'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎401] (480/905)

CHAP. XVII.] COURSE OF THE JORDAN.
401
or the depression which, commenced at the northern extremity Affluent of the
of Lake Tiberias. The river, which is wide and fordable, Jordan •
makes a tortuous curve along the foot of the western hills for
nearly 5 miles, when it receives the Sheriat-el-Mandhour,
the Hieromiace of the Greeks, and Jasmuth of the Arabs 1
and Israelites, Joshua, ch. xv., v. 35. This stream is formed
by the union of several branches in the Gaulonitis ; from
whence the trunk flows westward, passing near Omm Kais,
(Gadara), and afterwards through a succession of wild and
wooded valleys till it reaches the main stream: there the
latter, to distinguish it from its affluent, becomes known as
the Sheriat-el-Kiber as it flows through a rich wooded valley
at a lower level than the rest of El Ghor. It inclines rather
west of south as far as the ford of Beisan, where it has a
width of 140 feet, 2 and is 3 feet deep. 3
In approaching Beisan, and also after having passed that The Jordan
place, the stream tends towards the eastern side of El Ghor, Dead sea.
which here has a width of about 6 miles, and it has in many
places a luxuriant growth of wild herbage; but the rest of
the space betwen the western range and the wooded slopes of
that which borders the Decapolis, presents for the most part
a parched soil, with some trees and a few spots cultivated by
the Bedawins. 4 At about 5 miles below Beisari, the Jordan
inclines towards the western side of the valley; and after
wards it preserves nearly a middle course between the upper
and lower banks which enclose its waters, the former during
the high, and the other during the low season: it then flows
along the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Ghor as far as the ford El Keln, below
Jericho. In the remainder of its course the Jordan flows
along the eastern side of the plain, passing through a bed of
willows, reeds, and shrubs, and along a desert tract covered
with a nitrous crackling crust. This dark-coloured rapid
river daily adds about six millions and ninety thousand tons
of water 5 to the Dead Sea : the Arnon and other streams fall
1 Edrisi, p. 338, Ed. Jaubert. 9 Travels of Irby and Mangles, p. 304.
8 Burckhardt's Travels in Syria, p. 345. 4 Ibid. p. 344.
5 Dr. Shaw's Travels.
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