[p.353] Dead sea; but the communications in these deserted countries are
far from being regular, and the want of a proper guide obliged me to
delay my departure for ten days; during this delay I had the good
fortune to see the ruins of Amman, which I had not been able to visit in
the course of my late tour in the Decapolis. But before I describe Amman
I shall subjoin some notes on the neighbourhood of Szalt.
A narrow valley leads up from Szalt towards the Mezar Osha, which I have
already mentioned. Half way up, the valley is planted with vines, which
are grown upon terraces as in Mount Libanus, to prevent their being
washed away by the winter torrents. The Mezar Osha is supposed to
contain the tomb of Neby Osha, or the prophet Hosea, equally revered by
Turks and Christians, and to whom the followers of both religions are in
the habit of offering prayers and sacrifices. The latter consist
generally of a sheep, to be slain in honour of the saint, or of some
perfumes to be burnt over his tomb. I was invited to partake of a sheep
presented by a suppliant, to whose prayers the saint had been
favourable. There was a large party, and we spent a very pleasant day
under a fine oak-tree just by the tomb. The wives and daughters of those
who were invited were present, and mixed freely in the conversation. The
tomb is covered by a vaulted building, one end of which serves as a
mosque; the tomb itself, in the form of a coffin, is thirty-six feet
long, three feet broad, and three feet and a half in height, being thus
constructed in conformity with the notion of the Turks, who suppose that
all our forefathers were giants, and especially the prophets before
Mohammed. The tomb of Noah in the valley of Coelo-Syria is still longer.
The coffin of Osha is covered with silk stuffs of different colours,
which have been presented to him as votive offerings. Visitors generally
throw a couple of paras upon the tomb. These are
[p.354] collected by the guardian, and pay the expenses of illuminating
the apartment during the summer months; for in the winter season hardly
any body seeks favours at the shrine of the saint. In one corner stands
a small plate, upon which some of the most devout visitors place a piece
of incense. A wooden partition separates the tomb from the mosque, where
the Turks generally say a few prayers before they enter the inner
apartment. On the outside of the building is a very large and deep
cistern much frequented by the Bedouins. Here is a fine view over the
Ghor. Rieha, or Jericho, is visible at a great distance to the
southward. About half an hour to the N.W. of Osha, on the lower part of
the mountain, is the ruined place called Kafer Houda (Arabic).
As pilgrimage in the east is generally coupled with mercantile
speculations, Oshas tomb is much resorted to for commercial purposes,
and like Mekka and Jerusalem, is transformed into a fair at the time of
the visit of the pilgrims. The Arabs of the Belka, especially the Beni
Szakher, bring here Kelly or soap-ashes, which they burn during the
summer in large quantities: these are bought up by a merchant of
Nablous, who has for many years monopolized the trade in this article.
The soap-ashes obtained from the herb Shiman, of the Belka, are esteemed
the best in the country, to the S. of Damascus, as those of Palmyra are
reckoned the best in northern Syria. They are sold by the Arabs for
about half a crown the English cwt., but the purchaser is obliged to pay
heavy duties upon them. The chief of the Arabs of El Adouan, who is
looked upon as the lord of the Belka, although his tribe is at present
considerably weakened, exacts for himself five piastres from every camel
load, two piastres for his writer, and two piastres for his slave. The
town of Szalt takes one piastre for every load, the produce of which
duty is divided among the public taverns of the town. The quantity of
soap-ashes brought to
[p.355] the Osha market amounts, one year with another, to about three
thousand camel loads. The Nablous merchant is obliged to come in person
to Szalt in autumn. According to old customs, he alights at a private
house, all the expenses of which he pays during his stay; he is bound
also to feed all strangers who arrive during the same period at Szalt;
in consequence of which the Menzels remain shut; and he makes
considerable presents on quitting the place. In order that all the
inhabitants may share in the advantages arising from his visits, he
alights at a different house every year.
In descending the narrow valley to the south of Szalt, the ruins of a
considerable town are met with, consisting of foundations of buildings
and heaps of stones. The Arabs call the place Kherbet el Souk (Arabic).
Near it is a fine spring called Ain Hazeir (Arabic) (perhaps the ancient
Jazer), which turns several mills, and empties itself into the Wady
Shoeb (Arabic). The latter joins the Jordan near the ruined city of
Nymrein (Arabic). In a S.W. direction from Szalt, distant about two
hours and a half, are the ruined places called Kherbet Ayoub (Arabic),
Heremmela (Arabic), Ayra (Arabic), one of the towns built by the tribe
of Gad, and Yerka (Arabic). East of Szalt, about one hour, are the ruins
called El Deir (Arabic).
I found it impossible at Szalt to procure a guide to Amman; the country
was in a state which rendered it very dangerous to travel through it:
the Beni Szakher were at war with the Arabs of Adouan, with the
government of Damascus, and with the Rowalla, a branch of the Aeneze;
and we heard daily of skirmishes taking place between the contending
parties, principally near the river Zerka. Amman being a noted spring,
was frequented by both the hostile parties; and although, the people of
Szalt were now at peace with the Beni Szakher, having concluded it on
the day of my arrival, yet they were upon very indifferent terms with
the