Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-12-23

One thing more we did; we remembered
friends far away, and carried away some water
for them, having provided tin cases for the pur-
pose. The Queens children are baptised in Jor-
dan water and brought away a caseful for the
baptism of the child of friend who lives further
away from the Jordan than our Queen does.-
This business DONE we were summoned to horse, :
and rode away southwark to the Dead Sea.
The belt of woodland soon turned away east
wards and we found ourselves exposed to ex-
IRENE heat, on desolate plain crusted with salt
and cracked with drought. There had been
coseness and murkiness in the air, all the morn
ing, which was very oppressive; and now it was,
at our usual slow pace, almost iHtolerable. |
put my horse to fast canter, and crossed the
plain as quickly as possible, finding this pace a
relief to my horse as well as myself. The drift
on the beach of the sea looked dreary enough
ridges Of broken canes and willow twigs washed
up, and lying among the salt, and the little un-
wholesome swamps of the shore; but the waters
looked bright and clear, and so tempting that
our horses put their noses down repeatedly al
ways turning away again in disgust, tasted the
water-ab0ut two drops-and | almost thought |
should never get the taste out of my mouth again
And this is the water that poor Costigan's coffee
was made of!
Costigan was young Irishman, whose mind
was possessed with the idea of exploring the
Dead Sea, and giving the world the benefit of
his discoveries 1t would have been useful
service; and he had zeal and devotedness enough
for it. But he wanted either knowledge or pru-
dence; and he lost his life in the adventure, with
out having left US any additional information
whatever. He had small boat carried over
i IL. L.,
open boat in the month of JuIyD with only one
attendant, M ,ltese servant They reached the
southern end of the llke-not without hardship
and difficulty; but the fatal struggle was in get
ting back again The wind did not favor them,
and once blew such squlll that they had to.
tighten the boat, when the servant stupidity threw
overheard the only cask of fresh water that they
had. They were now compelled to row for their
lives, to reach the Jordan before they persisted
with thirst; but the sun scorched them from a
cloudIess sky, and the air was like furnance
When Costigan could row no longer, his servant
made some coffee from the water OF the lake. and
then they lay down in the boat to die But the
man once more reused himself, and by many et
forts brought the boat to the head of the lake.
They lay help less for whole day on the burning
shore, unable to more than throw the salt water
over each other from time to time. The next
morning, the servant crawled away, in hopes of
reaching Rihhld, which he did with extreme diff
hcuy. He sent Costgan's horse down to the
shore, with supply Of water. lie was alive,
and was carried to Jerusalem in the GOODNESS of
the night. He was taken care Of in the Lltln
convent there; but he died in two days. Not
note relating to his enterprise was ever found;
and during his illness he never spoke on the sub
| ject Any knowledge that he might have gain
ed has persisted with him. and no reliable inform
alton could be obtained from his servant.
Costigans grave is in the American burying
ground; and there saw the stone which tells his
melancholy story. Hedied in 1886
There appears to be no satisfactory evidence as
to whether any fish are to be found in the Dead
Sea. Our guides said that some small black fish
have been seen there; but others deny this. A
dead fish has been found on the shore near the
spot where the Jordan enters the lake, but this
might have been cast up by the overflow of the
river. 1t is said that small birds do not fly over
this lake, on account of the deeterious nature of
its atmosphere About small birds | cannot
speak; but saw two or three vultures winging
their way down it obqueIy. The curious lights
which hung over the surface struck me as show
wing an unusual state of the atmosphere-the
purple murky light resting on one part and the
) line of silvery refraction in another. Though
the sky was clear after the morning clouds had
passed away, the sunshine appeared dim; and
5 the heat was very oppressive, The gentlemen
} of the party, who stayed behind to bathe declar-
ed, reloning us at lunch time, that they had
found the common report of the buoyance of the
water of this not at all exaggerated and that
2 1t was indeed an easy matter to float in it, and
: very difficult to sink. They also found their
} hair and skin powdered with salt when dry
But they could not admit the greasness or stcki-
s ness which is said to adhere to the skin af-
ter bathing in the Dead Sea- They were very
positive about this; and they certainly did OBJ
! serve the fact very carefully. Yet have seen,
since my return, clergyman who bathed there,
and who declared to ME that his skin was so
sticky for some days after, that he could not get
4 rid of it, even from his hands. And the trust
worthy DR.. Robinson, late traveller there, says
" After coming out, perceived nothing of the
$ salt crust upon the body of which so many speak
There was a slight prcking sensation, especially
/; where the skin had been chaled and sort OF
!, greasy feeling, as of oil, upon the skin, which
a lasted for several hours, The contrast of these
!, testimonies, and the diversity which exists among
: the analyses of the waters which have been made
e by chemists, seem to show that the quality of
= the waters Of the Dead Sen varies And it APP
: pears reasonable that it should; for it must make
s gret difference whether fresh waters have
a been pouring into the basin of the lake, after the
! winter rains, or great evaporation has been
k going on unde; the summers sun. In following
3 the margin of the sea, we had to cross a creek
where my skirt was spllshed. These splashes
tIi II.
e moisture and sickness were as great week af'
+ forwards as at the moment
l. We wound among salt marshes and brakes, in
i and out, on the desolle shores of this sea- this
l. sch which is not the less dead and drelry for be-
d ing as clear and blue as fresh mountain tarn
: As we assembled the ranges of hills which lay be-
ct tween us and the convent where we were to rest
Re the Jordan valley opened northwards, and the
Dead Sea southwards, till the extent traversed by
y the eye was really vast. How beautiful must il
L TorJan yaIloy ,Xht,So