Wed Dec 24 [24 December 1913] Discovered last night that I had left my pistol behind. Ali refused to go back for it so Hamad and 'Abdallah went early this morning. We got off at 7 and rode all up the W. Umbfad till 1 when we reached Burqu [Qasr el Burqu]. The W. Umgad and the W. Swab both rise at 'Anazah which is some 3 days' due S. of Ga'rah. A sail comes into Umbfad from Khburri. Ga'rah is only a day and a night's ride from Burqu. All the Anazeh tribes camp at 'Anazah, fetching dates from Shethathah [Shithathah] which is 4 or 5 days for loaded camels. No ruins there, but a castle at Al Mat and many tombs and wells. Burqu lies in at [sic] outcrop of volcanic stones; it has a Kufic inscription, apparently of Walid, and a cross over another door. I set to work photographing and drawing it as soon as I had had tea. It was warm for the first time, 56?. Many stone tombs with bones in them, bare, perhaps eaten bare. There was a tomb by my camp last night into which the daba' had dug and eaten the body. The square keep stangs black against the sky this night of stars. Sirius a green light hung over the tower and Orion spread across heaven above it. I was asked to look through my glasses as we reached Burqu and there was much joy when I reported absence of Arabs.