The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1848-10-21

lance Lieut. Lynch and his party plunged down
no less than twenty seven threaten ng rapids; be-
SIDES many Others of less descent The difference
OF level bet wcen the two seas is thousand
| feet.
The water of the Jordan was sweet to within
a few hundred yards of its mouth. The waters
of the sea were devoid of smell. but bitter, sa |,
and nauscous. Upon entering it, the boats were
Encountered bya gale, and 1T seemed as if the
bows 90 dense was the water, were encountcrne
the slrdse-hammers Of the Ttans instead of the
opposing waves ofan angry sea-.
The party proceeded daily with their explor.
atoms, making topograp hcal sketches as they
went, Until they reached the southern extremity
of the sea, where the most wonderful sight that
they had;yet seen awaited them.
ain passing the mountain of Uzdom [Sodoml
we Unexpectedly, and much to our establishment
says Lieut.. Lynch, "saw a large rounded turre-
shaped column, facing southeast. which proved
to be of solid rock salt, capped with carlo nate o:
lime, one mass Of crystailiza!on. Mr.. Dale took
a sketch of il, and Dr. Anderson landed with
much difficulty, and procured specimens from
ito
The party circumnavigated 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 all in fine
health. This is a specimen of the SKILL system
and discipline of the American navy, No ma
ton in the world has such service. The time
is coming when it will give proofs of that fact
pal pablc to tho most dull understanding.
Thanks to the good management Of Liertcnant
| Lynch. the whole cost of this scientific exp lora-
tion otlhe Dead Sea (rxcept, of course, the cost
Of equpage and maintenance of the crew OF the
ship was but seven hundred dollars.
From the letters Lieut. Lynch quoted BY
Lieutenant Maury, we tral,Scribe the following
interesting facts ELECTED by the explcra:ion:--
1.-The bottom of,he nohcrn half otthis sea is
almost an entire plain Its merldional i nes at a
short distance from the shore scarce vary in
depth The deepest soundings TINS far, lss faith
oms, II LES feet Near tho shore the bottom is
generally an ncrustaton Of salt, bat the inferno
d,te one is soft mud with many rectangular
crystals-mosly cubcs--of pure salt. Al one
tune Sewagers lead brought up nothing but
crystals
"The southern half of the sea is az shal
10" as the northern one is deep, and for
about one fourth of its entire length the
depth does not exceed three tathoms, Us
feeN lis southern bed has presented no
crystals, hut the shores are lined with lncrus
tauons of salt, and when we landed al "
dom, in the space ofan hour, our footprints
were coated with cryslIization
The opposite shores of The peninsula aad
the west coast present evident marks Of dis
rnpjon.
There are unquestionahly birds and in
secls upon the shores and ducks are some
times upon the sea, for we have seen them
but cannot detect any living thing within
! il, although the ga It streams flowing into ii
contain salt fish. feel sure that the re.
suits of this survey will fully sustain tie
scripture account OF the cities Of The plalh,'
He thus speaks of Jordan "The Jordan.
although vanid and inpetnous, is giaca'nl
IN lis windings. and iringed with luXnrance
while lis waters are sweet, clear, coo! and
refreshing.
After The su vey Of the sea, tie party pro
ceeded to determine tue height OF noun
tains on lis shores and to run a level thence
ria Jerusalem 10 the Mediterranean. They
found the summit the west bank of the
Dead Sea more than 1000 feet above is sur
face, ana very nearly on level with ihe
Mediterranean
at IS a curious fact,' says Lieut.. Maury,
! 'llHI lile tl 'tlHcc nom tle Op W IRE v ~
ION of the Dead Sea should measure the
height OF lis banks; the elevation of the
Mediterranean. and the difference OF level
between the bottom of the Two seas, and
that the depth of the Dead Sea should be
also an exact multiple of The height OF JeTu-
salem above it'
Another not less singular fact, in the o,
pinlon of Lieut.. Lynch: is THAT the bottom
Of the Dead Sea forms two submerged
plains, an elevated aud a depressed ONE
The first, il, southern part Of Shiny mud
covered by q shallow bay, The last, its north
ern and largest portion Of mud and lncruSla-
hons and rectangular crystals Of salt, at
great depth, with a narrow ravine running
through corresponding with the bed of the
river Jordon at one extremity and The Wa
dy eel Jeib,' or 'wady within a wady,' at tho
other"
"1'he Shiny oozc,'' says Lient' Maury,
'npon that plain al the bottom of the Dead
Sea, W III not fail 10 remind the sacred histo
rian of The slime pits, in the vale where
we're joined il battle 'iour kings with
five.'