GENNESARET, LAND OF
GENTILES
641
Irbkl, the Arljela of Joseplms and 1 Mac 9-, are not far to the south, (i) Another torrent, entering tlie Plain from the \V., is that known as IVadi/ er- Bubudiiich. This is the largest, and yields the most plentiful supply of water furnished to the Plain. It is used to iiTigate the Plain both N. and S., furnishing nearly three times the volume of water supplied by 'Ain d-Muclauiuarah. (c) A third torrent enters the Plain from the N.W. It is called Wady el-Amud. Like Wadij d-Hamam, it is a deep ravine, and scarcely less striking be- cause of its narrowness. Its waters take their rise in the Jarmuk, the highest mountain in Gali- lee. For the greater part of its course it is called Wady el-Lcimum. It is only a winter torrent. According to Thomson, all of these streams which enter the Plain disappear in summer before they reach the Lake.
Besides these waters which drain the region of Galilee immediately west of the Plain of! Gennesa- ret, there are certain fountains in the Plain itself whose waters were used for irrigation : (a) 'Ain d- Mudauwarah, or ' Round Fountain,' situated a little over a mile N.W. of Magdala, is the largest and most important. It is enclosed by a circular wall of hewn stones, 32 yards in diameter, sur- rounded by thick trees and brushwood, so that access is tfifficult ; but it yields a copious stream of clear water, which flows across the Plain to the Lake, irrigating right and left. The pool itself contains two to three feet of water and certain lish. Ebrard (SK, 1867, pp. 723-747) identified it with the fountain of Capharnaum mentioned by Josephus, but this has been shown to be highly improbable. Two other fountains assist in water- ing the southern end of the Plain : 'Ain d-Bareideh, or 'Cold Spring,' also known as 'Ain d-Fwliyeh, or 'Fountain of the Bean'; a.nA.'Ain es-Serar, some- what further to the S.W. (^) 'Ain et-Tm, or ' Fountain of the Fig Tree,' is another large and important spring. It is situated on the northern edge of the Plain, and bursts forth from under the cliffs of Khan Minyeh. Unfortunately, it is too close to the shore of the I^ake to be used exten- sively for irrigating purposes. The stream which issues from it is choked with a jungle of oleanders and papyrus. Robinson identifies this fountain with the spring of Capharnaum of Josephus. (7) 'Ain et-fabigha, or ' Fountain of the Ruined Mil!,' formerly supposed to be the scene of the miracle of the feeding of the 5000 (Mk 6»»-"), is another large spring of water— according to Tristram, the largest in Galilee, and about one-half as large as the fountain at Coesarea Philippi. It is not situ- ated in the Plain, but considerably N.E., about half-way between Khan Minyeh and Tdl Hum, the two rival sites of Capernaum ; but its waters were formerly conducted by a channel cut in the rock around the promontory on which Khan Min- yeh is situated, and made to irrigate the N. end of the Plain of Gennesaret. This aqueduct was discovered first by Sir Chas. Wilson, and since
then the fountain has been generally considered to be the spring of Capharnaum of Josephus (cf. Thomson, Land and Book, ii. 429).
(3) Produds.~Yfit\i all these resources of irri- gation, it is not surprising that the Plain of Gennesaret should be described by the Rabbins as the 'Garden of God,' or that its superior and delicious fruits ' were not allowed at the feasts in Jerusalem lest some might attend primarily to enjoy these fruits ' (Bab. Pesachim, 8 o ; Neubauer, G^og. du Talmud, 45 f.). But to-day, though its grapes, figs, olives, and walnuts have vanished, there are to be seen wild figs, oleanders, nubk trees, dwarf palms, papyrus plants, tall prickly cen- taureas ; in summer, magnificent lilac-coloured con- volvuli hanging in long festoons of blossom from
the prickly shrubs ; wild flowers of countless variety — tulips, anemones, irises ; rice, wheat, the best and earliest melons and cucumbers in Palestine, sedges and rushes by the Lake ; also thorns and thistles, especially in the central portion ; in short, a tangle of luxuriant vegetation — a lovely floral carpet in February, a wilderness of thorns in summer. For here, indeed, Nature has lavished her glory in tropical profusion.
(4) Eoads.—Two paths cross the Plain from S. to N. — the chief one leading from Magdala to Khan Minyeh in a direct course, and skirting the Lake shore within a few hundred feet ; the other following the base of the hills along its western side, and striking over the hills northwards. One of tile best views obtainable of the Plain is from the top of the ridge above Magdala.
(5) Inhabitants. — The Plain is without settled inhabitants to-day. The Ghawarineh Arabs, more especially a certain tribe named es-Sene/ciyeh, roam over it, using it as winter pasture land. Wilson recounts that gipsies from India have been known to sojourn there with their tents and flocks (p. 138). As a rule, solitude reigns except near the village of Magdala and at Khan Minyeh.
(6) Health. — Fevers are still prevalent in this region as in the days of our Lord, when, not far distant, at least, Peter's wife's mother lay sick (Lk 4^). Thomson speaks of 'the heat and malarial influences of the Plain.' This probably accounts in part for its present desolation, though under the Turk it has fared but little worse than other portions of the Empire.