"بعثة لإجراء عملية مسح لنهري دجلة والفرات، تم تنفيذها بأمر من الحكومة البريطانية، في السنوات ١٨٣٥، ١٨٣٦، ١٨٣٧؛ تسبقها إشعارات جغرافية وتاريخية للمناطق الواقعة بين نهري النيل والسند. في أربعة مجلّدات. مع أربع عشرة خريطة ورسمًا، ومزينة بثلاث عشرة لوحة، بالإضافة للعديد من الرسومات بالحفر على الخشب. المجلّد الأول." [‎٥‎٠‎٦] (٩٠٥/٥٩٥)

506
el loehf.
[chap. xx.
Remains .t first contains some inscriptions, with the ruins of a temple
Keratha. an( i remains; its circumference exceeds two miles, and
on the outside there is a square tower built of stone. The
second has some remains of a temple, and those of a large
castle with a Greek inscription over one of the doors ^ it has
also a three-storied square watch-tower outside of the walls
south-westward. The third, Ezra, is the principal town of the
district, and has a most singular situation, being built in the
midst of a mass of volcanic rock. It contains two hundred
Turkish, some Druse, and a few Christian families, who live
principally in the ancient buildings ; their chief occupation
being to prepare millstones and weave cotton stuffs.
In addition to the private dwellings, which for the most
part are in good preservation, there are the remains of palaces
and other public buildings, some of which at a later period
have been used as churches. Ezra contains a great many in
scriptions, one of which shows that it occupies the site of
Edrata.
Valley of ei On the north-western side of El Ledja is the smaller, and
Loehf on the southern, the principal valley of the Loehf. The latter
is particularly fertile, being watered by the Nahr Kanouat,
which probably will prove to be the most remote, and the
principal branch of the Jarmuk.
villages. Not far from the source of this stream stands the small
Corinthian Temple of Salem in ruins, with some other remains
scattered around. Onward, near the right bank, is the Druse
village of Nejran, which contains some ancient buildings with
stone doors ; and on the opposite side of the stream the founda
tions of ancient Keratha, or Gerasa; still further on are the
Druse villages of Kerbert-Hariri and Busser. In the other
branch of the Loehf, are the villages of El Medjidel, Tebuc,
Bossin, and Shaara. The last must at one time have been a
considerable place, but its inhabitants are now reduced to 100
Druse and Christian families. It contains some inscriptions,
the ruins of several large large buildings, and one of the square
watch-towers which are so common in this part of Syria.
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