"كتيّب سوريا (بما في ذلك فلسطين). لندن: إدارة استخبارات الأركان البحرية، يونيو ١٩١٩" [و‎‎٣‎١‎٦] (٧٣٨/٦٣٦)

PHYSICAL FEATURES
625
of Khanzireh. Below the junction of W. el-Far, Seil en-
Nimeireh is known as W. el-Jedeireh, and henceforth receives
only dry watercourses. Its final name is given to it where
it cuts through the hills above the coast. It here issues
through a considerable gorge in the sandstone, and reaches
the sea through the narrow Ghor ez-Zeheir, marshy ground,
thickly grown with tamarisks, oleanders, and other bushes.
Springs and Wells
On the plateau, and eastwards towards the desert, this
district is poor in water ; comparatively few wadis have
perennial brooks, and where this is the case they often run
in such deep ravines as to be for the most part useless
to cultivator or traveller. Springs, wells and water-holes
occur here only at rare intervals. Along the east of the
plateau the following are watering-places for camels. W.
eth-Thamad, an upper section of Seil Heidan (W. el-Waleh),
9-10 m. ESE. of Libb, and some 6 m. west of the Hejaz rail
way at Qakat Dhaba‘: the bed of the w adi has abundant-
ground water over a distance of 3-4 miles, for which it is
only necessary to dig holes 1-2 ft. deep. Hafa’ir el-Hana-
kein, abundant water-holes in Wadi Hanakein (a section of
W. edh-Dheiqeh, a tributary of Seil Mukheires), are 10-12 m.
SW. of Qatraneh. Lejjun, copious springs forming a pool and
brook, rise on the foot of the hill of El-Fityan near the Roman
camp of Lejjun, 10 m. W. of Qatraneh, and not far from the Qa-
traneh-Kerak road. In the South, Bir en-Na’im (alt. 3,140 ft.)
lies about 11 m. E. by S. of Middin, 8 m. W. of the Hejaz
railway at its nearest point, and some 12 m., as the crow flies,
from the station of Qatraneh ; it is on the E. side of the ridge
Abu Rakbeh, and is said to yield a good supply. Another
well, Bir Bashbash, lies 2J m. west.
In the wadi close SE. of Middin there is a frequented
spring lying not far E. of the road. On the plateau, the
ancient cisterns and reservoirs are still used, though where
these are open, the water is generally allowed to get foul.
Should these .sources of supply fail, recourse must be had to
SYRIA R r