Page:An Introduction to the Survey of Western Palestine.djvu/231

215 NEW SURVEY OF GALILEE, SAMARIA, AND JUD^A. 215

THE HIGHLANDS OF SAMARIA AND JUD.&A.

South of the line formed by the Elvers Mukutt'a and Jalud, no recognised features have hitherto served the purpose of dividing distinctly the long stretch of highland between Mount Carmel and Beersheba. Still on approaching the subject, it is only reasonable to expect that in the course of a hundred miles, there must be variations that admit of being conveniently grouped, and that should not be over- looked in a geographical description. But before the present survey, the best accounts of the country were too inadequate to enable any attempt of the kind to be carried out on the lines that will be now adopted. It was the great aim of Dr. Eobinson's most able researches, " to collect materials for the preparation of a systematic work on the physical and historical geography of the Holy Land."* As much as it was possible for his genius to accomplish with the data at his command, has been fortunately preserved in the "Physical Geography of the Holy Land," made known in 1865 through Mr. Murray, by the tender hand on whom the duty devolved after the author's lamented death. This fragment will always be regarded by students with the attention and interest due to the last work of the most successful of all previous contri- butors to the geography of Palestine. Yet Dr. Eobinson had to be content with little more than a general view of the subject, comprehending in one sweeping glance the whole region from Esdraelon to Hebron ; and his details are confined to isolated accounts of the particular mountains mentioned in Scripture. The Survey of the Palestine Exploration Fund no longer allows the geographer to indulge in such a method. Every important feature is now exposed in its length, breadth, and height ; and thus it has become quite practicable to discern certain natural groups and divisions that serve to bring to light the distinctive characteristics of the different parts of the country, and facilitate intelligible description and con- venient reference.


 * " Bib. Kes." iii, Preface.

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