Page:An Introduction to the Survey of Western Palestine.djvu/60

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
44
.
44

44 THE MEDITERRANEAN WATERSHED.

collects the drainage of the southern waterparting from the neighbourhood of Abu Shusheh to Er Eamleh. The eastern branch is the outlet of the Wady 'Atallah and Wady Aly with their tributaries, which drain the country between the southern boundary of the Shellal or Budrus system, and the southern waterparting of the el 'Auja basin.

Four small wadys carry to the right bank of Wady 'Atal- lah, the drainage of a triangular space bounded by Deir Abu Selameh, Kh. Midieh, Shilta, and Kefr But (alt. 1,290 feet) ; where the limits of this space bend round south- ward by Bir Main (alt. 940 feet), to Selbit, and the confluence of Wady Suweikeh with Wady 'Atallah. The village of Jimzu lies between two of these wadys on the north ; the third is Wady Jaar, with the villages of Annabeh, Berfilya, El Burj, and Bir Main ; the fourth is Wady Suweikeh in the midst of several ruined sites.

At El Kubab on the 'Atallah, is the junction of Wady Selman (or Suleiman), which rises on the waterparting of the el 'Auja basin, at an altitude of 2,065 feet, on the west of el Jib, or of the plain around Gibeon. The ordinary camel route between Eamleh or Ludd and Jerusalem follows this valley. It has the villages of et Tireh and Kurbetha-ibn-es- Seba on the north, with Beit Dukku and Beit Likia on the south.

The Wady Selman receives a branch on the north or right bank, from the south of the high road between the Beth Horons. Before the junction, the Wady el Mikteleh from Beit Sira (alt. 840 feet) joins the branch which falls into Wady Selman about a mile lower down at an altitude of 625 feet.

Below this junction the Wady el Burj joins the Selman on its left bank, on the north-west of Beit Nuba. It rises between el Kubeibeh (alt. 2,570 feet) and Beit Anan (alt. 2,070 feet), in the Khallet or ravine of el Kuta.

West of Beit Nuba (alt. 737 feet), the Selman receives, on its left bank, the Wady Mozarki, which rises at el Kubeibel^

md passes Katanneh and Yalo (alt. 940 feet). At Yalo, &