El Hódh, is a large and extensive district, which has received this
name, “the basin,” from the Arabs, on account of its being surrounded by
a range of rocky hills, “el Kódia,” at the western foot of the eastern
extremity of which lies Waláta, and near its southern foot Tishít, both
of which belong to El Hódh. The N.E. part of this district, which some
centuries ago was densely covered with small towns and villages,
stretching from half a day S. from Waláta, to a distance of about three
days, and being enclosed on the W. and E. by “ellib,” or light
sandhills, is called _Árik_, and is rich in wells, among which the
following are the best known:—El Kedáye, Unkúsa, Bú-il-gedúr, Nejám,
Áwe-tofén, El Imbediyát, El Mebdúya, Bú-ʿAsh, Rájat, Teshimmámet,
Tekiffí, Nwaiyár, Tanwallít, and not far from it, Aréngis el tellíye,
and Aréngis el giblíye, Tunbuske, N. from the large well Nwál, mentioned
above, El Beddʿa Ummi e’ Dúggemán, &c.
From Árik, S.W. as far as Mesíla, extends the district called
_Ajaúmera_, to which belongs the famous well El Úggela, called “surret
el Hódh,” on account of its being at an equal distance—viz. five
days—from Tishít, Waláta, Tagánet, and Bághena. Besides these, some of
the most famous wells of this district are Ajwér, almost at its northern
extremity, Fógis, Bú-Derge, Bír el Hawáshar, Ajósh, Gunnëu, El Beʿadh,
these latter near Ergébe. The N. border of El Hódh, stretching along the
base of the kódia between Waláta and Tishít, is called _El Batn_. There
are besides several districts in El Hódh called Aukár, a Berber name
identical with Ákela, and meaning a waterless district, consisting of
isolated sandhills. One Aukár, perhaps that meant by El Bekrí in his
description of Ghánata, lies a short distance west from Waláta, near
Tezúght; another district of this name lies between Tishít and Mesíla,
to the north of Ajaúmera. I now proceed to enumerate the tribes settled
in El Hódh.