"كتيّب سوريا (بما في ذلك فلسطين). لندن: إدارة استخبارات الأركان البحرية، يونيو ١٩١٩" [و‎‎٣‎٢‎٩] (٧٣٨/٦٦٢)

THE GHOR
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of trees N. of Ed-Damich at a height estimated by him
as 15 ft., which indicated a far greater volume of water.
When the flood has subsided, which is before May, the imme
diate banks present a desolate scene. ‘ The floor of the jungle
is covered with deposits of mud and gravel. . . . Dead drift
wood is everywhere in sight. Large trees lie about, overthrown,
and the exposed roots and lower trunks of the trees still
standing are smeared with mud, except where they have been
recently torn by passing wreckage ’ (cf. Adam Smith). The
series of soundings taken by Lynch during his passsage down
the river are reduced in value through the fact that they were
obtained when the water was still too high for crossing at
many of the fords. The maximum depth recorded by this
traveller is 12 ft., about 3 miles N. of the Dead Sea ; but the
water was 10 ft. to 8 ft. just S. of Lake Tiberias, and depths
of 10 ft. were recorded between Jisr el-Mujamk and the Beisan
plain ; not far below El-Mujamk, 6 ft. were measured, and
7 ft. at Ed-Damieh. The deepest places were at points where
the stream contracts, the shallow where it was broadest ;
the smallest measurement taken by Lynch was 2 ft. The
estimates of speed published by this officer are higher than
such as would be obtained later in the year. At some of the
rapids which he shot in his metal boats he records 12 knots
an hour ; along the flatter reaches, as between Ed-Damieh
and the mouth of W. el-‘Aujeh, the speed was nearer 3 knots ;
3-4 knots represented the average over considerable distances
S. of Beisan. But though the worst rapids are in the northern
part of the valley, they are found at intervals far to the south,
and mention is made of ‘ wild and dangerous rapids ’ between
Ed-Damieh and Makhadet Hajleh in the plain of Jericho ;
there are said to be 27 major and a greater number of minor
rapids distributed along the course of the river between
Tiberias and the Dead Sea. From the records of travellers
it may be inferred that in the early summer the water at the
better-known fords may rise some way up a horse’s flanks,
and that the bed is for the most part fairly good. The
fords of the middle and lower Jordan are very numerous