File:Chambers's encyclopedia; a dictionary of universal knowledge for the people (1871) (14766577345).jpg

Identifier: chamberssencyclo07phil (find matches)
Title: Chambers's encyclopedia; a dictionary of universal knowledge for the people
Year: 1871 (1870s)
Authors:
Subjects: Encyclopedias and dictionaries
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. B. Lippincott & Company Edinburgh, W. & R. Chambers
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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edby several streams ; the soil is rich, and capable ofproducing enormous crops ; but only a small portionof it near Jaffa is cultivated, and it is rapidly beingencroached on by the sea sand, which, betweenJaffa and Csesarea, extends to a width of 3 milesand a height of 300 feet. The famous ancient citiesof this region, Cffisarea, Diospolis, and Antipatris,have vanished. Jaffa (Joppa) alone remains, sup-ported by travellers and pilgrims from the west onthe way to Jerusalem. The great j)laln of Esdraelon,or Jezreel, extends across the centre of the countryfrom the Mediterranean to the Jordan, separatingthe mountain-ranges of Carmel and Samaria fromthose of Galilee. Its surface is drained by theKishon, v.hich flows west to the Mediterranean atHaifa. The jilain is surrounded by the hills ofGilboa and Little Hermon; the isolated Mount Taborrises on its north-east side. It is extremely fertilein grain where cultivated, and covered with giganticthistles where neglected. It is richest in the
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PALESTIM E—PALEiSTRINA. central part, which slopes east to the Jordan—thebattle-tiekl where Gideon triumphed, and Sauland Jonathan were overihown. It is the home of^/andering Bedouins, who camp in its fields, andgallop over its green-«ward in search of plunder.Many places of deep historical interest are connectedwith this plain. Sliunem, Nain, Endor, Jezreel,Gilboa, Bethshan, Nazareth, and Tabor are all in itsvicinity. The plain of Jericho is a vast levelexpanse, covered with the richest soil, now quiteneglected. Aroimd the site of Jericho, tlie city ofpalm-trees, there is not now a single jtalm; but arecent experiment proved its capability of producingin abundance all the crops for which it was formerlyfamous. The climate of P. is v^ery varied; January isthe coldest and July the hottest month. The meanannual temperature of the year at Jerusalem is 65°Fahr., resembling that of Madeira, the Bermudas,and California. The extreme heat of the summermonths is modified by sea-breezes f

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