Democratic banner., 1848-10-23
THE DEADSEA.

1t. Maury has given in the last South
ern Literary Messenger, some account Of
the progress made BY Lieut.. Lyuc6's ex!
ploring party. iii1s 1stlaR ,'haasr i7f'2 9p
10 their march to Lake Tiberias, their
boats had to be transported over the most
formidable mountain, gorges and heights,
and to be lowered down precipices with
ropes. at''A' jo" '"'Hi'fT : @'' ',.'4
1.-The 9Th of April, the two Fanaies,f Fas-
ny Mason and Fanny Skinner we're the
names of the boats employed il the .eAht&.
ration each with the American ensign Ay-
ing, were upon the beautiful blue waters Of
the Sea Of Galilee. Just as the apaustles
saw It when our Saviour said to it, Peace,
be, still" this little band of rosers now be-
held it., -r III, all M .,alla ou.
The navigation of the Jordan was found
to be most difficult and dangerous from its
frequent and fearful rapids. 1t. Lynch
solves the secret of the depression between
lake Tiberiss aud the dead Sea by the tor.
tuous course of the Jordan, which, in q
distance Of sixty miles, winds through q
course of two hundred miles. Within this
distance 1t. Lynch and his party plunged
down no less than tw~enty.seven threaten
ing rapids; besides many others of less de-
scent. The difference of level between
the two seas is over a thousand feet.
The water of the Jordan was sweet to
within a few hundred yards gifts mouth
The waters of the sea were devoid of smell,
but bitter, salt and nauseous. Upon on
tering it, the boats were encountered by q
gale, and sit seemed as if the bows, so dense
was the water, were e%ncountering the
sledge hammers of the Titans instead of
the opposing waves of an angry sea-"
The party proceeded until they reached
the southern extremity of the sea, where
the most wonderful sight that they had yet
seen awaited them.
In passing the mountain Of Uzdom Sod
ON we Unexpectedly, and much to our as
constituent, says Lieut.. Lynch, saw a large
rounded, turret-shsped column, facing
south east, which proved to be Of solid
rock salt, capped with carbynate Of line,
one mass Of equalization.
The party cireumnsyigated the lake, and
returned to their place Of departure.
The bottom of the northern half Of this
is almost an entire plain. "'' .
The deepest soundings thus far are 1888
fathoms, (l,l2s feet.) Near the shore the
bottom is generally an incrustation Of salt,
The southern half of the sea is shallow
asthe northern one is deep, and for about
one fourth of its entire length the depth
does not exceed three fathoms, rs feet
Its southern bed has presented no crystals,
but the shores are lined with inorustations
of salt, and when we landed at UzdOm, in
the space Of an hour, our foot prints were
coated with capitalization.
The opposit shores of the peninsula, and
the west coast present evident marks of
disruption. T. .a-r }r,}t
There are unquestionably birds and in
sects upon the shores, and ducks are some.
times upon the sea, for we have seen them
cannot detect any living thing within
feel sure that the results of this sur
vey will fully sustain the scriptursl account
Of the cites of the plain. .,- Il .r.fsl
The Jordan, although rapid and impet-
uons, is graceful in its winds, and fringed
~withluxuriance, while its waters are sweet,
clear cool and refreshing. ,.3,, -g..s 30
They found the summit of the west bank
of the Dead Sea more than loco feet above
its surface, and very nearly on a level
with the Mediterranean.
The bottom If the Dead Sea forms two
plains, an elevated and a de-
one. The first, its southern part,
Of Shiny mud covered by a shallow bay; the
last, its northern & largest portion, of mud
and incrustations and rectangular crystals
of salt. -
The Shiny ooze,' says Lieut.: Maury,
upon that plain, at the bottom Of the Dead
Sea, will not failtol remind thesacred histo.
rian of the slime PITS in the vail, where
were joined in battle, -four kings with fve.'
A STRETcHER.-There is an old story
told Of u man who went into q swamp to
cut wood, with a horse harnessed with
green hide. Cutting q log and trimming IL
to IDS purpose, he lacked bis horse to It and
started for home, . half q mile off, whist
ling on his way but when he arrived there,
he found TO his surprise that the log had
not started an inich-the green hide having
stretched the whole distance! He thonghtl'
no would not go back until the morning,l..
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