'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.' [‎386] (463/905)

386
ANTI-CASIUS.
[CHAP. XVII.
portion of Mount Rhoms: it is imperfectly connected with
Mount Casius by means of the hills of Jebel Siman ; whilst
other groups, also of moderate elevation, but of still greater
beauty, connect the principal range with the hilly district of
Casiotis: finally, successive groups prolong the eastern slopes of
the Amanus to Azas (Kilis), from whence the range proceeds
till it ends in the Jebel Balkis above Bir, on the banks of the
Euphrates. The principal groups are those of Sheikh Ba-
rakat, extending towards the east, and the hills crowned by
the towers of Antioch, from each of which an extensive chain
may be traced. From the neighbourhood of that city the
bold limestone mass of Anti-Casius takes a south-western
direction to Bei't-al-Moie (Daphne 1 ), and proceeds onward
in the same direction to Jebel Sheiksinah or Ordu Tagh;
from whence, as before, it skirts the southern side of the
Orontic basin till it ends at the western extremity of the
bay of Antioch with the remarkable culminating peak of
Mount Casius, which is bounded on its southern and eastern
sides by a deep valley celebrated for its fine tobacco.
Geological With the exception of some highly crystalline gypsum near
Mounfca^ius, its foot on the eastern side, and some diallage rocks, serpen
tines, &c., towards the south-eastern extremity, this great mass,
like the preceding part of the chain, is entirely composed
of supra-cretaceous limestone, rising abruptly from the sea to
the height of 5318 feet. 8 This is, however, very different
from the height implied in Pliny's remark, that a spectator
on the mountain, by simply turning his head from left to
right, could see both day and night. 3 In the lower and
wooded region, at 400 feet above the sea, is the temple said to
have been consecrated by Cronus or Ham on this mountain. 4
The birch and larch trees below are succeeded by thinly-
scattered shrubs, but the upper part of the cone is entirely a
1 Strabo, XVI., p. 750.
2 As ascertained by the late Lieutenant Murphy, Royal Engineers.
3 Lib. V., c. xxii.
4 Ammian. Marcell., lib. XXII., c. xiv. A ffite in honour of Triptolemus
■was also celebrated on this mountain by the people of Antioch. Strabo, XVI.,
p. 150; p. 11 of Cory's Ancient Fragments. Pickering : London, 1832.