"كتيّب سوريا (بما في ذلك فلسطين). لندن: إدارة استخبارات الأركان البحرية، يونيو ١٩١٩" [و‎‎٣‎١‎٧] (٧٣٨/٦٣٨)

PHYSICAL FEATURES
627
some 3| m. S. of the mouth of W. Zerqa Ma‘m (see p. 615).
The plain, which is cut into unequal parts by Seil Saqarah, is
enclosed landward by an amphitheatre of sandstone and
basalt, up the middle of which a track goes to Mekawar
past a ruined tower on a massive projecting rock There are
two hot springs near this ruin, one forming a brook, and
several more rise along the plain, marked by reeds and
cane-brake from which steam rises. The brooks which
they form do not all reach the sea, but where they do, the
deposits have formed small promontories at their mouths. The
chief spring, El-Wafiyeh (the copious) is some 100 yds. from the
sea, and sends up a dense cloud of vapour : its temperature is
given as 107° F., and it yields 55 gallons a second. In the
wadi crossing the N. of the amphitheatre both hot and
cold streams run ; along the former, pits are dug for Arab
bathers who frequent the springs for rheumatism. The
water is not unpleasant to the taste.
The hot springs of Hammam ez-Zerqa are situated 3-4 miles
from the mouth of W. Zerqa Ma‘m, on the r. bank ; they are
approximately at an equal distance from Ez-Zara, but are
most accessible from Mekawar. They begin W. of the ex
pansion in the valley known as El-Buqei‘, ten springs suc
ceeding each other over a stretch of about 3 miles, the water
flowing from the junction of the sandstone and limestone.
Highest up are the smaller springs of lower temperature,
issuing from the foot of ravines in which palms flourish. The
fifth spring is one of the largest. It rises at some distance
above the bank amid palms and brushwood, forming a brook
which rushes in a series of cascades over terraces of sulphur
deposit; its temperature is 130° F., and the stream is visible
more than a mile away. The seventh and eighth springs,
half a mile lower down the valley, bubble out with great force
close together, but are soon overarched by sulphurous in
crustations, and disappear from sight. The ninth spring is
also large, but it rises at some distance above the wadi, and its
waters have time to cool before they become accessible. The
tenth and last is the hottest of all, with a temperature of 143° F.
Rr 2