'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.' [‎501] (590/905)

CHAP. XX.]
PASHALIK OF DAMASCUS.
501
The Pashalik of Damascus includes the remainder of the Limits of the
Syrian territory, and even within its ordinary limits it is the pa8h41lk *
most extensive district of the country; but occasionally both
Gaza and Tripoli have been considered as Eyalets under its
jurisdiction. The government of Sham, in its restricted limits,
has on the west the Pashaliks of Tripoli, Akka, and Gaza;
on the north it touches that of Aleppo; on the east it is
bounded by Arabia Deserta; and finally, on the south it
touches Arabia Petrsea. It extends from the last about 275
miles in length, with a breadth, according to the existing
boundary (from the Anti-Lebanon eastward to the valley of
Palmyra), of about 85 miles.
Along the western side of the districts are the valleys of Features of the
the Jordan and Bika, also several offset branches from the country '
ranges closing their eastern sides; some of these branches run
a good way into the interior. And one of these, the Jebel-el
Jusche, quitting the slopes of the Anti-Lebanon, under the
name of Jebel Salahiyah, passes Damascus in a north-easterly
direction, and then separates into three branches; one, called
El Utala Safire, takes an eastern direction ; whilst the others,
as the Jebel Ruak and Jebel Kassium, run north-eastward
beyond Tadmor, showing bare rocky ridges tinged with deep
purple, and a lofty serrated crest. With these exceptions, and
the rocky tracts. El Ledja, &c,, southward of Damascus, also
some undulating hills elsewhere, the central and northern
parts of the Pashalik may be considered as one level tract,
which, under the name of the plain of Djolan, commences a
little way eastward of Tabariyeh, and is succeeded by that of
Djedur. This last plain, which runs along Jebel es Sheikh,
although occasionally broken by undulating ground, continues
northward, passing by Damascus, Hums, and Hamah, till it
meets the Pashalik of Aleppo, when it proceeds eastward from
the foot of the Anti-Lebanon to the Arabian desert; thus
forming, between the latter and the mountains, an inter
mediate plateau, about 2000 feet high. In general the soil
is rather light, but very good, especially in the valleys of the
Orontes and Jordan, which are partially cultivated; but
although equally susceptible of cultivation towards the eastern