Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-08-09

10Th were in sight Of the isle Of Patmos,
where St John wrote the Apocalypse
and on the 25th saw the mountains of
Lebanon, their shadows resting upon the
sea, their SUBMITS wreathed in mist, re-
fulgent with the rays Of the yet invisible
sun brilliant as the bow of .promise,
the many colored mist rests like gem
med tiara upon the brow Of the lofty noun
tains.'
On the 18th, sailed past the town Of St
Jean d'Acre, its battlements frowning in
the distance, and anchored under Mount
Carmel before the walled village Of Haila.
His account of the trans poriation of the
equipments 10 Jean d'Acre, Of his nego-
tiation with the Governor, of his arrange
ments for crossing the country to Tiberi-
as, &c., &c., is all full OF interest.
After all sorts Of vexatlon and tribula-
lion, in which Yankee firmness, tact, and
perseverance, :riumphed, on the Sd OF
April, the caravan began 10 move ; and on
the 9th, glimpse was caught Of the Sea
of Galilee.
Unable to restrain his impotence, the
Lieutenant rode ahead, and soon saw be-
low, far down the green sloping chasm,
the Sea Of Galilee, basking in the sum
light. Like mirror, it lay embosom-
ed in itsrounded and beautiful, but treeless
hills. How dear to the Christian are the
memories Of that lake the lake of the New
Testament Blessed beyond the nature
Of its elements, it has borne the Son Of
God upon its surface. Its cliffs first ech-
oed the glad tidings Of salvation, and from
its villages the first Of the Apostles were
gathered to the ministry. Its placid wa
tiers and its shelving beach; the ruined
cities once crowded with men, and the ev-
erlasting hills, the handiwork Of Cod
all identify and attest the wonderful mira
Giles that were here performed
Their stay was short in Tiberias. On
the 9Th, they launched the two metallic
boats, with flags flying, upon sea where,
since the time Of Josephus and the Ro-
mans, no vessel Of any size had sailed, and
where for many, many years, but soli-
tary keel has furrowed it surface
Dividing the party into two portions,
one to march by land, as near the banks
Of the river as possible, the other to navi-
gate the boats, on the 10th, they pushed off
and steered direct for the outlet Of the Jor-
dan. Down this river they sailed, shot,
jumped or tumbled, under sweeping fol-
iage, over shadows, whirlpools, rocks,
down appalling waterfalls, in imminent
peril Of being dashed TO pieces in the rap
ids, or shot down by the ambushed Arab.
The great secret says the Lieutenant,
of the depression between Lake Tiberi-
as and the Dead Sea, is solved by the tor
tuitous course Of the Jordan. In space
of sixty miles of latitude and four or five
Of longitude, the Jordan traverses at least
two hundred miles. The river is in the
latter stage of freshet-a few weeks
earlier or later, and passage would have
been impracticable. As it is, we have
plunged down twenty-seven threatening
rapids, besides great many of less mag
nitude.'
1t was glorious voyage and amply was
the Lieutenant's faith in American sailors
justified.
They entered the Dead Sea on the after
noon OF the 18th, and received stormy
welcome.
The wind rose so rapidly, that the
boats could not keep head to wind, and we
were obliged to haul the log in. The sea
continued TO rise with the wind, which
gradually freshened to gale, and present.
ed an agitated surface Of ioaming brine
The spray, evaporating as il fell, left in
crustations of salt upon our clothes, hands
and faces and while it conveyed prick
ly sensation wherever it touched the skin,
was above all, exceedingly painful to the
eyes. The boats heavily laden, struggled
sluggishly at first, but when the wind
freshened in its tierceness, from the dem
>ity Of the water, it seemed as if their
booms were encountering the sledge ham,
mers Of the Titans, instead Of the opposing
waves Of an angry sea-
The commander began TO fear that they
would founder.
AT times it seemed as If the Dread AL
mighty frowned upon our efforts to navigate
the seattle creation of his wrath. There
is tradition among the Arabs that no one
can venture on this sea and live. Repeat
edly the fates Of Cos,igan and Molyneaux
had been cited to deter us. The first one
spent few days; the last about twenty
hours, and returned to the place whence
he had embarked, without landing upon
its shores. One was found dying upon
its shore, the other expired in November
last, Immediately after his return, Of fever
contracted upon its waters.
But although the sea had assumed
terrific aspect, and the fretted mountains,
sharp and incinerated, doomed terrific on
either side, and salt and ashes mingled
with its sands, and fetid sulphurous
springs,trickled down its ravines, we did
not despair awe-struck but not terrified;
fearing the worst, yet hoping for the best,
we prepared to spend dreary night upon
the dreariest waste we had ever seem
As they hoped, SO it was. Near six
o'clock, the wind instantly abated, and
the sea as rapidly fell the water, from its
ponderous quality, settling as soon as the
agitating cause had ceased 10 act.
Three weeks were occupied in the ex-
plorationIof the sea, and Lieutenant Lynch
thus sums up the result: sWe have care
fully sounded the sea, determined its ge-
ographical position, taken the exact topog-