The geography and geology of south-eastern EgyptBall, John
Science
The geography and geology of south-eastern Egypt
Ball, John
Geology -- Egypt; Physical geography -- Egypt
=Wadi Hareitra=, which lies just within Egypt, has likewise only been
sketched in from a distance, but having been approached more closely
its course is better known than that of Wadi Shendib. Its main head
is nearly on the frontier, in longitude 36° 20′, between Gebels
Shendib and Hanquf. From its head it makes a nearly quadrantal turn
northward and westward, with a radius of about ten kilometres, among
the mountains from which it receives tributaries, and then crosses
the plain westward, turning south-west among low dark hills to join
Wadi Di-ib after a course of about forty to forty-five kilometres
from its head.
The unnamed drainage channel which is blocked by sand at =O Harbub=
before reaching Wadi Di-ib heads in a tract of low hills with
sandy interspaces about thirteen kilometres west of Gebel Elba;
it receives no part, however, of the drainage of Elba itself, which
goes northward by other more important channels. It is a broad and
shallow ill-defined drainage line across the sandy plain, with very
few trees, but its feeders from the low hill tract of Sul Hamid
are less barren. The principal interest of this drainage line lies
in its forming a convenient direct road from Bir Meheriqa to Bir
Akwamtra and Halaib, being far less sandy, as well as shorter, than
any alternative route round the north side of Sul Hamid. In using
this road, one leaves the drainage line to the south on the plain,
and skirts the hills of Sul Hamid till one reaches the flat sandy
divide at the head of Wadi Eikwan, with the “Scragged hill” of
Qash Amir in view. Here one turns eastward about four kilometres
south of Qash Amir, and follows an easy pass into Wadi Siamtit,
a small feeder of Wadi Yoider, whence tracks lead to Bir Akwamtra,
Bir Kansisrob, and Halaib.
=Wadi el Qurat=, which joins Wadi Di-ib from the west in latitude
22° 8′, is a broad wadi with great abundance of trees. Its main
head, which has not been surveyed in detail, appears to be in Gebel
Shiab, about twenty-four kilometres above its junction with Di-ib,
and the first part of its course is through a rugged tract of low
hills. Before reaching Wadi Di-ib it is joined by the =Wadi Dibir=,
and Wadi Hashimaiyib on the north and by =Wadi Oshqeq= on the
south. The northern feeders are rather complex, owing to numerous
anastomosings and cross-connexions in the low hill country between
Gebel Mashushenai and Adar Aweib; but they contain abundance of
vegetation and give good grazing grounds. The short Wadi Dibir heads
in =Wadi Mashushenai=, part of the drainage of which it captures. Wadi
Mashushenai is a little wadi to the south of Gebel Mashushenai, with
a well, =Bir Mashushenai=, near its head; part of its drainage goes
south to Wadi Dibir as above mentioned, while the rest continues as
Wadi Mashushenai, flowing south-eastward among low hills for about
five kilometres to join Wadi Hashimaiyib.
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