Some Public Women Of Damascus, Who Were
Kept By The Garrison Of Tabaria, Had Established Themselves In The
Ruined Vaults And Caverns Near The Baths.
In the fourteenth century, according to the testimony of the Arabian
geographers, the tomb of Lokman the philosopher was
Shewn at Tiberias.
Not having been immediately able to find a guide to accompany me along
the valley of the Jordan, I visited a fortress in the mountain near
Medjdel,[See page 320.] of which I had heard much at Tabaria. It is
called Kalaat Ibn Maan (Arabic), the castle of the son of Maan, or
Kalaat Hamam (Arabic), the Pigeon’s castle, on account of the vast
quantity of wild pigeons that breed there. It is situated half
KALAAT HAMAM
[p.331] An hour to the west of Medjdel, on the cliff which borders the
Wady Hamam. In the calcareous mountain are many natural caverns, which
have been united together by passages cut in the rock, and enlarged, in
order to render them more commodious for habitation; walls have also
been built across the natural openings, so that no person could enter
them except through the narrow communicating passages; and wherever the
nature of the almost perpendicular cliff permitted it, small bastions
were built, to defend the entrance of the castle, which has been thus
rendered almost impregnable. The perpendicular cliff forms its
protection above, and the access from below is by a narrow path, so
steep as not to allow of a horse mounting it. In the midst of the
caverns several deep cisterns have been hewn. The whole might afford
refuge to about six hundred men; but the walls are now much damaged. The
place was probably the work of some powerful robber, about the time of
the Crusades; a few vaults of communication, with pointed arches, denote
Gothic architecture. Below in the valley runs a small rivulet, which
empties itself into the Wady Lymoun. Here the peasants of Medjdel
cultivate some gardens.
In returning from the Kalaat Hamam I was several times reprimanded by my
guide, for not taking proper care of the lighted tobacco that fell from
my pipe. The whole of the mountain is thickly covered with dry grass,
which readily takes fire, and the slightest breath of air instantly
spreads the conflagration far over the country, to the great risk of the
peasant’s harvest. The Arabs who inhabit the valley of the Jordan
invariably put to death any person who is known to have been even the
innocent cause of firing the grass, and they have made it a public law
among themselves, that even in the height of intestine warfare, no one
shall attempt to set his enemy’s harvest on fire. One evening, while at
Tabaria, I saw a large fire on the opposite side of the lake, which
LAKE OF TIBERIAS
[p.332] spread with great velocity for two days, till its progress was
checked by the Wady Feik.
The water of the lake of Tiberias along its shores from Medjdel to the
hot-wells, is of considerable depth, with no shallows. I was told that
the water rises during the rainy season, three or four feet above its
ordinary level, which seems not at all improbable, considering the great
number of winter torrents which empty themselves into the lake. The
northern part is full of fish, but I did not see a single one at
Szammagh at the southern extremity.[See p. 276] The most common species
are the Binni, or carp, and the Mesht (Arabic), which is about a foot
long, and five inches broad, with a flat body, like the sole. The
fishery of the lake is rented at seven hundred piastres per annum: but
the only boat that was employed on it by the fishermen fell to pieces
last year, and such is the indolence of these people, that they have not
yet supplied its loss. The lake furnishes the inhabitants of Tiberias
with water, there being no spring of sweet water near the town. Several
houses have salt wells.
June 26th.—I took a guide to Mount Tabor. The whole of this country,
even to the gates of Damascus, is in a state of insecurity, which
renders it very imprudent to travel alone. Merchants go only in large
caravans. We ascended the mountain to the west of the town, and in
thirty-five minutes passed the ruined vil[lage] of Szermedein (Arabic),
on the declivity of the mountain, where is a fine spring, and the tomb
of a celebrated saint. The people of Tabaria here cultivate Dhourra,
melons, and tobacco. At the end of one hour we reached the top of the
steep mountain, from whence Mount Tabor, or Djebel Tor (Arabic), as the
natives call it, bears S.W. by S. From hence the road continues on a
gentle
MOUNT TABOR
[p.333] declivity, in the midst of well cultivated Dhourra fields, as
far as a low tract called Ardh el Hamma (Arabic). The whole district is
covered with the thorny shrub Merar (Arabic). On the west side of Ardh
el Hamma we again ascended, and reached the village of Kefer Sebt
(Arabic), distant two hours and a half from Tabaria, and situated on the
top of a range of hills which run parallel to those of Tabaria. About
half an hour to the N.E. is the spring Ain Dhamy (Arabic), in a deep
valley. From hence a wide plain extends to the foot of Djebel Tor; in
crossing it, we saw on our right, about three quarters of an hour from
the road, the village Louby (Arabic), and a little farther on, the
village Shedjare (Arabic). The plain was covered with the wild
artichoke, called Khob (Arabic); it bears a thorny violet coloured
flower, in the shape of an artichoke, upon a stem five feet in height.
In three hours and a quarter, we arrived at the Khan of Djebel Tor
(Arabic), a large ruinous building, inhabited by a few families.
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