about nine miles, and its width three or four; but in winter it is
greatly swollen by the rains, and at that time it spreads out so widely
that its circumference sometimes exceeds fifty miles. Much salt is
drawn from its bed in the dry season, and a large part of Syria is hence
supplied with the commodity. The lake is covered with small islands, and
greatly frequented by aquatic birds-geese, ducks, flamingoes, and the
like.

The lakes in the neighborhood of Damascus are three in number, and are
all of a very similar type. They are indeterminate in size and shape,
changing with the wetness or dryness of the season; and it is possible
that sometimes they may be all united in one. The most northern, which
is called the Bahret-esh-Shurkiyeh, receives about half the surplus
water of the Barada, together with some streamlets from the outlying
ranges of Antilibanus towards the north. The central one, called the
Bahret-el-Kibliyeh, receives the rest of the Barada water, which enters
it by three or four branches on its northern and western sides. The most
southern, known as Bahret-Hijaneh, is the receptacle for the stream
of the Awaaj, and takes also the water from the northern parts of the
Ledjah, or region of Argob. The three lakes are in the same line--a line
which runs from N.N.E. to S.S.W. They are, or at least were recently,
separated by tracts of dry land from two to four miles broad. Dense
thickets of tall reeds surround them, and in summer almost cover their
surface. Like the Bahr-el-Melak, they are a home for water-fowl, which
flock to them in enormous numbers.

By far the largest and most important of the salt lakes is the Great
Lake of the South--the Bahr Lut ("Sea of Lot"), or Dead Sea. This sheet
of water, which has always attracted the special notice and observation
of travellers, has of late years been scientifically surveyed by