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[Page 5]
5.
However to continue our journey we followed the metal road winding up through the hills to a town of Safed a fairly large town being on the top of a hill about 2 miles on our left. From this point we headed N.E. towards the bridge Yarub S. of Lake Helen and crossed over the Jordan at Jisr Benet and Kuleh (Jisf means bridge). This bridge had been destroyed by the Turks in their retreat, but the middle span was the only one that was destroyed and the Engineers had overcome that by spanning the destroyed span with timber, thus enabling wheeled transport to cross. The bridge is supposed to have been the bridge of Jacob's daughters. Jacob's daughter may at one time have had a bridge here but this bridge was modern. The route to the bridge was a steel descent, and very stoney, and once across the bridge we had to ascend the steepest slope we had ever seen roads built on. The roads of course had to be made zigzag, and in some places the ascent was three in five. However we happened to be in motor lorries and save for the dust and rough road we felt no inconvenience, and about dusk we halted for tea, boiling the water on the primus of the motor driver. About 7 p.m. we started again arriving at a Circassian village called Kuneitra at 11 p.m. on 3rd October. The Circassian women were reputed to be very beautiful, but if they are, there is no accounting for the difference of taste. Some undoubtedly were but like most countries bordering on the Levant their beauty fades very quickly after the age of 18 or 20, and we thought they were decidedly plain. This village was hostile and a squadron had to be left to maintain order. In fact the whole country here was uncertain and the motor drivers were armed and small detachments of troops posted along the road, protecting convoys. The ground here was rough and prickley, and for days after we found prickles in our blankets. However next day bright and early we moved on again. We walked to begin with but with motor lorries overtaking us we got aboard and waited for the column to catch us up at a bridge near the ruins of the old village of Sasa. He we had ample time to get dinner and have a swim in the running stream which although only 2 or 3 feet deep was beautifully clear and cool, and had a strong current. We also explored the ruins and the only sign of life was two cats, one only a kitten and very friendly. After lunch we walked again about 6 miles further on we camped for the night. The country through which we travelled is known as the Anti Lebanon, and hardly a blade of grass (green) could be seen the country being strewn with small stones and barren hills as far as the eye could see on either side, and oasis like Kuneitra and Sasa were very welcome. However the next day was the last, and about noon we who had boarded lorries arrived at Damascus, passing through rather a large village where St. Paul was supposed to have rested or made a name for himself somehow or other. The unit arrived about 5 p.m.