South of Qasr Zaiyan no revision of previous levels has as yet been made. According to Ball’s figures, the village of Beris is approximately 10 metres lower than Kharga. While discussing the subject of levels it may be useful to note the relative heights of the escarpments and hills within the oasis. The edge of the eastern plateau varies from 350 to 400 metres above sea-level, while the plateau to the north of Um el Dabâdib has a general level of about 400 metres. Jebel Tarif appears to be very slightly higher, while the highest peak on Jebel Têr is not much more than 300 metres. The altitudes of these points with reference to the village were mostly determined by Ball by trigonometric observations with an eight-inch theodolite, and can therefore be relied on as being accurate. CHAPTER V THE NORTHERN VILLAGES Population — Relation of Population to Water-Supply — Trade in Dates — Imports — Taxation on Date-Palms and Wells — Measurement of Wells — Revenue derived from the Oasis — Origin of Inhabitants — Kharga Village — Industries — Ancient and Modern Wells — Meheriq Village — Troubles with Sand — Migration of Villagers — Ain el Tawîl and other Hamlets — Gennâh Village — Famous Wells — Ain Estakherab — Ochreous Waters of certain Wells — Ain el Ghuâta — Bulaq Village — Doum-Palms — Tomb of Sheikh Khalid Ibn el Walîd. In point of population Kharga ranks second of the four great oases of the Libyan Desert. In 1897 the inhabitants numbered 7,856, and ten years later had increased to 8,348. The 1907 census showed the male to be slightly in excess of the female population, a result entirely owing to the preponderance of men in the northern part of the oasis. The present distribution of the inhabitants, according to the last census, is shown in the table on the following page. In the oases of the Libyan Desert there is a very close connection between population and water-supply. No water is intentionally allowed to run to waste, every drop being utilized to raise +-----------------+-------+---------+--------+ | | Male. | Female. | Total. | +-----------------+-------+---------+--------+ | Kharga District | 2,819 | 2,503 | 5,322 | | Gennâh District | 207 | 237 | 444 | | Bulaq District | 487 | 529 | 1,016 | | Beris District | 767 | 799 | 1,566 | | +-------+---------+--------+ | Total | 4,280 | 4,068 | 8,348 | +-----------------+-------+---------+--------+