133
EL GHAB.
of stone piled upon one another. In one hour and twenty
minutes we came to Kon Szafra, in a fertile valley on the top of
the mountain, where a few families live in wretched huts amidst
the ruins of an ancient town. N. W. about three quarters of an
hour is the village of Mezraa. In an hour and forty minutes we
reached the ruined town Djerada, and at the end of two hours and
a half, Kefr Aweyt, a small village; Kefr, in the vulgar dialect,
means ruins. Here the mountain is much less rocky, and more
fit for culture. Our road lay S. W. b. S. The village of Feteyry,
lies about one hour and a half south of Aweyt. After travelling
three hours we came in sight of the Orontes, and then began to
descend. The mountain on this side is rather steep, and its side
is overgrown with herbs which afford an excellent pasturage. The
plant asphodel (Siris) is very common ; the inhabitants of
Syria, by pulverising its dried roots, and mixing the powder with
water, make a good glue, which is superior to that made with flour,
as it is not attacked by worms. In the summer the inhabitants of
the valley pasture their cattle in these mountains, as do likewise
a few tribes of Arabs; among these are the Akeydat, of whom we
passed a small encampment.
The part of Djebel Rieha which, beginning at Kon Szafra, extends ¬
to the valley of the Orontes, on the one side towards Kalaat
el Medyk, on the other towards Djissr Shogher, bears the appellation ¬
of Djebel Shaehsabou (). The continuation of the same
mountain towards Rieha, besides its general name of Djebel Rieha,
is likewise called Djebel Zaouy (). In four hours and a quarter
we reached the plain below, near an insulated hill, called Tel
Aankye ( J), which seems to be artificial.
The valley bordered on the E. side by Djebel Shaehsabou, and
on the W. side by the mountains of the Anzeyry, is called El
Ghab (l). It extends almost due north from three hours S. of
