Page:An Introduction to the Survey of Western Palestine.djvu/119

103 MINOR BASINS. 103

THE BASIN OF WADY EN NAR (BROOK KIDRON) AND THE MINOR BASINS ON THE NORTH.

The Minor Basins.

The outlet of the Wady en Nar into the Dead Sea, lies about two miles and a half on the south of the great head- land of Kas Feshkah, and seven miles south of the outfall of el Kueisirah. This interval of seven miles is occupied by the following minor basins :

(1.) Wady Jofet Zeben rises between Tubk el Kaneiterah (alt. 306 feet, or 1,598 feet above the Dead Sea) and Jafet el Asia.

(2.) Wady Kumran, called Maseb'a el Airneh in the plain bordering the Dead Sea, rises in the mountain of el Muntar (alt. 1,723 feet, or 3,015 above the Dead Sea), which stands between this basin and that of el Kueiserah on the north, and Wady en Nar on the south. The mountain is distant about eight miles from the outfall of Wady Kumran in the Dead Sea. Wady Kumran drains the extensive plateau of el Bukei'a, and a smaller but more elevated plateau on the west, called War ez Zeranik. El Bukei'a is about five miles long by two in width. It is traversed by a high road between Bethlehem, Mar Saba, and Jericho, which is joined at Mar Saba by a road from Jerusalem. Dr. Wilson came from Jericho to Mar Saba by this road, " Lands of the Bible," ii, 24, 25. Van de Velde crossed el Bukei'a from Mar Saba, " Memoirs," 117. See also Conder's "Tent Work," i, 298. Passes descend from el Bukei'a by the Wady Kaneitrah towards Jericho ; by Wady Kumran to Kh. Kumran, which M. de Sauley identifies with Gomorrah ; by Nukb Feshkah to Ain Feshkah ; and it has four or five communications with Mar Saba and Wady en Nar.

(3.) On the south of Wady Kumran several short gullies intersect the lofty cliffs, but the most remarkable feature is the fountain of Ain Feshkah, which has been often described, Eobinson's " Bib. Bes." i, 533 ; Tristram's " Ld. of Is." 249.

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