"كتيّب سوريا (بما في ذلك فلسطين). لندن: إدارة استخبارات الأركان البحرية، يونيو ١٩١٩" [ظ‎‎٢‎٤‎٣] (٧٣٨/٤٩١)

480
SAMARIA (INCLUDING CARMEL)
of Qaisarlyeh and is the outlet of a considerable basin em
bracing a system of wadis which have their main heads on
the Samarian watershed between Ras Ibziq, Ras el-Aqra‘ and
the village of Yasld. The principal channel of the Mef jir basin
takes its rise near Ras el-Aqra‘. Known at first as W. Selhab,
it passes through the plain of ‘Arrabeh, when it takes the
name W. el-Ghamiq and then Abu Nar. Passing between
Jetta and Baqa and soon after entering the plain, it takes
the name W. el-Malih and then W. el-Khudheireh where
a permanent stream begins and runs to the sea under the
name Mefjir. A considerable affluent valley, W. er-Roz, joins
W. el-Malih from the south, while the most considerable
branch from the north is W. ‘Arab, along which runs an
important road from the maritime plain to that of Esdraelon
at Lejjun. The basin of the Mefjir is considered to include
within its limits the remarkable inland depression Merj el-
Ghuruq, see above, p. 475.
‘ Mefjir ’ (the outlet), is the name by which, according to
Dalman, the stream is ordinarily designated by the neigh
bouring inhabitants, but he suggests that W. el-Khudheireh
is the correct name.
The Survey Map shows the Mefjir as perennial for
a distance of 8-9 miles, as far up as Tell edh-Dhrur just
E. of the Jewish colony of Khederah, but, according to
Dalman, the permanent water-course is not more than
4 miles in length and begins only near Sheikh Helu, a cal
careous sandstone-hill situated on the south bank just above
where a rapidly flowing rivulet from the Basset er-Rishash
marsh empties into the main channel from the north.
Immediately belowSheikh Helu, the stream is 4-4| yds. in
width, but after piercing the dunes it rapidly broadens to
10-12 yds. and is then considered uncrossable even at the
end of the dry season. In spring, the stream becomes very
full of water and boats can pass up it for some miles above
Sheikh Helu, as far as the bridge which carries the wheel-
road from the Jewish colony of Khederah to the colony of
Zimmarin. A strip of dark-coloured cultivated soil lies