Travels in Turkey, Asia Minor, Syria, and across the desert into Egypt ...

SYRIA, EGYPT, GERMANY, &C. I 59
air, which, bestowing on the arid hills some slight degree of verdure,
rendered the aspect of the country more cheerful.
Syria may in general be considered as 3 mountainous country;
but the part bordering on Jaffa has several
very
extensive plains,
which are intersected, at certain distances, with moderate heights.
In approaching Jerusalem, after side of Ramia,
having proceeded to the other
the mountains are very lofty, and, having but a
slender superficies
of earth to cover their rocky prominences, are
exclusively adapted to the cultivation of olive-trees, which take root
in their very clefts, and hide the naked appearance they would
otherwise exhibit.
In general the country is but thinly covered with trees, and
has few woods, or thickets. In the parts where there is no tex-
ture of soil, but merely a white loose sand, not a tree nor shrub is
to be seen.
To the north side of Jaffa, a small river, which empties itself
into the sea, presents
itself at the distance of two or three miles.
It is the only one which I met with in
Syria ; it is probable, how-
ever, that others may have been formed, subsequently
to the excursions
I made into the interior, by the abundant falls of rain I have'
had occasion to notice.
From the information I was able to collect, as well as from my
own personal observation, I could not learn that either mines or
eruptions of volcanic matter are to be met with in Syria.
The soil in many parts, in those more especially bordering on the
deserts, consists almost exclusively of a fine white sand, the reflec-
tion from which is extremely painful to the sight. This barren
territory extends, to the northward, beyond Jaffa. It contains,
however, in common with the other parts of Syria, several fer-
tile spots, covered with a rich black mould, which very copiously
repay the labour bestowed on them. On the rocky grounds an
inconsiderable portion of calcareous earth is found blended with
marl.
Wherever the land is susceptible of cultivation, and has not
been neglected, it affords abundant crops of wheat, barley,. Indian
corn (dourra), tobacco, cotton, and other productions. Fruits and
vegetables are in equal abundance. Among the former are pome-
granates, figs, oranges, lemons, citrons of an uncommonly large
size, melons, grapes, and olives. The melons are large,
and have
a delicious flavour; as have also the grapes, of which we partook
so late as the month of December, when we found thev still re-