Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1848-01-29


On motion, the meeting then adjourned.
HORACE BELKNAp, Chm.
EDWARD JoNEs, Sec'y.
THE DEAD SEA-The Rev. Dr.. Durbn,
late President of Dickinson College, (Pa.)
gives the following illustration Of The density
of those waters:
Il waded in carefully 10 test The ofi-repea-
ted statements of the great specific gravity Of
the fluid, and repeated the experiment several
times The uniform result was, that when the
waters rose above my aImpi's, but not over
my shoulders, my body was balanced, and |
could not touch the bottom, bu. my feet ten
ded strongly to rise, and my head 10 descend.
When turned on 10Y back and drew up my
knees, SO as to balance the body on the sur
face. Law as still as knot Of Is God, lny head,
knees, and half of my feet 90. OF The water;
and SC long as | was perfectly sill, Aoaled
in this position. The experiments satisfied
me of lis specific gravity
The reverend Doctor adds tina. bis hair was
matted with the hilnmen, which, on being
pressed with the fingers, covered Them with a
sticky substance.
Josephus, in his fourth book Of the wars OF
the Jews, relates that the waters OF the Dead
Sea support on The surface whatever is thrown
into the lake, and confirms The relation by the
fac: that VespaSan, 10 convince himself OF the
truth Of this assertion, ordered several per.
sons with their hands and legs tied 10 be
thrown into the lake. and not one Of them
sank.
Blu, i, is less tc verify or refn'e problems
such as these iha, AZ exploration Of the Dead
Sea by competent and scientific observers is
desired. than 10 ascertain It's actual relation TO
the Mediterranean, from which it is distan. not
more than between thirty and forty miles; yet
the level of the Dead Sea is said TO he some
hundreds Of feet below tina, Of the Medl.erra-
mean.
IN The Dead Sea The river JorJon dschar.
oes and loses itself. Descending from the Sea
of Tiberias. which is in fact shallow out
spreading in the fashion Of lake Of the river
some sixty miles in winding course, the
Jordon disappears in this deep and bitter as
phal,ic sea, which is about twen'y.tour miles
10 length from north to south, and hot more,
according to modern travellers, than six or sew
en- in breadth.
1t is comparatively shallow Of lis Southern
extremity, but its general depth is repuied 10
be unfa,homable. In its western shore, on the
side of Arabia or Moab, is one prodlgious,
| black perpendicular wall, in which there IA no
| summit or the smallest peak, lis eastern or In
| dian shore is of limestone and sandy cllttS OF
varied and fantastic forms.
All, however, bat the mere external appear
| ances of this dismal sea and its dfeary shores.
| is matter of conjecture and uncertainty; and
| hence the greatest stimulus 10 Investigation.
The U. S. Store Ship Supply, being bound
| TO the Mediterranean with stores, is to be EN-
ployed under Lieut.. Lnch, as her command.
| er with Lieut.. Dale, who will be more spe'
cially charged with the scientific reconnois.
sances.
To effec, the exploration of the Dead Sea
thew will, i. is presumed, land at Acre, and
thence dire., their operations across the an
c;ent plains of Jericho, and The point Of re-
search, carefully leveling the int ermedla,e
route: in order 10 determine first all the rela-
tive attitudes between the two seas. Amply
provided with MISUNDERSTANDING Igh. me-
tai boats of light construction and all the
means and appliances for surveying aud sound
ing-we may justly anticipate from the expe
dlion accurate information on points heretofore
wholly conjectured, yet invested with deeI
interest.
Ii is singular that a government of the new
world should be the first to explore and VERT,
the facts, concerning region SO intimately
connected with the common faith Of Christen
dom and the witness Of one Of the most awfu
penalties of ,ransgresson under the Mosai
Dispensa,on; and we cannot but hope from
this expedition, what will crafty natural ant
intelligent, curiosity, while confirming the orig
inal record Of the Bible.
See how Mr.. Folks conduct towards Gree
Britain contrasts with his conduct toward
Mexico. He signed treaty with Great Bri
ain. giving up territory which he said wa
clear and unques.ionably our own. yet h
| ouaars that ha will moi make treaty. viii