[p.140]an hour from Kalaat el Medyk, is a broad ditch, about fifteen
feet deep, and forty in breadth, which may be traced for an hour and a
half, towards the Orontes; near it is the village El Khandak (or the
Ditch.) This ditch is not paved, and may formerly have served for the
irrigation of the plain.
After proceeding for two hours from the castle, our two guides refused
to go any farther, insisting that it would be impossible to continue
longer in the valley; to say the truth, it was in many parts covered
with water, or deep mud, for the rains had been incessant during several
months, and the road we had already come, from the castle, was with
difficulty passable; we were therefore obliged to yield, and turning to
our left a little way up the hill, rested at the village of Sekeylebye
[Arabic], situated on one of the low hills, near a rivulet called Wady
Sekeylebye. I may here observe that the springs coming from the eastern
mountains of the Ghab never dry up, and scarcely even diminish during
the height of summer.
From a point over the village, which belongs to Hamah, I took the
following bearings: Tel Zeyn Abdein, near Hamah, S.E. Djebel Erbayn,
between Hamah and Homs, S.S.E. The gap which separates the Anti-Libanus
from the northern chain, to the W. of Homs and Hamah, S.by E. The
highest point of Djebel Szoleyb, to the W. of Hamah and Homs, S. Tel
Aasheyrne, in the plain, S. by W., Djebel Maszyad S.W. The eastern
termination of Djebel Shaehsabou N.E. by E. To the S. and E. of
Sekeylebye open the great plains which extend to the desert. To the S.
distant one hour, near the borders of the hills which enclose the valley
of the Ghab on this side, lies the Anzeyry village of Sherrar [Arabic],
a quarter of an hour from whence is an insulated hill called Tel
Amouryn. Two hours southward of Sekeylebye is Tel Aasheyrne, and half an
hour farther, Tel el Shehryh. In the valley,
[p.141]about one hour and a half S.W. of Sekeylebye, lies the village El
Haourat [Arabic], with a ford over the Orontes, where there is a great
carp [Arabic] fishery. On the other side of the river is the insulated
hillock Tel el Kottra [Arabic]. The highest point of the mountain of the
Anzeyrys, on the W. side of the Orontes, appears to be opposite to
Kalaat el Medyk; it is called Kubbet Neby Metta [Arabic], and has a
chapel upon it, dedicated to the saint Metta, who is held in great
veneration by the Anzeyrys. The principal villages in this mountain,
belonging to the Anzeyrys, who live there upon the produce of their
excellent tobacco plantations, are the following: to the W. of Howash,
El Shattha [Arabic], to the S. of it, Merdadj [Arabic], farther S. Aanab
[Arabic]. To the W. of Kalaat el Medyk, Ayn el Keroum [Arabic], a
village whose inhabitants are rebels. To the W. of Ayn Djoban, Fakrou
[Arabic]; above Tel el Kottra, Kalaat el Kebeys [Arabic]. The mountain
belongs to the government of Ladakie, but is immediately under the
Anzeyry chief, El Fakker [Arabic], who resides in the castle of
Szaffytta.
The inhabitants of the Ghab hold the Anzeyrys in contempt for their
religion, and fear them, because they often descend from the mountains
in the night, cross the Aaszy, and steal, or carry off by force, the
cattle of the valley. [A peasant of Sekeylebye enumerated to me the
following villages belonging to the government of Hamah, and situated to
the N. and W. of that town. Beginning east-wards of his own village, he
first mentioned El Sohhrye, then Setouhh, El Deyr, Kfer Djebein, Um
Kaszr, Kassabye, Um el Aamed, Kferambouda, Kornas, El Djeleyme, El
Mogheyer, El Habyt, Kefer Sedjen, Maar Zeyt, Maart Maater, Kefr Ayn,
Kadhyb el Ban, Tel Aas, Kefr Zeyty, El Lattame [Arabic], the principal
village of the district of Hamah, Khan Shiehoun, Maryk, Howeyr, Tel
Berran, Wady Edjfar, Wady Daurat, Maszyn Latmein, Tel Faes, Besseleya,
Meskyn, Tayebe, Um Tennoura, El Hammamye, El Seyh, Seidjar, Khattab,
Meharabe, Helfeya, Bellata, Kefr Behon, Zauran, Mardys, Maar Shour, El
Djadjye, Zeyn Abdein, El Oesher. East and south-east of Hamah are the
ruined villages: Kefr Houn, Ekfer Tab, Um Sedjra, Altouny, Kefr Eydoun,
Sahyan, Marhatal, Heish, Moaka, Wady el Fathh, [Arabic], Kefr Baesein,
El Tahh, El Djofer Djerdjenaes, El Ghatfa, Mart Arab, Aar [Arabic],
Seker, Turky, Etleyl el Szauan, El Temaanaa, El Taamy, El Sheteyb, El
Beleyl, Um Harteyn, El Zekeyat, El Hamra, Kfer Dadein, Maar Zelem,
Naszab, Tel Faes, El Medjdel, Howeyr, Aatshan el Gebeybat, Sydy Aaly,
Djaafar, Berdj el Abyadh, Berdj el Assuad, Kalaat el Ans, Stabelt Antar,
Deh lubby.]