The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-11-11

viour SAID 10 II, Peace be still, this lit
tie band Of rovers now beheId it."
The navigation of the Jordan was
found 70 be most difficult and danger.
Gus, from its frequent and fearful rapids.
Lieut.. Lynch solves the secret OF The
depression between Lake Tiberriius and
the Dead Sea,by the tortuous course Of
The Jordan which, lin distance of six.
~ miles Winds through course ofrtwo
hundred miles, Within, this distance
Lieut.. Lynch and his party plunged
down no less than twenty y.se ven ZEN threat.
ening, rapids, besides man y others OF
less descent. The difference Of level
between the two seas is over thousand
feet. ''1"f' ~ 's''1''' 90 n'' '''''e'
The water of the Jordan was sweet
TO- within a few hdndred yards OF its
mouth. The waters of The sea were
devoid 81 smell but bitter, salt, and nau-
seous Upon entering it, the, boats
were encountered by a gale, and .it
seemed as il The bows, so dense ,oas The
,uater, were encountering the sledge
banners Of the Titians, instead Of the
waves Of the. opposing waters Of an
angry sea-" The party proceeded daily
with their explorations, making topo.
graphical sketches as they went, until
they reached the southern xtremity of
the sea, where the most wonderful SIGH,
they had yet seen awaited them. fgoa,
sin passing the mountain Of Uzdom
(Sodom) we unexpectedly, and much to
our astonishment," says Lieut.. Lynch,
:'saw a large, rounded, turret sha bed
column; facing towards southeast,
which proved TO be Of solid rock salt,
capped with carbonate ofIime, one mass
Of capitalization. Mr.. Dale took a
sketch Oft, and Dr.. Anderson and
lancediwith much difficulty and procur-
ed, specimens from it," The party cir.
cumnavigated the lake, returned to their
place Of departure, and brought back
their boats in as complete order as they
received them at New York. They
were allinfne' health. This is specii.
men Of The skill system, and discipline
Of the American navy, No nation in
the world has such a service. The time
is coming WREN it will give Lroofs Of
that fact paipabIe to the most dull un.
derstanding. Thanks to the good man.
agement Of Lieut.. Ly nch, the whole
cost Of this scientific exploration, of tho
Dead Sea, (excepr, Of course, the cost
Of The equipage and maintainance of the
crew Of the shipJ was but seven hun
dred dollars.
From the letters Of Lieut. Lynch,
quoted by Lieut.. iMaury, we transcribe
.hes following interesting facts elicted
by the exploration:-I, ,c, .,7oea1
"The bottom of the northern half OF
this sea is almost an entire plain. Its
meridial lines at short distance from
The shore scarce vary in depth. The
deepest soundings thus far 18s fathoms,
Ql28 feet.) Near the shore the bottom
is generally an incrustation of salt, bu,
the intermediate one is soft mud with
many rectangular. .crystais--mostly
cubes-ofp pnre salt. At one time Stell.
wager's lead brought up nothing bu,
crystals. The southern half Of the sea
is as shallow as the northern one is
deep, and for about one. fourth of it's en-.
tire. length the depth does no. exceed
three fathoms, (l8 feet. Its southern
bed has presented no crystals, but the
shores are lined with incrustations Of
salt, and when we landed al Uzdom, in
the space Of an hour, our foot prints
were coated with cry stalliza,ion.. ) The
opposite shores Of the peninsula and the
west coast presented evident marks Of
disruption. There are unquest;onabIy
birds and insects upon n, the shores, and
ducks are sometimes upon the, sea, fol
we have seen them--but cannot Getec,
any living thing within il; although the
salt streams wing into it it contain sal,
fish. feel sure that the results Of this
survey will fully sustain the scriptural
accounts Of the cities of the p!ain.n =
+" He thus speaks Of the Jordan:-aThe
Jordan although rapid AND impetuous,
lis graceful in its windings and fringed
with lnxuriance, while its waters are
sweet, clear, cool and refreshing" ;" 'S6
After the survey OF the sea. the par
u proceeded to determine the height
Of 4 fountains on its shores, and 10 run
a iev.al thence via Jerusalem TO The
Medite, ,-ranean. They found the sum.
nit Of In . west bank Of the Dead Sea
more more than 1000 feet above its surface,
and very Il early on a level with the
Mediterranean. "a, = IL. :" ~ .;,., :
alt'iss a curious fact" says Lieutenant
Maury, athat tihe distance from the top
to the bottom Of the Dead Sea should
measure the heighth Of its banks, the
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