"كتيّب سوريا (بما في ذلك فلسطين). لندن: إدارة استخبارات الأركان البحرية، يونيو ١٩١٩" [ظ‎‎٢‎١‎٣] (٧٣٨/٤٣١)

420 RIVER SYSTEMS OF NORTHERN SYRIA
Harush, about 5 miles south-east by east of Damascus, forming
a fine stream which flows eastwards to be used up in
watering five large villages with their fields and gardens.
3. Subterranean Canals .—A system of water supply, called
karez or feluj, is extensively practised in those parts of the
Damascus plain which cannot be reached by open canals.
This system, operative only on a slope, is as follows. A well
or pit is dug and water is found usually at a depth of 20-30 ft.;
then, following down the slope, other pits of gradually
decreasing depths are dug at intervals of about 100 ft.; all
are then connected at the bottom by tunnels until at length
the accumulated waters run out to the surface. The courses
of these subterranean canals may be traced in the plain by
the long lines of mounds of earth around the pit heads even
from near the Meidan. On the Hajj road, about 3 miles
from Damascus, there is a small canal in a deep artificial
channel made oh this system. About f mile farther on is
one similar called N. Sabineh and, | mile beyond, near the
foot of J. el-Aswad, is one called N. el-Bardi, the head of
the canal being J mile beyond Ashrafiyeh. In the north
eastern part of the plain beyond Maqsurah there are two
others. Many of these subterranean canals are now choked
up and are no longer in use.
The Desert Lakes
* Lying on the verge of the desert east of the Damascus
plain, there is a group of lakes and marshes which receives
the surplus waters of the plain. The principal of these is
Bahret el-Qibliyeh, which receives the waters of the Barada
and, in summer, covers an area of about 35 square miles.
North-east of this lake is the slightly smaller Bahret esh-
Sharqiyeh. The two lie about 1 mile apart and are separated
by high ground, across which there runs a small wadi. Certain
parts of the shore are clearly defined by high ground
which rises well above the water-level while, on other parts,
marshes spread out indefinitely. Both lakes and marshes are
covered with tall reeds 12-20 ft. high, only isolated patches