The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1848-01-13
THE DEAD SEA.

THE DEAD SEA.
A. the Government Inns fitted out on ex-
petition to the bend Sen. the following DIES.
crip,ion by Miss Martincau may not be un-
interesting:
This day, april Gth,) we were TO visit
the Jordan aud the Dead Sen. In the ear.
~ morning about O'clock, assembled q
steep mound near our cncampmcnt, and
saw view rs different from that Of the
preceding day as change Of light could
make il. The sun had not risen; but there
was hint Of its approach in gush Of
pale light behind the Moab mounlains.-
The strip Of woodland in the middle of the
plain looked black IN contrast with the brigh-
tening yellow prccipiccs Of Quaraninnia on
tho West. Souihwards the Dead Sea
stretched into the land grey and clear
Below me, our tents and horses, and the
moving figures Of The Arabs, eniivcncd the
ehadowy banks of tho stream.
We were on soon after six, and were to
reach the banks of the Jordan in two hours
and a half. Our way lay through The
same sor, of forest land rs VIC had cncnmp.
ed in. II was very wild, ind almos, The
only tokens Of habi,n.ion TINT VIC met was
about Rihbah--by some supposed to hc the
exact site ot the uncien, Jericho. This j.
now a. miserable village rs nny in Pl-
estine; and its inhabitants ms low in char
acter us in wealth. No stranger thinks 81
going near il who is not we'll armed md
guarded. Yet there is no need To resort To
any means but homes. md very m'dcratc
industrv,to obtain comfortable subsistence
here-if only honesty were encouraged.
and industry protected b. good social
state. The iinc tig trees TINT nrc scatter
Cd around, aud the nbundan, promise 81 the
few crops that arc sown, show that The soil
end ciin,ntc IRE no, TO blame. Al this place
there IL square tower, conspicuous from
afar above the trees, which so,nc suppose To-
DO the sole remnant oi the great city, bui
II can hardly be ancient enough 10 have
belonged to old Jericho.
On hillock in the midst Of brnshwood
We saw few birds Of such size that one oi
the party in moment of forgc,ii,ncss
cried on,-'Os,riches. There arc no as.
triches in this country, but these cranes
lokcd very like them. while IN their feet
Ono by one. they rose, stretching out
their long legs misunderstanding, The l,r.
gcsi birds ever saw ily-"r probably shall
ever sec.
Though VIC had been told md Ind reid
TINT the river could not he seen I'LL ihc trnv-
eller reached i,s very banks. VIZ could ~,
help leaking for il. Three broad terraces
have tn he travesed, md then i, is sunk il
n deep he'd, where il rnshcs hidden nm,n.
the woodland. It, depth Of water varies
much nj diiIrren, seasons; though less nnw
thnn formerly. The Scriptures speak s.
mnch ri the overflow al the .Inrdnn. and the
linn Coming up u, tho swelling &C ,hc Jnr-
dan. ihat il j. supposed tha, Formerly the
river wns subject 1. nanddions. which mr.,
hive tarmcd tho three terraces nhovc ncn.
timed. aud caused ihe exiraordinary Eeriil.
i,v "fihc plains ia old times: aud Tint thu
wild beasts which then harbrcd il the
hrak"s. came mp IL ,erfi,v the dwellcrs la
TIC field. However this may have been.
il is MT 81 now. The channel is now derp.
ened; md the river now in The fullest son
son, anly hrims over It's banks into the
brakes, so NJ 10 stand among Tho canes.
and never reaches the terraces.
Thmigh we were MI on the lool,aut, md
Though we reached The river IN the spot
which is cleared for the approach ofihc E,s.
ter Pilgrims, We could ~, sec the water ,ili
we could almost touch il. The first nnfre
10 me of where j, was, was frm sore nlihe
party disrnounting IN the Pilgrims beach
When came np--O! how beautiful il wns!
how much more beautiful thnu all the pie
lures and al descriptions had led me ioey-
pect! The only drawback was that the
stream wis turbd: not nnly whiti-h from
a suiphnre"ns admx.Ore. hut muddy. But
il swept nobly along, with n strong aud
rnpid current. md many cdiics, gushing
through the thick NO ,dland, aud flowing in
aiming The tall reeds. now shifting the white
r,'cks III the opposite SHIRE, md now wind.
ing away on, IT sigh, behind p"plars md nc
cscins and tall reels which crown it's hunks.
u is MT hrnd river, bni it il iull or nm.
jesty from its iorce and lovlincss. The
vigorous. np.springing character of the
wos1 along is N ,rgin struck me- mnch; -
and we saw it now in is full vivid spring
green.
The pilgrims rush into tho s,crcd river
in such numbers, and with 50 little prcc,p.
tion as 10 the strength nf the current. ,hi
no YEAR passes without some loss ri life;
and usually several perish. This ,car M
" ",Ie wns drowned. Whatever supcrs,i.
tion there might hive been among our
COMPANY, il was not of this wild sar,; mud
Ne bnthed in safety. Tho ladies went
north, the gentlemen sonii,. Imade wa,
through the thicket with difficulty, till 4
found little cove which tho current did
not enter, and over which hung sycamore,
whose lower branches were washed by the