Page:An Introduction to the Survey of Western Palestine.djvu/19

 

PREFACE.

first instalment of the Survey of the Holy Land, which the Committees and Subscribers of the Palestine Exploration Fund have for so many years persevered in producing, is at length published, and together with the work at Jerusalem and minor results, it may well be offered as a justification of all the exertions, and outlay, which have been expended.

This portion of the Survey of Palestine is bounded by the Nahr el Kasimîyeh or Litany River on the North, and by the Wady es, Seba on the South; with as much of the Jordan and the Dead Sea on the east, and of the Mediterranean Coast on the west, as the northern and southern limits admit. Within this extent are the southern part of Phœnicia including Tyre but omitting Sidon; nearly the whole of Galilee; all Samaria; and the greater part of Judæa; indeed from Dan to Beersheba.

The whole of the surveyed area covers more than 6,000 square miles. The survey occupied seven years in the field, and more than two years in addition were spent in the preparation of the work for publication. The immediate results of this survey in particular include: 1. A large map on the scale of one mile to an inch, reproduced and published in 26 sheets, each of which measures 22 inches by 18, the whole when joined together extending to 13 feet by 7. 2. A reduction of the large map for general purposes, on the scale of about 2 miles to an inch, in six sheets, the size when joined together being 5 by 3 feet. 3. Numerous special plans on large scales of towns, buildings, and ruins. 4. Memoirs composed from the field notes of the surveyors, and from abstracts of authentic works. These treat on the natural features and products of the country, its hills and valleys, springs, wells, cisterns, water-courses, and streams; its present