June 21st.--We Ascended The Western
Banks Of The Valley Of The Jordan, And Then Continued Upon A Plain,
Called Ard Aaseifera (Arabic), A Small Part Of Which Is Cultivated By
The Inhabitants Of Szaffad.
There are several springs in the plain.
In
an hour and a quarter, we began to ascend the chain of mountains known
by the name of Djebel Szaffad, which begin on the N.W. side of the lake
of Houle, being a southern branch of the Djebel el Sheikh, or rather of
the Anti-Libanus. On the steep acclivity of this mountain we passed to
the left of the village Feraab (Arabic). The road ascends through a
narrow valley, called Akabet Feraein, and passes by the spring of
Feraein (Arabic). In two hours and three quarters from the bridge, we
reached the summit of the mountain, from whence the Djebel el Sheik
bears N.E. The whole is calcareous,
SZAFFAD
[p.317] with very little basalt or tufwacke. At the end of three hours
and a half, after a short descent, we reached Szaffad (Arabic), the
ancient Japhet; it is a neatly built town, situated round a hill, on the
top of which is a castle of Saracen structure. The castle appears to
have undergone a thorough repair in the course of the last century, it
has a good wall, and is surrounded by a broad ditch. It commands an
extensive view over the country towards Akka, and in clear weather the
sea is visible from it.
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