The
Great Number Of Rivulets Which Descend From The Mountains On Both Sides,
And Form Numerous Pools Of Stagnant Water,
Produce in many places a
pleasing verdure, and a luxuriant growth of wild herbage and grass; but
the greater part
Of the ground is a parched desert, of which a few spots
only are cultivated by the Bedouins. In the neighbourhood of Bysan the
soil is entirely of marle; there are very few trees; but wherever there
is water high reeds are found. The river Jordan, on issuing from the
lake of Tiberias, flows for about three hours near the western hills,
and then turns towards the eastern, on which side it continues its
course for several hours. The river flows in a valley of about a quarter
of an hour in breadth, which is considerably lower than the rest of the
plain of Ghor; this lower valley is covered with high trees and a
luxuriant verdure, which affords a striking contrast with the sandy
slopes that border it on both sides. The trees most frequently met with
on the banks of the Jordan are of the species called by the Arabs Gharab
(Arabic) and Kottab (Arabic) [The following are the names or the rivulets
which descend from the western mountains into the Ghor, to the north or
Bysan. Beginning at the southern extremity of the lake of Tiberias are
Wady Fedjaz (Arabic), Ain el Szammera (Arabic), Wady Djaloud (Arabic),
Wady el Byre (Arabic), and Wady el Oeshe (Arabic). To the south of Bysan
are Wady el Maleh (Arabic), Wady Medjedda (Arabic), with a ruined town
so called, Wady el Beydhan (Arabic), coming from the neighbourhood of
Nablous, and Wady el Farah (Arabic). On the east side of the Jordan,
beginning at the Sheriat el Mandhour, and continuing to the place where
we crossed the river, the following Wadys empty themselves into it:
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