NYSZAF.
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Kherbet Maynye, a ruined village, with some ancient buildings ;
and in the mountain above it, the ruined castles Reszafa (40,),
and Kalaat el Kaher ). There are several other ruined
castles in this district, which appear to have been all built about
the twelfth century. At two hours and a half is Beyadhein (),
a village inhabited by Turkmans; to the E. of it, about half an
hour, is a Tel in the plain, with an arched building upon it called
Kubbet el Aadera, or the dome of the Virgin Mary, reported to be
the work of the Empress Helena. On the summit of a mountain S.
of the village, one hour, is the ruined castle Barein (). Near
Beyadhein we crossed the torrent Saroudj a second time ; its different -
branches inundated the whole plain. Two hours and a half
is the village Kortouman (,5), inhabited by Turkmans, from
whence Maszyad bears N. by W. Here we passed another torrent,
near a mill, and in a storm of heavy rain and thunder reached
Nyszaf, three hours and three quarters from Maszyad, the road
from Kortouman lying S. by W. for the greater part in the plain.
Nyszaf is a considerable village, with large plantations of mulThe ¬
mounberry ¬
trees. It is inhabited by Turks and Anzeyrys.
tain to the eastward, on the declivity of which it is built, is peopled ¬
by Turkmans, the greater part of whom do not speak Arabic.
We dried our clothes at a fire in the Sheikh’s house, and took
some refreshment; we then ascended the mountain to the S. of
the village, and my guides, who were afraid of the road through the
upper part of the mountain, refusing to proceed, we halted for the
nightat Shennyn (), an Anzeyry village half way up the mountain. -
The declivity of the mountain is covered with vineyards,
growing upon narrow terraces, constructed to prevent the rainr
from washing away the soil. From the grapes is extracted the
Debs, which they sell at Hamah; three quintals of grapes are
