[p.313] three quarters is the village Sasa [Arabic], at the foot of an
insulated hill; it is well built, and contains a large Khan, with a good
mosque. The former was full of travellers. We slept here till midnight,
and then joined a small caravan destined for Akka.
June 20th.--Our road lay over a rocky plain, called Nakker Sasa
[Arabic], slightly ascending. In one hour we passed a bridge over the
river Meghannye [Arabic]. At the end of three hours we issued from the
rocks, and entered into a forest of low straggling oak-trees, called
Heish Shakkara [Arabic]. Three hours and a half, we passed to the right
of an insulated hill, called Tel Djobba. The whole country is
uncultivated. In four hours we saw, at about half an hour to our right,
the ruined Khan of Kereymbe [Arabic]; the road still ascending. Near
Kereymbe begins the mountain called Heish el Kanneytra, a lower ridge of
Djebel el Sheikh, (the Mount Hermon of the Scriptures), from which it
branches out southwards. At five hours Tel Hara [Arabic] was about one
hour and a half to the S. of the road, which from Sasa followed the
direction of S.W. and sometimes that of S.W. by W. At seven hours is the
village of Kanneytra [Arabic]; from Kereymbe to this place is an open
country, with a fertile soil, and several springs.
Kanneytra is now in ruins, having been deserted by its inhabitants since
the period of the passage of the Visiers troops into Egypt. It is
enclosed by a strong wall, which contains within its circuit a good
Khan, a fine mosque with several short columns of gray granite, and a
copious spring; there are other springs also near it. On the north side
of the village are the remains of a small ancient city, perhaps Canatha;
these ruins consist of little more than the foundations of habitations.
The caravans coming from Akka generally halt for the night at Kanneytra.
We reposed here a few hours, and then continued our journey, over ground