"كتيّب سوريا (بما في ذلك فلسطين). لندن: إدارة استخبارات الأركان البحرية، يونيو ١٩١٩" [و‎‎٢‎٠‎٣] (٧٣٨/٤١٠)

399
THE LEBANON AND ANTI-LEBANON
constructing a new dam below the present one, and so to
collect the flood waters which now run to waste was considered.
The volume of water in the river at this point is over 66,000,000
galls, per day. It was proposed to supply Homs by utilizing
the power at the mill below the Tripoli-Homs chaussee, to
pump 4,000 cub. m. a day on a 36-metre rise to a reservoir on
the top of the citadel hill. The water, where it issues from the
lake, is milky in appearance, but chemical analysis proved
it to be very good after the fine clay had been withdrawn:
the water, however, was not tested bacteriologically.
From the outlet of the lake the river flows north-east
through a broad, shallow, and marshy depression, and is crossed
by the railway bridge; farther upstream it is crossed by a,
bridge and causeway 500 yds. long carrying the Homs Tripoli
carriage-road. Between the lake and the bridges the river is
400 yds. wide and unerossable. Opposite Homs the channel
is 1 mile west of the town. Pressed out by the eastern trend
of the mountain, its subsequent course lies in a deep chasm
which at Restan is crossed by a bridge of 14 arches carrying
the Aleppo chaussee. Taking a wide easterly bend from this
point, the river skirts the eastern base of J. Arba in, then,
bearing round to south-west in a gorge 200-300 ft. deep, it
issues between rugged mountains above Hama and flows
through the town under several bridges. Here numerous
nd‘urahs (water wheels) are used for pumping the town supply
and for irrigation.
About 12 miles beyond Hama the river passes close north
of Qal‘at es-Seijar, which stands on a plateau dominating the
valley. Here it breaks through a rocky barrier into the low
wide plain of Apamea, being crossed near the mouth of the
gorge by a bridge of 10 arches. The river, now flowing west
wards, passes close 1. of Bahret el-Tereimsi, a lake 5-6 miles
long, 2-3 miles wide, and never more than 6 ft. deep.
Although much reduced in area in summer, this lake is neve.,
dry ; it is surrounded on all sides by cane and willow brakes
and the centre is covered with reeds providing covet for great
numbers of wild fowl..