'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.' [‎394] (473/905)

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SOURCES OF THE ORONTES. [CHAP. XVII.
Jebel Ghuweitheh, Jebel Tarfuyeli, and Jebel Uro'kariyeh.
The latter part of the chain, which runs through Amnion
and Moab, is a formation of no great elevation, and for the
most part of a rocky, barren, and desolate appearance ; but
the former is entirely different. The wooded slopes of this
part of the chain command, on one side, striking views not
only of the rich valley of the Jordan and the hills enclosing
it; but also in the distance the groups around Jerusalem,
Nabulus, Tabor, and Safet: those slopes may be contrasted
with the park-like scenery of the country lying eastward of
Jebel 'Attarus, which, from its commanding position, is pro
bably the Nebo of the Scriptures.
Head of the As might be expected from the nature of the country, the
Orontes. extensive depression lying between the preceding chains of
mountains contains the principal water-courses of Syria; in
its northern portion are the basin and lakes of the lower
Orontes, and in its southern, those of the Jordan.
Beginning with the former, the most distant branch of
the Orontes has its two sources on the western slopes of the
Anti-Lebanon in about 34° 5' N. lat., and about 10 miles
N.E. of Baalbec ; from hence they run north-westward, and,
uniting as they approach the village of Labweh, the trunk
bearing the latter name winds northward for about 10 miles
along Coele-Syria till, at the village of Ar-Ras, 1 it falls into
the basin of a much more abundant stream. The latter, once
called Typhon, 2 but now El-A'si, or the Rebel, bursts at once
from the foot of the Anti-Lebanon with a more considerable
volume of water than the former, and preserves the same name
as it flows northward: it is fed by numerous streams from
the slopes of the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon ranges nearly
in 34° 22' N. lat. One of these, having also the same name,
joins it with a considerable body of water, and gives it, for
a time, a north-easterly direction ; but on entering the valley
of Homs it resumes its northerly course, draining as it ad
vances the slopes of Jebel Anzeyri, and forming, as it ap-
1 Mr. Burckhardt Barker's Journey to the Orontes, vol. VII., p. I., p. 99
of the Royal Geographical Journal. s Strabo, XVI., p. 750.