"معاملات الجمعية الجغرافية في بومباي، من يناير ١٨٤٧ حتى مايو ١٨٤٩. تحرير السكرتير. المجلد VIII." [‎٣‎٤‎٨] (٤٩٦/٤٥٧)

348
Ephraim on the left or west towards the valley of the Jordan on the
east. The formation is a white chalky limestone, so firm in texture as
to be employed for building the Protestant Church on Mount Zion, now
fast approaching completion. Much of the stone is quarried from this
hill: and in it I found several fossils; among others a large
Ammonite nearly a foot in diameter. The hills of Benjamin, which
continue northerly to Mount Ephraim, form a ridge^running nearly
N. by S., broken into round-backed masses by transverse ravines,
or Wadis, descending easterly into the valley of the Jordan. The view
to the west is confined by this ridge, which commands the road, as it
proceeds to the north, along its eastern slope by Anathoth and Michmash
to Bethel. The view to the north and east is open, and presents a desolate
aspect from its almost treeless state, and chalky broken-up surface. The
vast sheet of scaglia and cretaceous limestone which covers the greater
part of Palestine as it descends to the steeps flanking the Ghor or valley
of the Jordan, becomes more and more fractured and disturbed; and
presents a confused assemblage of fantastically-shaped hills, ridges, and
cliffs, often of dazzling whiteness and arid sterility. The deep ravines
intersecting this tract render it almost impracticable to the Turkish
troops; and as these cracks in the surface all ultimately debouch in the
valley of the Jordan, this wilderness is a favourite resort of the Arabs of
the Ghor, who creep up the ravines with their flocks and herds to the
fine pastures covering the slopes of Benjamin and Mount Ephraim.
I took the following bearings from Bas-el-Kharub :—
Anathoth (Anata,) (ten minutes distances) JST. 20° E.; beyond
Anata Hizmeh, N. 20° E.; Betin (Bethel,) 1ST. 10° W.
It was while taking these bearings that the ruins of Hai were pointed
out to me by my Arab guide, as previously mentioned^; also “Khirbet
Alamet doubtless the Alemeth of Benjamin, a little
to the N. E. of Anathoth, and which will] be described hereafter.
The ruined village Kefr iVh£a, said to be about four^ hours northerly
fi om Anathoth, was also pointed out; as well as the rock of Bimmon
and Er Bam—the Bameh of Benjamin,—but a thin haze coming on pre
vented any reliance on the bearings taken of the places at the time.
< ^ rom Ras—el-Kharub I proceeded to Anathoth along the edge of a
high spur having the deep steep-sided Wadi Benit ^ L? 011
^ *#