Norris: Diary, January - May, 1905

January 11, 1905

il-Umtā'îyeh 8:45 A.M. Temp 39 1/2 Baro S 27.20 Baro L 27.46 #3 to 4 Breeze W. to N.W. nimbus clouds steady rain since approx. 4 A.M. rain stopped at 11:45. All kinds of clouds & a little sunshine, & small showers in afternoon. Calm to #3 Breeze from all points of compass. Rainbow at 4:00 P.M. Most peculiar sunset heavy banks of clouds light to dark lavender in color from 5° to 10° high on all 360° of horizon, all the rest of sky clear, moon shining brightly - clouds tipped in few places with pale old rose pink - clear sky in center nearly colorless.

Rain again at night. Baro. & Temp. stationery.

No outdoor work done.

Snow all over Djebel Haurân ^ as far S. as Ṣalkhad ^ - no snow on Mts. to W. except in few spots on highest mountains.

January 12, 1905

il-Umtā'îyeh 8:30 A.M. Temp. 45° Baro. S. 27.40 Baro. L. 27.67

Light variable breezes mosty southerly - Nimbus clouds 7/8 showery & unsettled. - Sunny & nearly clear in afternoon.

No work outside done in morning - clear, calm, warm in afternoon.

Left il-Umtā'îyeh 1:12 P.M. going SW. by W. down a little valley between low sloping hills for 20 min. then over rolling country crossing Wadi il-Butm at 1:47, arriving at Sameh 2:05, a ruined town built on a hill and divided into several parts, with an outlying cluster of ruins 300 yds. to N. in the valley (not a wadi) There is outcropping of lime stone on the hill with aggromerates of agate, although the ruins were built of the Basalt (black) of the Djebel Haurân. *Another branch of the wadi il -Butm runs 1/2 mile to S. of town & in a westerly direction then branches N.N.E. & passed 1/4 mile to W. joining branch crossed at 1:47 at a place 1 mile to N.N.E. To the W. of town stretches from N. to S. a long low flat land some 2 miles wide with the new railroad to Mecca skirting its western border, beyond which the foothills of the mountains begin. The country in every direction was pale green from the young grass just sprouting, and was not under cultivation except some 25 to 50 acres near by, freshly plowed by the two Moslem families who dwell in Sameh, unmollested in this border land by the Arabs to whom they do not even pay the "Brotherhood" as the blackmail levied on the other nearby towns is called, for they are members of the great family Zi'bîyeh, descendants of the Moslem Saint Zi'bī.

il-Feden S.S.E. 8 miles - direction & distance by eye.

*see Jan. 15th

continued

January 13, 1905

il-Umtā'îyeh 7:45 A.M. Temp. 42° Baro. S. 27.37 " L. 27.64 #1 Breeze S.E. stratus clouds & cirrus over sky but clear to N. Breeze & clouds increasing - Rain began 12:30 drizzle until 9:00 P.M. Breeze S.S.E. #3 to #5.

Left il-Umtā'îyeh 8:43 A.M. going S by E over rolling country crossing Wadi Butm 9:31. Arrived Umm is-Surab 9:54, An uninhibited ruined town with 5 different clusters of ruins seperated from each other in different directions, by distances varying from 100 to 400 ft. & with 2 other isolated ruins.

While exploring one of the clusters alone, I saw an Arab walking toward one of the other clusters, & so called to my servant to run and intercept him for the purpose of asking him some questions about local geographical names. When the servant was within some 70 ft. of him, the Arab stopped very much frightened and commanded Peter to keep his distance. Peter much amused that the man should be frightened at him, laughed aloud and made toward him at which the man ran a little way with Peter chasing him, by he was too fleet footed to be caught, and so Peter stopped and tried to coax him as if he were a horse, advancing toward him slowly one step at a time, and saying that we were friends. Then the Arab drew a revolver, holding Peter at his distance & threatening to shoot if he came any nearer. A Moslem guide whom we had taken with us from Bosra, then appeared upon the scene, and the Arab seeing him asked that the Haurânī as they call the people of the Haurân plain that live in villages, come near and he would speak to him. Pointing his revolver at the two men he kept them at a distance of about 50 ft. both men convulsed with

January 14, 1905

is-Summāḳiyât 9:00 A.M. Temp. 43 ° Baro. S 26.88 Baro. L. 27.13

Nimbus clouds going E. Breeze varying from #1 to #4 and from S. by E. to W. - through S. Light drizzle for 4 hours in afternoon What would be called a cold, damp, chilly rainy day. Moon & stars shining brightly in clear sky from 8 P.M. to 10 P.M. & then it clouded up again, clouds coming from W. Rainbow, partly double for 1/2 hr. from 4:00 P.M. Sunset cloudy.

is-Summāḳiyât, a town divided into 2 parts by a branch of Wadi Butm, one part N.W. of the other. There are ruins, and numerous inscriptions, mostly funereal, many in situ in old burying places to the E. of both parts of town. 10 Moslem, 15 Christian families.

B. & L worked most of day.

B. left camp about 11:15 A.M. with 2 servants & Haurânī guide returning to Umm is-Surab for the purpose of getting more measurements of ruins & to make a squeeze of a Nabataean inscription. It took him 1 hour trotting & cantering most of way. He left there at 3:10 for camp.

The guide was afraid of robbers, and while at Umm is-Surab, seeing four horsemen at a distance, climbed to the top of the church tower, and watched them anxiously for some time, crouched low & out of their sight behind some stones. At last he descend & said that thank God they were going in a different direction than toward us. Poor fellow, he had lived all his life in fear, in this border land without law, Druse to the E. and wild Arab tribes to the S., both at his very door. What a way to go through life!

January 15, 1905

is-Summāḳiyât 9:00 A.M. Temp. 43 ° Baro. S 26.95 Baro. L. 27.30

nimbus clouds all Breeze S.W. to W. #1 to #5 Clouds moving W. Clearing at sunset, which was half clear.

* See Jan. 12th This wadi starts from the E. near Dhibîn and runs generally W. through is-Summāḳiyât & has no name.

B. L. & N. walked N 20° W. for 25 mins. to junction of the two Roman roads mentioned Jan. 13th. near which point is the remains of a very ancient building made of very large rough stones (4' x 3' x 1 1/2') N. took some sights from junction of the two roads, & B. & L. walked N. 62° E. about 1 mile to another ruin, at same general description but much larger, situated on a N. W. point of a curve in Wadi Butm, which changes its direction at this point from N., to W by S. The ruin is situated on a precipice some 40' high, at the foot of which was enough water in the wadi, running quite fast, to make it necessary to select with care a place to ford. The Roman road to Bosra from the point at which N. took sights, crosses Wadi Butm approx. 7 min. to W. There is no remains of bridge for the road to pass over but the stream was damed up, partially, & forded. It took B. & L. 40 mins. to walk back to is-Summāḳiyât, in a straight line level ^ (little down) ^, easy going - at a good pace. N. on account of sore feet rode ^ home on ^ the donkey which had taken his theodolite out, This caused the shêkh of the village much amazement, for he could not understand why such a fine gentleman should ride a donkey when he had a horse. I rode into camp greatly to the amusement of the servants around the tents.

Continued.