'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎384] (461/905)

384
THE AMANUS.
[CHAP. XVII.
contains the Pashaliks of Aleppo, Tarabalus, Damascus, and
Saide, which, in addition to the Musellimik of Cyprus, give a
superficies of 53,762^ square geographical miles, or 5973 • 7
square leagues, is diversified by mountains, valleys, basins,
plains, deserts, &c., and is subject in consequence to almost
every kind of temperature.
Principal fea- One of the most striking features belonging to this re-
tures of Syna. country is the long valley which contains the
Dead Sea, the river Jordan, and the chain of lakes running
northward from thence to the foot of the Taurus. With
the exception of a ridge forming a water-shed between the
eastern and western streams, nearly in 30° 10' N.L., this
singular depression extends along the western side of the
country, having on each side, through nearly 6° of latitude,
an almost continuous chain of mountains, from which nume
rous offsets strike into the interior in difPerent directions.
But this chain of mountains, on account of its great eleva
tion, the numerous rivers to which it gives rise, the lakes at
its base, and the character of the people inhabiting its slopes,
is entitled to a detailed notice.
Designations, As has been already noticed, the Southern Taurus sends
the Amanus. out from the Durdun Tagh, at a point a little westward of
Mar'ash, the Alma Tagh or Amanus, which takes a south
westerly direction for about 30 miles, and then runs south
ward for 18 more ; leaving, as it enters Syria, only the narrow
passage of the Armenian Gates 1 between it and the Gulf of
Iskenderun. As it advances southward along the coast it
bears the name of Jawur Tagh (infidel mountain), and sub
sequently that of the Akma Tagh, or more commonly the
Beilan mountains. The base of the chain consists of masses
of serpentines and diallage rocks rising abruptly from the
plains on each side, and supporting a tertiary formation,
terminating with bold rugged peaks and conical summits,
having at the crest an elevation of 5387 feet. The sides of
this mass are occasionally furrowed by rocky fissures, or
broken into valleys, between which there is a succession of
1 Strabo, XVI., p. 151; and Leake's Asia Minor, p. 209.