'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919' [‎268v] (541/738)

530
GALILEE
Esdraelon plain and runs into the Bay of ‘Akka just E. of Haifa.
The two main feeders of the river, W. el-Muweili and W. es-
Sitt, coming from north-east and south-east respectively,
join near Ludd, in the middle of the Esdraelon plain. The
spring-head of the former is near Kh. el-Mezr‘ah, west of
J. et-Tor, and its length from the sea is 23 miles ; the latter
feeder has its most remote source in the springs of Jelbun on
the western slope of J. Fuqu‘, about 35 miles from its mouth,
and the springs of Lejjun, which also feed this affluent, are 19
miles distant from the mouth. The Lejjun stream is sometimes
regarded as the head of the Muqatta 4 ; but the real source is
the springs of Mujahiyeh near Kh. el-Mezr‘ah, and the total
fall of the river from these springs to the sea is about 280 ft.
The Muqatta‘ passes from the plain of Esdraelon to that of
‘Akka through a narrow neck or gorge, some 3 or 4 miles in
length, immediately NW. of Tell el-QassIs, under the cliffs of
Carmel, and is here an extremely dangerous river from the
boggy nature of the bed. From this point it gradually works
away NW., and is fed by numerous fine springs from the foot
of the mountains on the left bank, and by others from the low
hills on the right bank ; most of these springs are perennial,
and especially strong are those ‘Ayun es-Sa‘adi and ‘Ayun el-
Ward or el-Bass, flowing from among the rocks at the foot of
Mount Carmel. West of the village of Harithiyeh, below the
main ford, the river is full of water to the coast, even in
autumn, and it flows through a marshy plain between banks
10-15 ft. high, an impassable but sluggish stream having a
fall of only 80 ft. in the last half-mile of its course.
Some 5 or 6 miles from its mouth the Muqatta‘ receives, on
the left bank, its most important tributary, W. el-Malik, which
comes down a broad and gently sloping valley from the plain
of Buttauf and beyond. This stream is fed mainly by springs
near Khalladiyeh, to which lower down a fine supply is added
from the springs of Ras el-‘Ain. Reaching the plain, the
stream becomes sluggish and marshy, and in summer, in the
lower part, the water lies only in pools and is not continuous,
resembling the Muqatta‘ in this respect. The springs of