Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-06-01
FRIDAY MDaN1Na. JUNE % 1884,

seen. through the must OF the valley HOWS
discolored stream, which seems to drag its lazy
course unwilling towards the lake. Its course
is not to be discerned BY the water, but BY the
willows and shrubs which skirt its banks-the
Arab conceals himself in these thiekets to way.
lay and rob the pilgrim.
"Such are the places rendered famous by the
maledlctions Of Heaven: that river is the Jordan:
that lake is the Dead Sea. ltappears with Sc
rene surface; but the guilty cities which are EN-.
bosomed in Its waves have poisoned its waters
Its solitary abysses can sustain the lite of no lv
ing thing; no vessel ever pIoughed its bosom;-
its shores are without trees, without birds, with
out verdure; its water frightfuiy salt, is so hea-
w tina, the highest wind can hardly raise it.
SIN travelling in Judea. an extreme feeling of
ennui frequently seizes the mind. from the sterile
and mon0tonOus aspect OF the objects which are
presented to the eye: but when journeying on
through these painless deserts, the expanse seems
to spread out to nnity before you, the ennui dis.
appears, and secret terror is experienced, which,
far from lowering the soul, elevates and inhames
the genius. These extraordinary scenes reveal
the land desolated by miracles;--the burning sun,
the impetuous eagle, the barren fig tree; all the
Every name recalls mystery; every grotto speaks
of the lite to come; every peak reechoss the voice
of prophet God himself has spoken on these
shores: these driedup torrents, these cleft rocks,
these tombs rent asunder, attest his reslstless
hand, the desert appears mute with terror; and
you feel that it has never ventured to break ST.
lence since it heard the voice Of Eternal. "i. 3l7
81 employed two complete hours in wander
ing on the shores of the Dead Sea, notwithstand-
ing the remonstranccs of the BedOuins, who press
ed NE to quit that dangerous region. was de-
sirious of seeing the Jordan, at the place where
il DISCHARGES itself into the lake; but the Arabs
refused to lead me thither, because the river, at
league from its mouth, makes a detour to the
left, and approaches the mountains OF Arabia
II was necessary, therefore, to direct our steps
| towards the curve which was nearest US. We
struck oar tents, and travelled for an hour and
half with excessive difficulty, through fine and
svery sand. We were moving towards a little
wood Of willows and tamarinds; which. to my
great surprise, perceived growing in the midst
of the desert All of sudden the Bethlemites
stopped, Ind pointed to something at the bottom
Of a ravine, which had not yet attracted my at.
tention. Without being able to say what 1t was,
perceived sort Of sand rolling on through the
fixed banks which surrounded it. | approached
il, and saw yellow stream which could hardly
be distinguished from the sand Of its two banks:
1t was deeply furrowed through the rocks, and
with difficulty rolled on stream surcharged with
sand: it was the Jordan.
The reader may be curious to know something
Of the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
"The aspect of this celebrated valley is desc.
late, the western side is bounded by ridge OF
lofty rocks which support the walls Of Jerusalem,
above which the towers of the city appear. The
eastern side is formed by the Mount of Olives,
and another ennence called the Mount Of Scan.
DIAL. from the ,dnlatry of Solomon. These two
mountains, which Join each other, are almost
bare, and Of red and sombre hue; on their de.
sert side you see here and there some black and
withereG vineyards, some wild olives, some plough
ed land, covered with hyssop, and few ruined
chapels. At the bottom Of the valley, you per-
ceive torrent, traversed by single arch. which
appears of great antiquity. The stones OF the
Jewish cemetery appear like mass Of ruins at
the foot of the mountain of Scandal, under the
village of Sloan. You can hardly distinguish
the buildings of the village from the ruins with
which they are surrounded. Three ancient mo.
numents are particularly conspicuous those OF
Zachariah, Josaphat, and AbsalOm. The sad
ness of Jerusalem from which no smoke ascends,
and in which no sound is to he heard the solitude
of the surrounding mountains, where not living
i, 10 be seen the disorder OF those tOmbs,
ruined, ransacked. aud half-exposed to view,
would almost induce one to believe that the last
trump had been heard, and that the dead were
about TO rise in the Valley Of Jehoshaphat. Vii.
S4-S5.
The appea rance Of the coast Of Egypt and OF
the ruins of Carthage, is described in the follow
ing passages.
aOn the Goth Oct. at Eve in the morning,
perceived on the green and ruffled surface OF the
water line offoam, and beyond it pale and still
ocean. The captain clapped rae on the shoai-
der. and said 10 French, 'Nloj' and soon we en-
tered and glided through those celebrated waters.
| A few paim-trees anC minaret announce the ST.
tuation Of Rosetta, but the town itself is invIsl
bic. These shores resemble those Of the coast st
Of Florida; they are totally different from those ct
Italy,or Greece, every thing recalls the tropical
regions. . ,.ou,.o, h.ns.,h
the nalm trees, line Of sand which extended
! eastward to the promontory Of Aboukir. before
which we were obliged to pass before arriving OPP
Al Al