Page:An Introduction to the Survey of Western Palestine.djvu/86

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70
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70

70 THE JORDAN WATERSHED.

solves a passage in William of Tyre where Saladin is said to have encamped by a fountain called Tubania, at the foot of Mount Gilboa, near Jezreel ; " circa fontem cui nomen Tubania," etc.* The same event is related by Boha-ed-din. in his Life of Saladin, as having taken place at 'Ain el Jalut, or Ain Jalud, which considering the proximity of the fountains, involves no real discrepancy. Mons. Guerin in an instructive notice of 'Ain Jalud, draws attention to these passages and concludes that 'Ain Jalud is meant by both of the historiaus.f Thanks to the Palestine Exploration Survey, it will now be seen that the old French chronicler was quite exact, and that the name which he records exists to this day. The Kan at es Sokny continues to intercept all the drainage of the northern slope; It is sufficient to note that the Wady el Harriyeh drains the villages of Kumieh and Shutta.

THE BASIN OF WADY SHUBASH.

The head of this basin is in contact with the south- eastern extremity of the Mukutt'a at Jelkamus, and with the north-eastern end of the Nahr Mefjir basin between Tannin and Eas Ibsik. One of its sources descends from Eas Ibsik (alt. 2,404 feet) and the secluded village of Eaba. Another rises on the north of el Mughair. The wady descends from these elevated glens by a gorge, which terminates at the south-western extremity of the Beisan Terrace, where it appears to end in a continuing slope with the lower level of the Ghor. It also receives branches from the projecting hills on which the village of Khurbet Ka'aun is situated, which although 213 feet below the Mediterranean, is still about 700 feet above the Ghor at its foot. This Ka'aun is probably the Coabis of the Peutinger Tables, in this direction.

THE BASIN OF WADY KHASHMEH.

The basin of the Shubash is succeeded by the Wady Khashineh, and its affluent the Wady Selman, which unite at the foot of the mountains, below the village of Berdeleh.

  • " Hist. Belli Sacri," lib. xxii, rap. xxvi. f Guerin, " Samarie," i, 309.