Page:An Introduction to the Survey of Western Palestine.djvu/147

131 THE PLAINS OF ACRE AND MEG1DDO. 131

facts. The main road from the maritime plain of Sharon to Nazareth, passes from El Lejjun to Ludd, and then across the Mukutt'a, to what is probably a saddle connecting el Warakany with Tell Shadud, near Ikneifis. On the south side of this pass, the Romans had the military station of Legio, now el Lejjun, and most authorities agree in placing the Jewish Megiddo among the remarkable ruins spread around the natural fastness of Tell el Mutasellim, on this promontory. This opinion is, however, not entertained by Lieutenant Conder.

The other principal roads in the great plain are : (1.) The highway from the coast at Haifa, along the foot of Carmel, and the continuing hills to Lejjun, Jenin, Beisan, and the east of Jordan. This road of course intercepts all communi- cations from the north and south. A road from Acre falls into it at the gorge of the Mukutt'a, on the west of Sheikh Abreik, and it is followed by the telegraph line from the south. A road from Lejjun crosses the plain to the foot of Jebel Duhy, where it is met by roads between Jenin and Nazareth, both of which are centres of highways in all directions.

THE MARITIME PLAINS, SOUTH OF CARMEL.

The bold headland of Carmel, thrust out into the midst of the sea, appears to cut off communication along the shore, between the plain of Acre and the western side of the moun- tain. But it is not so, for unlike Ras en Nakura, the base of the mountain is separated from the coast line by an ample strand, traversed by one of the chief highways of the country. At Tell es Semakh, the width of the strand is 200 yards. Here is the northern end of the plain, that continues south- ward without much interruption throughout Palestine and the Desert beyond, to the shores of Egypt.

The width of the plain gradually increases, until about 9 miles south of Tell es Semakh, at Athlit and beyond the projection of the coast to the westward, extends the breadth of the plain to 2 miles. This continues with little variation for about 12 miles further south, when the Nahr ez Zerka, or