[p.369] The Bedouins have this saying, Thou canst not find a country
like the Belka.Methel el Belka ma teltaka (Arabic); the beef and
mutton of this district are preferred to those of all others. The
Bedouins of the Belka are nominally subject to an annual tribute to the
Pasha of Damascus; but they are very frequently in rebellion, and pay
only when threatened by a superior force. For the last two years Abd el
Mohsen has not paid any thing. The contribution of the Adouan is one-
tenth of the produce of their camels, sheep, goats, and cows, besides
ten pounds of butter for every hundred sheep.[The hundred of any kind of
cattle is here called Shilleie (Arabic).] The Arabs of the Belka have
few camels; but their herds of cows, sheep, and goats are large; and
whenever they have a prospect of being able to secure the harvest
against the incursions of enemies, they cultivate patches of the best
soil in their territory. In summer they remain in the valleys on the
side of the Ghor, in the winter a part of them descend into the Ghor
itself, while the others encamp upon the upper plain of the Belka.
July 14th.We left the encampment of Abd el Mohsen early in the morning,
and at one hour from it, descending along a winding valley, we reached
the banks of the rivulet Zerka Mayn (Arabic), which is not to be
confounded with the northern Zerka. Its source is not far from hence; it
flows in a deep and barren valley through a wood of Defle trees, which
form a canopy over the rivulet impenetrable to the meridian sun. The red
flowers of these trees reflected in the river gave it the appearance of
a bed of roses, and presented a singular contrast with the whitish gray
rocks which border the wood on either side. All these mountains are
calcareous, mixed with some flint. The water of the Zerka Mayn is almost
warm, and has a disagreeable taste, occasioned probably by the quantity
of Defle flowers that fall into it. Having crossed the river we ascended
the steep side of the mountain Houma (Arabic),