Page:An Introduction to the Survey of Western Palestine.djvu/122

106 106 THE DEAD SEA WATERSHED.

three wadys and the hills which separate them, joins the upper road about a mile from the convent. The other road follows the Wady en Nar, partly along the wady and partly on the left bank, up to a point facing Sheikh Sad, when the road continues its south-easterly course across the bend which the river makes in going to the south, and afterwards to the north-east. After coming again upon Wady en Nar, this road follows the stream up to the convent, generally parallel and within half a mile of the road on the top of the right bank. A track follows Wady en Nar round the bend, and others connect the different roads. The waterparting road from Jerusalem to Bir en Nefis, after throwing off the branches to Bethlehem and Mar Saba, pursues its south- easterly course first crossing the eastern head of Wady 'Alya, then following the ridge between the Wadys 'Alya and Surah, till it turns to the east by Wady el Abd, to the junction of Sirah and Theleithat ; then over a stiff hill to Wady Umm Serj, which it descends to Wady Alya and Wady Jerfan. It leaves J erf an where that wady turns to the north, and goes south-east over the waterparting, to cross the basin of Wady Ghuweir, and runs on south along the top of the mountainous crags which skirt the Dead Sea till it descends to Ain Jidy.

Below the chasm of Mar Saba, the Wady en Nar, turns eastward, till it is forced north-east and then south-east in cutting through the range that skirts the Dead Sea, between Tubk en Keinis (alt. 617 feet) and Tubk Sammarah (alt. 530 feet) to each of which must be added 1,292 feet for the depression of the Dead Sea.

The principal affluent on the left bank is Wady Akhsheibeh, which rises in the slopes of el Muntar, skirts the north-eastern boundary, and makes its junction with Wady en Nar, at the foot of Umm Keinis. About a mile above the last named junction the Wady Jerfan joins on the right bank. This Wady has its sources in a series of parallel valleys rising along the line of hills which cross the basin in a great arc from the western waterparting at Umm el