242 THE MOUNTAINS OF JUD.EA.
meridional valleys occur again at Beit Auwa, where they spread out into a plain stretching southward as far as Tell Beit Mirsim, and are continued by Wady el Beiyarah and Wady edh Dhikah up to Khurbet Khuweilfeh. Here is the waterparting between the basins of Wady el Hesy and Wady Ghuzzeh, and the boundary of the Shephelah now turns abruptly to the west, along the line of Wady Khuweilfeh and the great Wady esh Sheriah, to Wady Ghuzzeh and the sea. South of Khurbet Khuweilfeh, the Hill Country of Judah drops down to the broad Plain of Beersheba. For the sake of precision, the dividing line between the Judean Hills and the mountain that divides the Plain of Beersheba from Wady esh Sheriah, may be traced along a wady descending from Khurbet Khuweilfeh, by Wady Itmy to Wady el Khulil, and its outlet into Wady es Seba.
The summit of the Main Eange of this group coincides with the Mediterranean and Jordan waterparting from Bethlehem southward. It forms the eastern boundary of the basins of Nahr Eubin, Nahr Sukereir, and Wady el Hesy, and has been already traced in connection with them.*
The Western Slope.
The northern side of the western slope begins its descent to the northern boundary of the group formed by Wady Ahmed, Wady el Werd, Wady Sikkeh, and Wady es Surar, from the main waterparting between Bethlehem and el Khudr, where it is spread out between Wady Ahmed and Wady Bittir. From el Khudr. a range strikes westward by Hausan, and Deir Hawa, to terminate at the confluence of Wady Ismain or Surar with Wady en Najil. It is followed by a highway along the eastern part of the ridge, and by a track along the western part. It sends only a short slope to the wadys of the northern boundary; but it throws off considerable spurs to the south. Thus from Hausan a short spur forms the upper part of the left bank of Wady Musurr
Also, " The ruins of el Burj are situated very near the border of the hilly region towards the western plain." " Bib. Res." ii, 218.
- See ante, pages 46, 51, 54.
