'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.' [‎399] (478/905)

CHAP. XVII.] HEAD WATERS OF THE JORDAN.
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south becomes manifest from the course of the river, whose
waters are separated by the spur of the Jebel-ish-Sheikh from
those of the Jordan. The chain of lakes formed along the
stream become so many recipient basins for its superabundant
waters during the season of floods, and they afterwards afford
the means of regulating its decrease.
The most northern branch of this river has its springs at Northern
the western foot of Jebel-ish-Sheikh, about a mile westward Jordan ofthe
of the town of Hasibiyah; from whence, bearing the name of
that town, it flows rather westward of south, along Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. -el-
Teim. Subsequently it passes about 4 miles to the west of
Banias, and it continues winding through the plain till after a
course of about 25 miles it enters the Bahr-el-Huleh through
an extensive marsh, having previously received from the Merj
Arjun a stream called the Nahr-el-Khurah. The estuary of
the Nahr Hasibiyah, properly the head-waters of the Jordan,
is at the northern extremity of the lake, close to the termina
tion of a shorter and more abundant river, which is formed
by the junction of two branches. The eastern, which is also
the more distant of these, has two springs which immediately
unite at the foot of Tel-el-Kadi, about 4 miles west-north-
west of Banias; from whence, under the name of the river
Dhan and the lesser Jordan, it flows southward into the
Hulet-el-Banias, in which it is joined by the western branch.
The latter which has generally been considered to be the
Jordan, though the Dhan and Hasibiyah rivers are of greater
extent, bursts at once as a copious stream from a cavern at the
foot of a precipitous rock, 3 miles southward of Lake Phiala,
from whence, according to the people, it comes by a subter
raneous passage. After washing the northern side of the
village, the Nahr-el-Banias takes a south-west direction,
through a volcanic country covered with shrubs, into the
Ardh-el-Banias, along which, after joining the western affluent,
it flows onward through pasture-ground and marshes; and
eventually falls into the lake. The waters of Merom 1 seem
to have preserved the extent assigned to them by Josephus, 2
1 Joshua, db. xi., ver. 5.
* Lake Samochonites, 1 miles long, and 3|- wide.