[p.284]has several springs, as well as cisterns. The Turks revere the
tomb of a Santon buried here, called Mehy eddyn el Nowawy [Arabic].
May 8th.--Our route lay N.E. At two hours from Nowa is the village Kasem
[Arabic], which forms the southern limits of the district of Djedour,
and the northern frontier of Djolan; some people, however, reckon Djolan
the limits of Nowa. One hour E.b.S. of Kasem stands the village Om el
Mezabel [Arabic]; one hour and a half E.N.E. of Kasem. the great village
Onhol [Arabic]. In two hours and a half from Nowa we passed, to the
left, distant about half an hour, the Tel el Hara [Arabic], with the
village of the same name at its foot; this is the highest Tel in the
plains of Haouran and Djolan. Three hours and a quarter is the village
Semnein [Arabic]; and three hours and three quarters, the village Djedye
[Arabic]. The plain was badly cultivated in these parts. From hence our
road turned N.N.E. At five hours is Kefer Shams [Arabic], with some
ancient buildings; all these villages have large Birkets. At five hours
and three quarters is Deir e Aades [Arabic], a ruined village in a stony
district, intersected by several Wadys. Six hours and a quarter, Tel
Moerad [Arabic]; eight hours Tel Shak-hab [Arabic], a village with a
small castle, and copious springs; it lies about an hour and a half to
the west of Soubbet Faraoun. The cattle of a large encampment of Naym wa
spread over the whole plain near Shak-hab. At eight hours and three
quarters, there was on our left a rocky country resembling the Ledja; it
is called War Ezzaky [Arabic], and has a ruined Khan called Ezzeiat
[Arabic]; the millstones for the supply of Damascus are hewn in this
War, which consists of the black Haouran stone. In ten hours we reached
Khan Denoun; and in ten hours and three quarters, long after sun-set,
the village El Kessoue.
May 9th.--We arrived early in the morning at Damascus.
[p.285]