'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.' [‎516] (605/905)

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SZALT.
[CHAP. XX.
Remains at Sibma, contains a heap of ruined houses, enclosed by a wall
a e a ' one mile in circumference. Half a mile westward there is a
tower of cut-stone, about 9 feet square at the base, and nearly
60 feet high, with a column near the top, at each corner;
near this are the ruins of a square building, and three cisterns
excavated in the rock. North-westward are Zeneiba, El
Kherry, Om-el-Weled, and Madeba; at which last are the
remains of two temples and those of other buildings, in addi
tion to a cistern 130 yards long by 100 yards wide, and 15
feet deep ; and, almost two miles, westward, the cistern of El
Teym. 1
Husban. Five miles farther, in the same direction, is the tent village
of Husban, and the ruins of ancient Hesbon, or Sihon, 2 where
there are some wells excavated in the rock, a ruined castle,
and a large cistern, which only requires to be cleared of the
rubbish to be still available. On a round hill, a little way
northward, is the site of El Aal, probably the Elealeh of
Scripture. 3
Near the northern limits is the small town of Zey, situated
on the slopes of Jebel Jal'ad, also the ruined towns of Jel'ad
and Jelaloud; and a few miles southward is Es Szalt, the
Castle of Szalt. principal place in the district of El Belka. The castle occupies
the crest, and the town both sides of a singular ridge, or
tongue of land, projecting into a deep valley, or rather basin,
enclosed by lofty hills overlooking the whole. The castle is
a respectable work, insulated on the land side by means of a
ditch, and having a second or interior line of defence. Szalt
contains about 200 Christian and nearly 300 Turkish houses,
usually small, and having flat roofs resting upon an arch, like
the ancient buildings in the Haouran ; the streets are narrow
and dirty, and form successive terraces.
The slopes on the opposite or south-western side of the
valley are clothed with terraced olive-groves, and those on the
north-western with vineyards, in which are watch-towers:
above are three rounded hills, the highest of which commands
1 Possibly Kerjathaim.—Burckhardt's Travels in Syria, p. 367.
8 Dr. Zunz on the Geography of Palestine, p. 409.
8 Burckhardt's Travels in Syria, p. 365; Isaiah, chap. XVI., v. 9, 10.