[p.346] projects into the Ghor about four miles, so that when seen from
the north the valley seems to be completely shut up by these hills. From
thence a fertile tract commences, overgrown with many Bouttom (Arabic)
or wild pistachio trees. Large tracts of ground were burnt, owing
probably to the negligence of travellers who had set the dry grass on
fire. At the end of six hours, and late at night, we passed to the
right, the ruins of an ancient city standing on the declivity of the
mountain and still bearing its original name Amata (Arabic). My
companions told me that several columns remain standing, and also some
large buildings. A small rivulet here descends into the plain. In six
hours and a half we reached the Mezar Abou Obeida (Arabic), where we
rested for two hours. The tomb of the Sheikh is surrounded by a few
peasants houses; but there are no inhabitants at present, except the
keeper of the tomb and his wife, who live upon the charity of the
Bedouins. It appears from the account given by the great Barbary
traveller, Ibn Batouta, that in the sixteenth century this part of the
Ghor was well cultivated, and full of villages.
The valley of the Jordan affords pasturage to numerous tribes of
Bedouins. Some of them remain here the whole year, considering it as
their patrimony; others visit it only in winter; of the latter
description are the Bedouins who belong to the districts of Naszera and
Nablous, as well as those of the eastern mountains. We met with several
encampments of stationary Bedouins, who cultivate a few fields of wheat,
barley, and Dhourra. They are at peace with the people of Szalt, to many
of whom the greater part of them are personally known; we therefore
passed unmolested; but a stranger who should venture to travel here
unaccompanied by a guide of the country would most certainly be
stripped.[For the names of the Bedouin tribes see the classification, in
the Appendix.]