[p.331] An hour to the west of Medjdel, on the cliff which borders the
Wady Hamam. In the calcareous mountain are many natural caverns, which
have been united together by passages cut in the rock, and enlarged, in
order to render them more commodious for habitation; walls have also
been built across the natural openings, so that no person could enter
them except through the narrow communicating passages; and wherever the
nature of the almost perpendicular cliff permitted it, small bastions
were built, to defend the entrance of the castle, which has been thus
rendered almost impregnable. The perpendicular cliff forms its
protection above, and the access from below is by a narrow path, so
steep as not to allow of a horse mounting it. In the midst of the
caverns several deep cisterns have been hewn. The whole might afford
refuge to about six hundred men; but the walls are now much damaged. The
place was probably the work of some powerful robber, about the time of
the Crusades; a few vaults of communication, with pointed arches, denote
Gothic architecture. Below in the valley runs a small rivulet, which
empties itself into the Wady Lymoun. Here the peasants of Medjdel
cultivate some gardens.
In returning from the Kalaat Hamam I was several times reprimanded by my
guide, for not taking proper care of the lighted tobacco that fell from
my pipe. The whole of the mountain is thickly covered with dry grass,
which readily takes fire, and the slightest breath of air instantly
spreads the conflagration far over the country, to the great risk of the
peasants harvest. The Arabs who inhabit the valley of the Jordan
invariably put to death any person who is known to have been even the
innocent cause of firing the grass, and they have made it a public law
among themselves, that even in the height of intestine warfare, no one
shall attempt to set his enemys harvest on fire. One evening, while at
Tabaria, I saw a large fire on the opposite side of the lake, which