Page:An Introduction to the Survey of Western Palestine.djvu/161

145 THE HULEH PLAIN. 145

descending by slopes and terraces to the plain. Dr. Eobinson's- account of this descent is very explicit, but the Survey, while partially confirming the detail, does not fully elucidate it.*

The last step or offset to the lowest plain is placed by Eobinson at el Mansury (Mansurah), where the Survey denotes the elevation by the altitude of 245 feet, but does not mark the edge of the step. See p. 181.

The southern limit of the Huleh Plain is the great marsh, which stretches across from the eastern to the western hills, in an unbroken line. Where the Jordan enters the marsh the mud village of es Salihiyeh is situated. Altitudes are wanting.

The plain is exuberantly fertile, and considering its contact with the great marsh, it is worthy of note that the plain is free from marshy ground in the dry season ; but in wet weather the ground is widely flooded.

The Huleh Marsh.

The marsh extends from es Salihiyeh in the plain, to the northern edge of the lake, a distance of nearly six miles. There is a variable space between it and the foot of the western hills, amounting at the most to three-quarters of a mile, along which a track passes. The eastern side is excluded from the Survey, but according to Dr. Tristram (" Land of Israel," 585), the plain becomes swampy up to the ford of the Eiver Banias, which seems to be at el 'Absiyeh, two miles and a half north of es Salihiyeh. Sukeit, which he reached after three hours' riding, does not appear to be a mile further south than es Salihiyeh, and therefore it becomes difficult to account for his " floundering through several miles over swampy plain," and miles more through ripe wheat and cotton plants. The marsh seems to extend to the foot of the eastern hills. Dr. de Forest passed along the upper part of these hills, but no traveller seems to have attempted to trace the foot of them. Mr. J. Macgregor, in the " Eob Eoy " Canoe penetrated the only open channels that he was able to find among the reeds both on the north and south sides of the


 * "Phrs. Geog., H. Land," 68 ; " Bib. Ees.," iii, 389.