Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1848-12-27
The Dead Sea Expcdi!iOn-In!eresting Letter.

1 -" ~"Pe"'sioh
The Washington Union of "Wednesday contain
the following very interesting letter from Lieut.
VIM Z. Lynch, under whose commaud the peri
lous expedition to the Dead Sea was 50 successful,
prosecuted
/ 10 The Editor Of The Union:
With the consent of tho Hon Secretary Of IN,
Navy peg leave, through your columns, to redeem
Il PROMISE have made.
When the small party lust returned from ,hr
Dead Sea. first entered upon its waters. its mem,
oers came, one and all, 10 the conclusion tina. la.
IS undertaken whas others failed accomplish the
honor OF the American name was At stake, and lha,
1t were better to die like them, than return unsuc-
cessu
On the evening of the 9th tav, however. ON the
southern sea, we were Frustrated by the hot blasts
OF simeon, sweeping from tho desert of Arabia
which was followed by five days Of intense and SIT
fling heat On the afternoon ofihe llth dav ON the
coast vi MOAB To our surprise, we were greeted by
depuiaton OF Chrisiians from Kerak, the iIeiia,h
MCab of tie Bible.
The JOY of this people at meeting us was I'M
bounded they caresscd us, brought US water and
ieban, (sour milk, all they had, and some Of them
spent nearly the whole night hunting wild boar.
wherewilh TO regale us. When told that our forms
oil worship IN America were different from theirs
they replied: "What matters it? Christ died for
all do you not believe in HIM 90 When told
That we did, they said 'Then what re forms be
tore God lie looks 10 the heart! We are broth
ers J" And brothers they continued 10 call US 70
the last.
We could not trace their origin, bnt concluded
that they are either the descendants of one of the
iaSi tribes converted 10 Christianity, who, i'm the
businesses of the mountains, had escaped the Mo
hammedan alternative of the Koran or the swcrd'
or The crusaders under the Christian Lord of Ke-
rah. They number about $50 families and live in
the town-the only one now left, in the orcc pop-
ulous country of Moab. Within the walls are also
the huts of 100 Muslin families, and outside are
the black tents of the fierce tribe kerah. Keyeh.
numbering $50 fighting men,
he Christians gave Us an invitation TO visit
their town, about seventeen miles distant in the
mountains; but while Hospitality urging us TO 90.
'hey diu not conceal the pers of the visit for they
contested that they were uutnumbered and over
awed, and in an emergency would not dare oDenlv
10 assist US.
determined, however TO accept their invitation
at all hazards; for it evident that unless recruit
ed by more bracng atmosphere, we must inevita-
oiy PERISH In this opinion the lamened Mr.. Dale
cOncurred with me.
VIII not tire you with an account of the visit
OF me treachery with which we were threatened
and our return, in battle-array, with the hostile
oheihh as prlsoner-but simply express my convic-
S:o, that but for the timely information 0yen bv
The Christians, Should never have seen our boa;
again.
These poor Christians arc much tyrannized over
by their Muslim neighbors. Their only place of
retreat, when threatened with violence is their lit
Tie cell OF church, which scarcely hold twenty
families Inelr account, which in lis narration
bore the impress of truth, seems confirmed by the
circumstances that III the centre of their lille church
there is well, which supplies them with water
uul '"ei! provisions are exhausted, or the restless
nature OF their prosecutors takes them elsewhere.
ne object o! all their hopes is to build church suf-
nciently large to hold all their wives and children
io with all their intolerance the hluslims respect
the house of Him whom they call Isso. the propb
ct of the Christians"
HE ionndatonand part OF the walls of church
nave been built, but the work is discontinued from
want OF means-the sirocco and the locust having
swept their harves,s for several years They cave
me an appeal 10 their Christian Ircthren in s.
merica, which promised to deliver. With many
apologies for lis phraseology they begged the to
wife ii out more fully for them but prefer send
tng II iorih III lis own simple and touching brevity
VIII only add that little should be given and that
dtScreelJ, at different times. SO as not TO excite the
cupdiiy of the MusiimS. The Board Of Foreiru
| Missions at New York will doubtless receive what
may be given and forward it either to their brethren
IN Beirut or 10 the ANGLICAN bishop at Jerusalem.
| Tor distribution. One cent from each humane Der.
son in this land OF charity will he more than suili-
! cient.