BSY_FB_28-016

January 16, 1905

is-Summāḳiyât 1:30 A.M. Temp. 33 ° Baro. S 27.10 Bar. L 27.51

Clear. Calm Hoar Frost. & Thin ice
9:00 P.M. clouding up again, clouds moving .
Left 8:44 going S. over rolling country - no road -
Arrived Bâ'iḳ 9:56, a ruin of a large and interesting castle
situated on a round slight rise of ground and command a good view.
of il-Fedên to the W.S.W. 7 miles, Umm idj-Djimâl to the
S.E. by E. 2 1/2 miles, the Djebel Ḥaurân range to the N.E.
covered with snow to the 4800 ft. level, the railroad skirting the
hills to the W., and the desert to the S. with its shepherds & their
flocks of camels, sheep, and goats, and the small ^ Dark brown ^ clusters of tents,
all set in a light bronze shade of green, fading in the distance
to the dark purplish blue of the small rolling hills, ridge after
ridge of which could be seen through the telescope.

Left Bâ'iḳ 2:00 P.M. going S.E. by E. over very slightly rolling
country, a sort of sandy loam soil, quite free from stones in places
& then covered with volcanic scoria of black basalt, thickly covered
with litchen, showing that the ground had not been tilled for many
years. Arrived Umm idj-Djimâl 2:45.

Way good - no roads, nearly Level, Straight G.M.
pace about 3 1/3 miles per hour.