Page:An Introduction to the Survey of Western Palestine.djvu/199

183 THE EASTERN RANGE. 183

and again westerly, to reach Neby Muheibib. This westerly diversion of the Jordan or Mediterranean waterparting is the southern limit of the isolated basins of Meis and Tufeh, and the northern limit of a great recession to the westward, both of the waterparting and of the summit of the eastern slope also, which run together from Neby Muheibib only as far south as Deir el Ghabieh. From the last place the water- parting again turns abruptly westward as far as Jebel Marun, but the Eastern Eange continues southward to Delata (alt. 2,740 feet).

Eeturning now to the northern end of this Eastern Eange, it will be found to have a parallel range on the west, which runs from Jebel Hunin to the Kasimiyeh Eiver, and is in the same line with the range on which the great castle of Kulat esh Shukif or Belfort (alt. 2,345 feet) is situated. The valley between the waterparting and the parallel range on the west, is now called Wady 'Aizakaneh, instead of Wady Hunin, as on former maps. The Wady 'Aizakaneh is in the same line with the Kasimiyeh before it turns to the west, though sloping in an opposite direction. At their confluence occurs the rectangular bend of the Kasimiyeh, which diverts that river from a southerly to a westerly course, to become the northern base of the highland of Upper Galilee. The want of an altitude at this confluence, leaves the inclination of this northern base in obscurity, and prevents any comparison between the relative levels of the eastern and western bases of this portion of the Mediterranean waterparting.

The Wady 'Aizakaneh, although of small extent, becomes of further interest in connection with a succession of other features along the summits and slopes of the Eastern Eange. That range has been seen to bend suddenly to the west as far as Neby Muheibib, when it turns again to the south. This inner or western parallel range will be found to be in con- tinuation northward with the range on the west of Wady 'Aizakaneh. Starting in that direction from Neby Muheibib, this range forms the western boundary of the isolated basins of Meis and Tufeh ; the northern limit of which begins at

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