J73 



SYRIA. 



SYIUA- 



774 



their orchards contain apples, apricots, figs, pomegranates, olive- and 

 peach-trees, and numerous vines. Dried figs and grapes constitute 

 the principal articles of export, together with soda. The rivers which 

 traverse this region generally contain water even during the summer, 

 but it is only in winter that the water reaches the valley of the Arabah. 

 The climate of this mountain region is extremely agreeable. The air 

 is pure ; and though the heat is very great in summer, and increased 

 by the reflection of the sun's rays from the rocky sides of the moun- 

 tains, yet the temperature never becomes suffocating, owing to the 

 refreshing breeze which generally prevails. The winter is very cold, 

 deep snow falls, and the frost sometimes continues to the middle of 

 March. This part of Syria would be much better cultivated and more 

 populous if the inhabitants were not exposed to frequent incursions 

 of the Beduins of the eastern plain. 



The mountain region of the Belka, the ancient Bashan, still abound 

 ing in pastures and woodlands, extends from the river Modjeb on the 

 south to that of Zerka on the north, or from 81" 30' to 32 20' N. lat 

 Its width between the Dead Sea and the Qhor on the west, and the 

 Huilji road on the east, rather exceeds 40 miles. The eastern district, 

 or that contiguous to the Hadji road, is little elevated above the 

 road, and constitutes a barren sandy or rocky plain, most parts of 

 which are interspersed with numerous low and isolated hills. Towards 

 the north the plain has a chalky or clayey soil, and is covered with a 

 rich verdure in winter. The western districts consist of a succession 

 of ridges and deep valleys opening into the Dead Sea or the Ghor. 

 The ridges occupy a much larger space than the valleys, and are 

 generally level on the top. In a few places however high hills rise 

 above them. The upper part of the ridges is bare of trees, and gene- 

 rally covered with flints. The narrow valleys between them are 

 always wooded at the bottom, and sometimes on their declivities. 



The northern district, or the country north of 32 N. lat., is an 

 extensive mountain mass, whose highest part is in the middle of the 

 tract, and is called Jebel Jelaad (Gilead). This higher ridge extends 

 about ten miles from east to west, and near its most elevated summit, 

 Jebel Osha, is what is called the tomb of the prophet Hosea, which is 

 a place of pilgrimage for Turks and Christians. This mountainous 

 country is almost entirely covered with high trees ; oak, wild pistachio- 

 trees, and many others not known in Europe. In scenery it resemble* 

 a European country. It has numerous springs and small rivers ; some 

 of the rivers run underground, as the mountains consist of limestone. 

 On the southern declivity of this tract, and in the vicinity of the town 

 of Szalt, are the only tracts in the Belka which are under regular 

 cultivation, though some other places are occasionally town with 

 dhurra by the wandering Beduins. The numerous and extensive 

 ruins show that cultivation was formerly carried on here to a gnat 

 extent, and probably has been discontinued on account of the frequent 

 incursions of the nomadic tribes who live to the east. At present 

 the Belka is considered the best pasture-ground in Southern Syria ; 

 and the most powerful tribes of the Beduins are frequently at war 

 with one another for the possession of this region. Wheat, barley, 

 and dhurra are cultivated. The vineyards are extensive near Szalt. 

 Sumach and sola are collected. The climate of the Belka is as pleasant 

 as that of the Shera, and the winters are aa cold, 



10. The Haouran in to the east of the Ghor. Along the valley it 

 extends from 32* 21' to 32 45' N. lat, but where it borders on the 

 Syrian desert, which lies between it and the valley of the Euphrates, 

 it advances as far north as 33* N. lat. It consists of two mountain- 

 regions, the Jebel Ajelun on the west, and the Jebel Haouran on the 

 east, and a plain which lies between the mountain-regions. 



The Jebel Ajelun extends about 30 miles south and north, and 

 about as many east and west It is the most mountainous district of 

 Southern Syria, and the best cultivated to the east of the southern 

 valley. Tbe highest part of the mountains is towards the south, 

 north of the river Zerka (the ancient Jabbok), where the mountains 

 of Mocrad and of Jebel Ajeluu rise much above the Jebel Jelaad of 

 the Belka. The whole surface is a succession of mountain masses 

 and valleys, and the valleys are rather large : the region is abundantly 

 watered by streams, which either originate in this region or traverse 

 it in its width, flowing from the plain of Haouran to the Jordan. 

 Wheat and barley are extensively cultivated in all the lower grounds, 

 and in some places on terraces made on the declivity of the moun- 

 tains. There are numerous plantations of olives and vines. The 

 orchards contain pomegranates, figs, lemons, oranges, and other fruit- 

 tree* Kvcry kind of vegetable is grown. Tbe climate of the valleys 

 is very hot in summer. The thermometer rises to 100 in the shade. 

 Tbe sides of the mountains are chiefly covered with wood, consisting 

 of oak, wild pistachio, walnut-trees, and several kinds not found in 

 Europe. 



The Plain of the Haouran, which extends east of the Jebel Ajelun, 

 is a level, the northern part of which is frequently interrupted by 

 isolated hills, which however are leas numerous towards the south, 

 and at last disappear entirely. These southern districts have a very 

 sandy mil, and are almost uninhabited. But the northern districts 

 have a soil consisting of a fine black earth, which possesses a con- 

 siderable degree of fertility, but is very little cultivated. A village is 

 built at the foot or on the declivity of almost every bill, but very few 

 of them are inhabited. It frequently happens that these habitations 

 are taken possession of by some wandering peasant for a short time. 



