Page:An Introduction to the Survey of Western Palestine.djvu/193

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THE MOUNTAINS OF UPPER GALILEE. 177

in the following attempt to elucidate the orography of Western Palestine on the basis of the new survey. The defects are not organic, and may be supplied hereafter in this instance, and provided for in future operations.

THE MOUNTAINS OF UPPER GALILEE.

This mass of highland is bounded on the north by the Kasimiyeh Eiver. The eastern and western boundaries are the Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea ; the southern bound- ary is the foot of a Range which begins opposite Acre and runs eastward to the Jordan. From these bases, which will be more distinctly denned, the slopes ascend with much variety of feature, to culminating ranges on the south, the east, and west; enclosing an extensive plateau, broadest and highest on the south, and contracting to a narrow neck on the north- east.

The Southern Range.

The southern boundary is formed by a range of moun- tains commencing on the west in the Plain of Acre on the east of the city, and running eastward to the Jordan, below the Jisr Benat Y'akub. It is distinguished by Kurn el Hennawy (ait. 1,872 feet) ; Neby Heider (alt. 3,440 feet) ; Jebelet el Arus (alt. 3,520 feet) ; Es Semunieh (alt. 2,235 feet) ; Safed (alt. 2,750 feet) ; Jebel Kan'an (alt. 2,761 feet). From the last-named point, the range descends to the gorge of the Jordan between Jisr Benat Y'akub and the Sea of Galilee, where the river descends from 43 feet to 682 feet below sea level.

The summit of this southern range is thus easily defined by means of the observations for altitude made by the survey and the concurrent remarks of travellers. The base of the range is not so distinctly made out, for want of altitudes at the junctions, and other notable features along the water- courses. In one point of view, the base of the range is

traced from the Plain of Acre along the Wady el Waziyeh,