Page:An Introduction to the Survey of Western Palestine.djvu/41

25 NAHR EL MUKUTT'A. 25

near the village of Jelbon, and its outfall at Haifa, being 22 miles in a direct line without reckoning the windings.

The separation between the central and southern divisions may be identified with the highway between Musmus, el Lejjun, and el 'Afuleh. For south of this road the basin is prolonged between Mount Gilboa, and Mount Ephraim, and its drainage passes down through the intermediate plain by four main channels with numerous branches, all of which unite in one outfall before crossing the road. This distinct hydrographical area forms the southern division of the basin.

Between el 'Afuleh and Zerin, the waterparting marks the separation of the Plain of Esdraelon (Merj Ibn 'Amir) and the head of the broad valley of Jezreel (Nahr Jalud), which here begins its steep descent to the Jordan.

The four main channels of this southern part of the basin have their sources (1) between Zerin (Jezreel) and Eas esh Sheiban ; (2) between Eas esh Sheiban, and Kh. el Medeka- kin, including a considerable extent of waterparting which may be traced through Jebel Abu Madwar (alt. 1,648 feet), Jelkamus (alt. 1,308 feet), Tannin (alt. 1,460 feet), and Kh. Umm el Butm; (3) between Kh. el Medekakin and Sh. Iskander (alt. 1,699 feet) ; (4) between Sh. Iskander and el Mesheirfeh near Musmus. The final confluence of these channels occurs close to the crossing of the boundary road, at an altitude of only 203 feet.

Two affluents of the Mukutt'a, forming the head of the central division, descend in opposite directions from the north-east and south-west respectively, and join the main stream from the southern division near Ludd. Their con- fluence is about 2 miles below the boundary of the divisions, and its altitude is 181 feet. The north-eastern affluent rises at et Tireh on the north of Iksal, the biblical Chesulloth, and east of Nazareth. It receives a branch from Neby Duhy (alt. 1,690 feet) and from Nein, the biblical Nain (alt. 744 feet). The south- western affluent descends from an alt. of 1,290 feet through the Wady es Sitt and waters the village of el Lejjun (alt. 403 feet). Three noticeable affluents descend to the right bank