The Haouran peasants do not fix themselves in one place : they 

 wander from one village to another, and they find commodious dwel- 

 lings in the ancient deserted houses. They are chiefly induced to 

 change by the exactions of the Beduin tribes, who are considered the 

 true proprietors of the plain. During the winter the plain produces 

 excellent pasture for the herds of the Beduins. There are no trees. 

 The cold in December and January is severe. 



The Jebel Haouran is much less extensive than the Jebel Ajelun. 

 It extends from 32" 25' to 33 N. lat., but no part probably is more 

 than 12 miles across. It is surrounded by plains, which are lower 

 than the base on which the mountains rise ; though the cold of the 

 winter proves that they are at a considerable elevation above the sea. 

 The mountain region is covered with several ridges running in different 

 directions. The highest part of the mountain-system is near 32 40' 

 N. lat, where the Kelab Haouran, a summit iu the form of a cone, 

 rises considerably above the lower ridge on which it stands. It is 

 wooded on the north and west, but bare on the east and south ; and 

 this observation applies to the whole mountain-region. In its present 

 state only the northern and western base of this region are inhabited 

 and cultivated, and cotton and tobacco are extensively grown. Wheat, 

 barley, dhurra, and beans are cultivated. The wood with which the 

 mountains are clothed is only stunted oak. In the mountains there 

 ore extensive pasture-grounds, even where there are no trees, and a 

 great number of uninhabited villages and towns occur, the houses of 

 which are generally in a tolerable state of preservation. East of the 

 Jebel Haouran is the Syrian desert 



Central Syria extends from 33 10' to 34" 40' N. lat Within iU 

 limits are Libanus and Antilibanus, and the southern and highest 

 portion of the northern valley. To the east of the Antilibazius is the 

 elevated plain of Damascus. 



1. Mount Libanus, called by the natives Jebel Libnan, constitutes a 

 continuous range of mountains, which begins a little south of 33 20' 

 N. lat, and, running to the east of north, terminates near 34 40' 

 N. lat, with a ridge of hills called Jebel Shara. The northern portion 

 of the range is called Jurd (that is Jebel) Baal bee, and the southern 

 Jebel Sunin. As the higher part of the range is destitute of trees, it 

 is considered that its average elevation above the sea must be at 

 least 8000 feet. The highest part of it occurs between 34 10' and 

 34* 15' N. lat, and is called Jebel Makmel. It rises to more than 

 12,000 feet above the sea-level, and is covered with snow all the year 

 round. The highest part of the road, which passes over the range 

 to the east and north of the Jebel Makmel, is 7590 feet above the 

 sea. This range of mountains, with its declivities extending east- 

 ward and westward, varies between 12 and 18 miles in width in a 

 straight line, of which extent leu than one-fourth lies on the east 

 side of the highest crest, so that on this side the declivity is much 

 steeper than on the west, where its onsets generally approach the 

 shores of the Mediterranean and in a few places, as north of Bevrut 

 and at Has el-Shakka, come close to the water'* edge. Un both sides 

 of the range a terrace occurs somewhat about the middle of its height, 

 which divides the Upper and Lower Libanus. The Upper Libauus 

 usually presents only steep declivities, either entirely bare, or clothed 

 with a scanty vegetation, but a few spots have a fine growth of grass, 

 and in summer they are used as pasture-ground by the mountaineer 

 Arabs who visit this place. The level ground which separates the 

 Upper Libanus from the Lower is also generally without trees, but 

 always covered with shrubs and grass. It contains small groves of 

 cedars, not far from the northern base of Jebel Makmel, more than 

 6000 feet above the sea-level. 



The Lower Libanus, to the west of the range, is one of the most 

 interesting countries in Asia, That part of it which extends from 

 Beyrut (33 50' N. lat) to Tarabloos (34 25' N. lat) is called Ken- 

 rawan, the most southern part of which is entirely in possession of 

 the Maronites.' The Kesrawan is very well watered. The water- 

 courses however lie in very narrow and deep valleys, the sides of 

 which rise with a steep ascent several hundred feet above the narrow 

 level at the bottom. As these water-courses are very numerous, the 

 ridges between the valleys are very narrow, and there is no level on 

 their tops. The valleys, even where widest, never exceed a mile in 

 breadth ; but every cultivable spot is turned to account The inhabit- 

 ants build terraces on the declivities of the mountains to obtain a 

 space of level ground, and to prevent the earth from being swept 

 down by the winter rains, and at the same time to retain the water 

 requisite for the irrigation of their crops. On these terraces and in 

 the level spots of the valleys there are orchards, mulberry-planta- 

 tions, vineyards, and fields of dhurra and other grain. The silk 

 which is collected in these places is not inferior to any in Europe, and 

 constitutes the principal article of commerce. The lower ranges and 

 lulls, with which the offsets of the Libanus terminate, are covered 

 with plantations of olive-trees, but the narrow plain along the shore* 

 of the sea is generally not cultivated, except at the very b;.; of the 

 bills. There are however some small grovea of data-trees. The 

 higher parts of the ridges which separate the valleys are generally 

 wooded with fir-trees. 



The eastern declivity of Mount Libauus differs greatly from the 

 western. It is furrowed by ravines, iu which the water descends only 

 during the rains. This part of the Lower Libanus is covered with 



