For Several Hundred Yards Before We Arrived At The Hot-Well, I
Perceived A Strong Sulphureous Smell In The Air.
The spring is situated
in a very narrow plain, in the valley, between the river and the
northern
HOT WELLS.
[p.277]cliffs, which we descended. The plain had been covered with rich
herbage, but it was now dried up; a great variety of shrubs and some old
palm trees also grow here: the heat in the midst of the summer must be
suffocating. The spring bubbles up from a basin about forty feet in
circumference, and five feet in depth, which is enclosed by ruins of
walls and buildings, and forms below a small rivulet which falls at a
short distance into the river. The water is so hot, that I found it
difficult to keep my hand in it; it deposits upon the stones over which
it flows a thick yellow sulphureous crust, which the neighbouring Arabs
collect, to rub their camels with, when diseased. Just above the basin,
which has originally been paved, is an open arched building, with the
broken shaft of a column still standing; and behind it are several
others, also arched, which may have been apartments for the
accommodation of strangers; the large stones forming these structures
are much decayed, from the influence of the exhalations. This spring is
called Hammet el Sheikh [Arabic], and is the hottest of them all. At
five minutes distance, ascending the Wady, is a second of the same kind,
but considerably cooler; it issues out of a basin covered with weeds,
and surrounded with reeds, and has some remains of ancient buildings
about it; it is called Hammet Errih [Arabic], and joins the waters from
the first source. Following the course of the river, up the Wady, eight
more hot springs are met with; I shall here mention their names, though
I did not see them. 1. Hammet aand Ettowahein [Arabic], near some mills;
2. Hammet beit Seraye [Arabic]; 3. Hammet Essowanye [Arabic]; 4. Hammet
Dser Aryshe [Arabic]; 5. Hammet Zour Eddyk [Arabic]; 6. Hammet Erremlye
[Arabic]; 7. Hammet Messaoud [Arabic]; 8. Hammet Om Selym [Arabic]; this
last is distant from that of El Sheikh two hours and a half. These
FEIK.
[p.278]eight springs are on both sides of the Wady, and have remains of
ancient buildings near them. I conceive that a naturalist would find it
well worth his time to examine the productions of this Wady, hitherto
almost unknown. In the month of April the Hammet el Sheikh is visited by
great numbers both of sick and healthy people, from the neighbourhood of
Nablous and Nazaret, who prefer it to the bath of Tabaria; they usually
remain about a fortnight.
We returned from the Hamme by the same road we came; on reaching the
plain of El Ghor we turned to our right up the mountain. We here met a
wild boar of great size; these animals are very numerous in the Ghor,
and my companions told me that the Arabs of the valley are unable to
cultivate the common barley, called here Shayr Araby [Arabic], on
account of the eagerness with which the wild swine feed upon it, they
are therefore obliged to grow a less esteemed sort, with six rows of
grains, called Shayr Kheshaby [Arabic], which the swine do not touch.
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