Geography & Geology of South-Eastern Egypt. | PLATE XV. |
Photo-Metal-Process. Survey Dept. Cairo 1910. (60-190)
Gebel Um Khafur is a group of high sandstone ridges overlooking the sandy plain of Um Harba to the north. One of its higher ridges, 560 metres above sea-level, bears a triangulation station, marked by a beacon, in latitude 23° 29′ 54″, longitude 34° 29′ 19″. A remarkable feature of Gebel Um Khafur is the north-north-easterly dip of its sandstone beds at an angle of about 13°, almost constant over a large area, with probably step-faulting parallel to the strike of the beds; owing to these features there are developed a series of long ridges, with a flat dip slope northward and a steeper drop to the south, while the drainage channels run along the lines of strike and only break across the ridges at a few points. The drainage from these channels, the chief of which is called the Wadi Um Khafur, meanders northward over the plain to join a feeder of Wadi Garara.
Gebel Um Harba is a conspicuous sandstone peak marked by a triangulation beacon in latitude 23° 36′ 56″, longitude 34° 30′ 38″. Rising to a height of 688 metres above sea-level, it forms the highest and central point of a long range running north-north-west and south-south-east from the Wadi el Garara past the Galt el Aguz. The north end of this range is forked, the east and west arms being separated by a broad high valley, filled with blown sand, draining from near the peak of Gebel Um Harba northwards to Garara. A marked feature of the range is the almost constant north-easterly dip of the sandstone beds of which it is composed; the ridges follow the strike of the beds, and present gentle dip slopes to the east with steep basset edges to the west. Gebel Um Harba overlooks to the west a great sandy plain, so that it is a good landmark for travellers coming from that direction. In occupying it as a station, I approached it by the broad sandy valley above-mentioned, and fixed the camp at 487 metres above sea-level and 800 metres north of the summit; the hill can also be reached from the west, though the climb from the plain is about one hundred metres more. The ascent becomes rather steep near the top of the hill, but presents no great difficulty. For a short time after rain, water can be found in pools in the gullies close to the east of the hill, but owing to the porosity of the rock these never last long. The Galt el Aguz, nine and a half kilometres south-south-east of Gebel Um Harba, in a gully on the east side of the road to Bir Abu Saafa, lasts longer than other pools in the neighbourhood, but even it only yields supplies within a few months at most after rain, for the same reason.
Gebel Um Sididad is a mass of high sandstone hills on the north side of Wadi Silsila, thirty kilometres east-south-east of Gebel Um Harba and overlooking the broad and sandy Wadi Naam to the east. The hill I ascended, one of the highest, was 623 metres above sea-level and nearly 300 metres above the plain at its foot. High sandstone hills extend north-westwards from Gebel Um Sididad to Gebel Zergat Naam, forming the western side of Wadi Naam.
Gebel Abraq is a great high sandstone plateau cut up by gullies into more or less separate hills, outlined by the Wadis Silsila on the north, Hodein on the south, Arned on the west, and Abraq on the east. The highest hills of the mass are probably two peaks close together on its east side, midway between Bir Abraq and the Wadi Hodein, which rise to 705 and 699 metres above the sea. The principal interest of Gebel Abraq lies in its forming a collecting ground for the important springs of Abraq and Abu Saafa, which occur along its eastern and southern feet. These springs yield constant supplies of excellent water, due to slow percolation through almost pure siliceous rocks, and are of great value both to the local Arabs and to the passing travellers. There are two beacons on Gebel Abraq, one near Bir Abraq and the other near Abu Saafa springs. The former, a main triangulation point, is 667 metres above sea-level on a conspicuous ridge in latitude 23° 25′ 19″, longitude 34° 46′ 48″; while the latter is on the eastern edge of the plateau, in latitude 23° 18′ 40″, longitude 34° 48′ 30″, and 639 metres above the sea. The eastern and southern slopes of the plateau are very steep, becoming almost precipices at many points, and are the home of many conies and rock partridges, but one can ascend by taking advantage of the frequent gullies which cut up the mass. The climb to either beacon from the plain is about 330 metres, and free from serious difficulty.
Gebel Hodein is a high sandstone plateau forming the south-east continuation of the Abraq mass, from which it is separated by the ravine of Wadi Hodein. To the south it is cut off by Wadi Dif. A triangulation beacon near the north-east point of the plateau in latitude 23° 16′ 20″, longitude 34° 53′ 25″, is 695 metres above sea-level, but further west the summits are rather higher. An extremely steep pass, practicable only on foot, exists to the south of the mass, leading from the Wadi Gihab into Wadi Dif, and forming a short cut from Abu Saafa Springs to Bir Dif, but camels have to go round the east spurs of the mountain.