"كتيّب سوريا (بما في ذلك فلسطين). لندن: إدارة استخبارات الأركان البحرية، يونيو ١٩١٩" [ظ‎‎١‎٧‎٦] (٧٣٨/٣٥٧)

346 COUNTRY EAST OF JEBEL ANSARlYEH
the Kuwaik Su just south of Aleppo, beyond which the low
ridge of J. el-Hass runs south-eastward into the desert.
Standing out south-east of this ridge, is J. Shebit, a small
isolated hill rising from the desert plain. Enclosed within
these mountain groups is the great cultivable plain, its
fertility diminishing as it merges into the desert which spreads
eastward in arid expanses of plains and mountains to the
Euphrates valley. Throughout the whole region the only
wooded areas consist of unimportant groups of trees. In the
district of Hama there are poplar plantations along the
banks of the Orontes.
The parallel ridges of J. el-'Ala, and J. Bdrisheh, (E.), run
north and south and are partly separated by Wadi Hattan.
The rocky and bare formation is limestone with steep
and rugged sides, from which the soil has been washed
by winter rains and torrents through deep chasms to the
valleys and marshes below; only small pockets of arable
land here and there remain. The whole group covering an
area of about 12 by 10 miles, rises from the plain on all sides
except the NE. where the foothills merge into J. Halaqah.
Taken as a whole, these mountains are higher and far more
rugged than J. Riha, there are fewer villages, and the cultivated
areas are more scanty; being almost waterless and barren,
the population is small and poor. Numerous ruins of exten
sive ancient cities and settlements with many cisterns and
innumerable oil and wine presses testify to a prosperity and
productiveness which has long since disappeared.
The elongated ridge of J. el-‘Ala extends due N. and S. for
a distance of 10 miles, rising to an alt. of 1,885 ft. at Ben Abil
on the northern verge, and having its highest peak, alt.
2,385 ft., towards the S. Unlike the other approaches
which are steep and difficult, that from El-‘Amq (Antioch
plain) is fairly easy, being difficult only because of the rifts
and chasms. The dividing valley, W. Hattan, falls towards
the N., and at its head is closed by highlands which unite the
twin ridges. Its rich red soil washed from the surrounding
slopes is extremely fertile and produces the greater part