46 MEMOIR OP BURCKHARDT. 



several caverns or niches hewn out of the face of the 

 perpendicular rock, intended for the reception of 

 idols or deities, one of which was occupied with a 

 statue of Pan, as described by Josephus ; and hence 

 the appellations of Panias and Paneium given to the 

 mountain. 



In the vicinity are the ruins of the city of Bostra, 

 sometimes confounded with Bosra in the Haouran ; 

 both of which are mentioned in the books of Moses. 

 Lower down is the fertile plain of the Houle, wa- 

 tered by the rivers Banias and Hasbeya, or the 

 Jordan. " The source of the Jordan (says Burck- 

 hardt), or Dhan, as it is here called, is at an hour 

 and a quarter north-east from Banias. There are 

 two springs near each other, whose waters unite 

 immediately below. Both sources are on level 

 ground, amongst rocks of tufwacke. The larger 

 source soon forms a river twelve or fifteen yards 

 across, which rushes rapidly over a stony bed into 

 the lower plain." A very probable derivation of 

 the word " Jordan" was suggested by the inhabi- 

 tants. " I was told (continues Burckhardt) that 

 the ancient name of the river Banias was Djour, 

 which, added to the name of Dhan, made Jourdan. 

 The more correct etymology is perhaps Or Dhan, 

 in Hebrew, the river of Dan. Lower down, be- 

 tween Houle and the Lake Tabaria, it is called 

 Orden by the natives; to the southward of the 

 Tabaria it bears the name of Sherya, till it falls 

 into the Dead Sea." This point w^as the limit of 

 Burckhardt's first tour in the countries of the Liba- 



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