Tabaria, The Ancient Tiberias,[Tel El Faras, The Southern Extremity Of
Djebel Heish, Bears From A Point Above Tabaria N.E. By E.] Stands Close
To The Lake, Upon A Small Plain, Surrounded By Mountains.
Its situation
is extremely hot and unhealthy, as the mountain impedes the free course
of the westerly winds which prevail throughout Syria during the summer.
Hence intermittent fevers, especially those of the quartan form, are
very common in the town in that season.
Little rain falls in winter,
snow is almost unknown on the borders of the lake, and the temperature,
on the whole, appears to be very nearly the same as that of the Dead
sea. The town is surrounded towards the land by a thick and well built
wall, about twenty feet in height, with a high parapet and loop-holes.
It surrounds the city on three sides, and touches the water at its two
[p.321] extremities; but there are some remains on the shore of the
lake, which seem to indicate that the town was once inclosed on this
side also. I observed, likewise, some broken columns of granite in the
water close to the shore. The town wall is flanked by twenty round
towers standing at unequal distances. Both towers and walls are built
with black stones of moderate size, and seem to be the work of not very
remote times; the whole being in a good state of repair, the place may
be considered as almost impregnable to Syrian soldiers.
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