"كتيّب سوريا (بما في ذلك فلسطين). لندن: إدارة استخبارات الأركان البحرية، يونيو ١٩١٩" [و‎‎١‎٧‎٧] (٧٣٨/٣٥٨)

PHYSICAL SURVEY
347
of the crops in the locality. During the rainy season the
whole valley becomes a shallow lake.
The main ridge of J. Barisheh terminates on the N. in the
high peak of Qubbet Babuteh, and on the S. by a steep rock
wall falling to lower heights which continue southwards until
they drop to the level plain. This southern part is less rugged
and has more soil than the other parts. There are large olive
groves on the northern slopes which fall steeply to a deep
valley running to ‘ the Antioch plain; this valley separates
the mountain from the low hills to the N. The peak Qubbet
Babuteh commands a view over a great part of Syria in every
direction. Its north-eastern side falling to the low foothills
which touch the Sermada plain, are steep, rugged, and in
places, almost impassable. In the immediate vicinity of the
plain the watershed inclines towards the plain, and much soil
is carried from the slopes into that fertile basin. From the
north-eastern foothills, a low ridge, J. Halaqah, sweeps east
wards and, describing a circle, completely surrounds the plain.
The great cone of J. Sheikh Barakat, alt. 2,970 ft., rises at
the north-eastern point of the circle and is structurally a part
of this ridge which, with the surrounding country, it com
pletely dominates.
The Sermada 'plain is an irregular oval in shape about
10 miles long on its NE.—SW. axis, and 3—4 miles on its
minor axis. It is an extremely fertile tract of rich red soil
sheltered in the heart of the mountains, containing several
villages and yielding supplies for a considerable population.
Jebel ttika .—This group is also called J. ez-Zawiyeh, or
J. el-Arba‘In, ‘ mount of the forty ’ (martyrs). It rises from the
plain to the S. of J. Barisheh having the small isolated ridge
J. Wustani/ middle mountain’, between, from which it is
separated by the marshy plain of Er-Ruj, a fertile tract about
3 miles wide and many miles long. The area of the massif is
about 14—16 sqr. miles; from it, low spurs shoot out southward
towards Qakat el-Mudhiq overlooking the Orontes valley.
Although some of the peaks are higher, the general elevation is
lower than that of the Barisheh group, and the isolated position