Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-12-08

Ibs Frightening yellow prsciPes Of Quaranianis
on the west. SOuthwsrd, the Dead sea stretched
into the land, gray and clear. Below me, our
tents and horses and the moving figures Of the A.
rabs, enliySned the shsdowy banks Of the stream.
We were off soon after six, and were TO reach
the banks Of the Jordan in about TWO and half
hours. Our way lay through the same sort Of
forSst.land as we had encamped in. It was We
ry wild; and almost the only tokens Of habta.
tion that we met with, were absut Rbhah-by
some supposed to be the exact site Of the ancient
Jericho. This is now as miserable a village as
any in Palestine; and its inhabitants are as low
in character as in wealth. No stranger. thinks
Of going near il who is not we'll armed. Yet
there is need TO resort 10 no means but honest
and very moderate industry, TO obtain a csmlor-
mbs subsistence here-if only honesty were
encouraged, and industry protected by good
social state. The fine fg.trees that are scatter
ed around, and the abundant promise Of the few
crops that ara sown, show that the soil and cli-
mate are not 10 blame. AT this place there is a
square tower. conspicuous alar above the lrses
which ssme suppose to be The sole remnant OF
tho great city: but it can hardly be ancient
enough 10 have belonged TO the old Jericho.
On hillock in the midst of the brushwood,
we saw few birds of such size, that one Of the
party in momento Of forgeluness, criedouI sos
Eriches!" There are no osTiches in this cOun-
try; buthese cranes looked very like than, while
on their feet. One by one they rose, stretching
out their long legs behind them-cerainly the
largest birds ever saw fy-or probably shall
ever see.
Though we had been Told, and had read, that
tb Il 1 - 1t,
ed its very banks, we could rot help looking for
it. Three broad terraces have to be trayersed;
and then il is sunk in a deep bed, whore il rush
es hidden among the woodland. lis depth Of
wafer varies much at different seasons; though
less now than formerly. The Scriptures speak
SO much Of the overflow of Jordan; and Of the
lion coming up at the swelling Of Jordan, that it
is supposed that formerly the river was subject
TO inundations which may have formed the three
terraces above mentioned, aad caused the extra
ordinary fertility Of the plain in old times: and
that the wild beasts which then harbored in the
brakes, came up to terrily the dwellers in the
fields. However this may have been it is not so
now. The channel is no doubt deepened; and
the river now in the fullest season, only brims
over its banks into the brakes, so as 10 stand g.
mong the canes, and never reaches the tarraces.
Though Wewere all on the lookout, and though
we reached the river al the spot which is clear
ed for the approach Of the Easter pilgrims, we
could not see the water till we could almost touch
+ it. The first nstcs to me Of where it was, was
from some Of the party dsmounlng on the Pill.
grims beach. When came up-Ol how beau
liiul it was!-how much more beautiful than all
pictures and all descriptions had led me to ex-
peel! The only drawback was that the stream
was turbid;-not only whitish, from a SUI phur-
Gus admixture but muddy. But it swept nobIy
along, with a strong and rapid current, and ma
ny eddies, gushing through the thick woodland
and flowing in among the tall reeds, now smi
ting the white rocks of the opposite shore, and
+ now winding away out of sight, behind the pop
lars aud acacias and tall reeds which crowd its
banks. 1t is not broad river; but it is full of
majesty from its force and loveiness. The Wig
orous, up-springing character of the wood along
its margin, struck me much; and we saw it now
, in its vivid Spring green.
The pilgrims rush into the sacred river in
J such numbers, and with so little precauiion as TO
the strength Of the current, that no year passes
without some loss Of life; and usually several
, perish. This year only one was drowned.-
Whatever superstition there might have been
among our company, it was not of this wild Sort
: and we bathed in safety. The eladies wentworth;
I the gentlemen south. | made way through
the thicket with difficulty, till found u little
) cove which the current did not enter, and over
: which hung sycamore, whose lower branches
t were washed by the ripple, which the current
| sent in as it passed On these branches the
, bather might stand or sit, without touching the
|, mud, which lay softand deep below. The lime
) stone precipce and wooded promontory oppo
site, made the river particularly beautiful here
and sorry was to leave ii at last.
: 1t is useless to attempt to make out where the
baptism of Jesus took place, or where his disci-
8 pies and John administered the rite. And on
the spot one has no pressing wish 10 know. The
a whole of this river is so sacred and so swee
: that it is enough to have saluted it in any par
a Of its course.
The belt Of woodland soon turn cd away east
' ward, and wefound ourselves exposed TO extreme
: heat OH deSolate plain crusted with salt and
cracked with drought. There had been a close
ness and muskiness in the air all the morning
which was very oppressive; and now it was a
our usual slow pace almost intoerabe. pu
Q my horse TO fast canter, and crossed the plair
as quickly as possible, finding this pace relic
to my horse as well as myself. The drift on the
beach of the sea looked dreary enough ridge:
Q Of broken canes and willow twgs, washed up
and lying among the salt and the little unwhcle
: some swamps of the shore; but the water look
ed bright and clear, and so tempting, that ou
= horses put their noses down repeatedly, alway:
!. turning away in disgust. tasted the water
If about two drops-and almost thought shoult
e never get the taste out Of my mouth again
i And this is the water that poor Costigans coffee
y was made of!
Il Costigan was young Irishman, whose mint
., was possessed with the idea of exploring tn,
is Dead sea, and giving the world the benefit Of hi
is discoveries. II would have been useful ser
vice; and he had zeal and devotedness enoug
re for it. But he wanted either knowledge or pru
,e dence and he lost his life in the adventure, with