"كتيّب سوريا (بما في ذلك فلسطين). لندن: إدارة استخبارات الأركان البحرية، يونيو ١٩١٩" [و‎‎١‎٩‎٥] (٧٣٨/٣٩٤)

ANTI-LEBANON
383
ridges and swells to W. Musakhamin separating the third and
fourth chains. The western slopes in general fall gradually,
but those on the eastern side are abrupt and in places
precipitous.
At the commencement of the chain the mountains merge
into J. esh-Sharqi and, at Halbun, alt. 4,280 ft., are inter
sected by the fertile gorge W. Halbun in the upper stretches
of which rises a stream of the same name. This stream
continues across the almost entirely desert tract, Es-Sahra,
in a deep gorge fdled with trees, and is later joined by W.
Menin also a fertile gorge with a perennial stream. The
trunk stream then breaks through the easternmost chain to
the plain carrying the Nahr Ma‘raba which, with the parallel
N. Barada, is the only important stream on the eastern slopes
of Anti-Lebanon. A lateral ridge separates the Sahra upland
from the higher Sahel Saidnaya, the slopes of which on the
Sahra side are steep and barren while, on the opposite side,
they are gentle and extensively cultivated. On the south
eastern flank of J. Qalamun stands the important village of
Saidnaya, alt. 4,500 ft., overlooking a wild and rugged valley ;
here the chain is crossed by a track to Jubb Sureir. Toward
‘ Akbbar the chain decreases in height while the plain increases
in width and becomes unfertile. The water drainage of the
tableland from ‘Akdbar and Ma‘lula runs NE., while that
of Saidnaya and Ma‘areh runs into Wadi Menin. Beyond
‘Akdbar the chain continues for 20 miles or so as a ridge with a
jagged crest. As it approaches Ma‘lula the ridge is twice
broken, once by a gorge leading to the village of Jubb
‘Adin and again where the Yabrud road passes through a
gorge to the higher hills. About 3 miles farther on, the
ridge curves sharply inward, but later resumes its NE.
direction. In the meantime it has formed an amphitheatre
like basin, bounded by immense cliffs which are pierced at
the two extremities by rapidly ascending gorges. Great
rocks or boulders lie on the steep slopes, or are heaped at
the base of the cliff. The limestone soil is of dazzling white
ness, especially just outside the amphitheatre, where there