Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-04-19
The RiUer Jordan.


We broke up our camp and advanced
tor an hour and half with excessive diff
Guilty, over fine white sand. We were
approaching grove of palm trees and ia
marlnds, which to my great astonshment
perceived IN the midst of this sterile tract
me Arabs all at once stopped, and point
ed to something that had not vet remark
ed ar the bottom of the ravine Unable to
make cut what it was, perceived what
appeared to be sand in motion. On draw
ing nearer to this singular object beheId
yellow current which could scarcely dis
tnguish from the sands on it's shores. Ii
was deeply sunk below its banks. and its
sluggish stream rolled slowly on. This was
the Jordan.
had surveyed the great rivers of Amer-
ca with that pleasure which solitude and
nature impart; visited the Tyber with
enthusiasm and sought with the same inter-
est the Eurotas and the Cephisus but
cannot express what ielt at the sight of
the Jordan. Not only did this river remind
me If renowned antiquity, and one of the
most celebrated names that the most ex
qusite pOerr} coBhded to the memory of
man but its shores likewise presented to
my view the theatre of the miracles of nv
religion Judea is the only Country i'm the
world that revives in the traveller the me
NOW OF human affairs and of celestial things
and which, by this combination, produces in
the soul feeling and ideas which 10 other
region il capable of exciting.
The Arabs stripped and plunged into
The Jordan. burst not follow their exam
pie, on account of the fever by which was
sal tormented but fell upon my knees
on the bank with my two servants and the
drogman of tine monastry Having forgot
ten to bring bible, we could not repeat
the passages of scripture relating to the
spot where we now were but the drogman,
who knew the customs of the place, began
TO sing: i've maria stella. We responded
like sailors at the end cf their voyage Sire
JoinVliie could mt have been more clever
than we. then took up water from the ri
verin leather vessel it did not seem to me
as sweet as sugar, according to the express
sion OF pious missionary. / tho't it on the
contrary rather brackish but though /
drank considerable quantity. felt no in
convenience from it: nay, even think il
would be very pleasant if il were purified
from the sand which it carries along with il.
About two leagues from the place where
we halted, perceived higher up the river
h thicket of considerable extent. I deter
mined TO proceed thither, for calculated
this must be the spot where the IsraeIites
passed the, river, facing Jerice, where che
mamma ceases to tall, where the Hebrews
tasted the first fruits Of the Land of Promise.
where Naaman was cured of his leprosv.
| and Easily, where Christ was baptised BY St.
tgohn. Towards this place we advanced,
but as we drew near Co it, VIC heard the
voices Of men IN the thicket. Unfortunately
the human voice which cheers you every
where else, and which you wonld love to
hear on the banks of the Jordan, IS presisely
what most alarms you in these desarts. The
BethlehemiteS aud the drogman proposed
au Immediate retreat but declared that
| had not come so far to be in "a hurry TO re-
turn that agreed to go no higher up the
river +; but that ] was determined to exam
inc the river facing the spot where we then
stood.
| They yieldedswih.relucta TO my resol
lutioq ard we agaInFepalred to the bank of
the JoTdap. which bend Of the river hat.
carrIeg, to some distance from us ON the
Lrighta41 found 1t of the same width and
dept As league lower down, that is. six or
seyR feet detp close to the shore, and about
! hiypaces inbreadth.
'Ihe guides urged me to depart and Ali
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