On The West Side Of The River, To The North Of Bysan, Are The Following
Ruined Places In The Ghor:
Beginning at the lake, Faszayl (Arabic), El
Odja (Arabic), Ayn Sultan (Arabic).
Near where we crossed, to the south,
are the ruins of Sukkot (Arabic). On the western banks of the river,
farther south than Ayn Sultan, which is about one hour distant from
Bysan, there are no ruins, as far as Rieha, or Jericho, the yalley in
that direction being full of rocks, and little susceptible of
cultivation.].
[p.345] The river, where we passed it, was about eighty paces broad, and
about three feet deep; this, it must be recollected, was in the midst of
summer. In the winter it inundates the plain in the bottom of the narrow
valley, but never rises to the level of the upper plain of the Ghor,
which is at least forty feet above the level of the river. The river is
fordable in many places during summer, but the few spots where it may be
crossed in the rainy season are known only to the Arabs.
After passing the river we continued our route close to the foot of the
eastern mountain. In half an hour from the ford we crossed Wady Mous
(Arabic), coming from the mountains of Adjeloun. In one hour and a
quarter we passed Wady Yabes, and near it, the Mezar, or saint’s tomb
called Sherhabeib (Arabic). In two hours we came to a stony and hilly
district, intersected by several deep but dry Wadys, called Korn el
Hemar (Arabic), the Ass’s Horn. Our direction was alternately S. and S.
by W. Here the Jordan returns to the western side of the valley. The
Korn el Hemar
ABOU OBEIDA
[p.346] projects into the Ghor about four miles, so that when seen from
the north the valley seems to be completely shut up by these hills. From
thence a fertile tract commences, overgrown with many Bouttom (Arabic)
or wild pistachio trees. Large tracts of ground were burnt, owing
probably to the negligence of travellers who had set the dry grass on
fire. At the end of six hours, and late at night, we passed to the
right, the ruins of an ancient city standing on the declivity of the
mountain and still bearing its original name Amata (Arabic). My
companions told me that several columns remain standing, and also some
large buildings. A small rivulet here descends into the plain. In six
hours and a half we reached the Mezar Abou Obeida (Arabic), where we
rested for two hours. The tomb of the Sheikh is surrounded by a few
peasant’s houses; but there are no inhabitants at present, except the
keeper of the tomb and his wife, who live upon the charity of the
Bedouins. It appears from the account given by the great Barbary
traveller, Ibn Batouta, that in the sixteenth century this part of the
Ghor was well cultivated, and full of villages.
The valley of the Jordan affords pasturage to numerous tribes of
Bedouins. Some of them remain here the whole year, considering it as
their patrimony; others visit it only in winter; of the latter
description are the Bedouins who belong to the districts of Naszera and
Nablous, as well as those of the eastern mountains. We met with several
encampments of stationary Bedouins, who cultivate a few fields of wheat,
barley, and Dhourra. They are at peace with the people of Szalt, to many
of whom the greater part of them are personally known; we therefore
passed unmolested; but a stranger who should venture to travel here
unaccompanied by a guide of the country would most certainly be
stripped.[For the names of the Bedouin tribes see the classification, in
the Appendix.]
ELMEYSERA
[p.347]July 3d.—We departed from Abou Obeida long before sun-rise,
proceeding from thence in a more western direction. In a quarter of an
hour we passed the northern branch of the river El Zerka, near a mill,
which was at work. In one hour we passed the principal stream, a small
river, which empties itself into the Jordan about one hour and a half to
the S.W. of the spot where it issues from the mountain. Its banks are
overgrown with Defle (Solanum furiosum). On the other side of the Zerka
we ascended the mountain by a steep acclivity, but the road, from being
much frequented, is tolerably good. The mountain consists of calcareous
rock, with layers of various coloured sand-stone, and large blocks of
the black Haouran stone, or basalt, which forms a principal feature in
the mineralogy of Eastern Syria. In two hours and three quarters we
arrived at the top of the mountain, from whence Abou Obeida bore N.N.W.
Here we had a fine view over the valley below.
On the west side of the Jordan, between the river and the mountains of
Nablous, I remarked a chain of low calcareous rocky heights which begin
at about three hours north of Abou Obeida, and continue for several
hours distance to the S. of that place on the opposite side of the
river. The highest point of Djebel Nablous bore N.W.; the direction of
Nablous itself was pointed out to me as W.N.W. On the summit where we
stood are some large heaps of hewn stones, and several ruined walls,
with the fragments of three large columns. The Arabs call the spot El
Meysera (Arabic). The Zerka, or Jabock of the Scriptures, divides the
district of Moerad from the country called El Belka (Arabic). The
highest summit of the mountains of Moerad seems to be considerably
higher than any part of the mountains of Belka. From Meysera the road
continues over an uneven tract, along the summit of the lower ridge of
mountains which form the northern limits of
MOUNT OSHA
[p.348] the Belka. We had now entered a climate quite different from
that of the Ghor.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 117 of 232
Words from 118118 to 119121
of 236498
