Source of the Jordan
The fountain at Dan, Tel el-Kady, is the main, permanent source of that sacred river in which the Son of Man was baptized. The stream which flows from this spring is called the Leddan. This is the birthplace of the Jordan. It is called the chief of the Jordan from its being the most copious. It is 504 feet above the sea level and contains twice as much water as the stream from Banias. There is another spring about half as large as this one at Dan at Cæsarea Philippi, two and a half miles to the east. The spring at Cæsarea Philippi is the eastern source of the holy river. There is another source near the town of Hasbeya, under the west side of Mount Hermon. These three noted springs are fed by the snows of Mount Hermon and maintain their flow throughout the whole year. In the above view we are looking toward the north. You will observe a large vigorous fig tree just at the point where the Jordan issues from under the tangled growth of vegetation. How exquisitely beautiful are the tiny blossoms to the left of the picture! The artist, and one of the editors of this work, were at this place on the nth of May, 1894, when this picture was taken. The sun was at high noon, the birds were singing in the groves, the aroma of the flowers filled the air, and the noise of many waters came up from many sections. There was here just the combination that goes to make the most delightful scene we had enjoyed in Palestine—the colors of the flowers, the songs of the birds, the perfume in the air, the rush of waters, and the light of this glorious oriental sun.
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