The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-05-27
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the New York Express.
A Slrocoo ON tho Dead 500.


We extract the following interesting sketch from Lieut.
Lynch's forthcoming Narrative OF the United States
Expedition to the Dead Sea and the River jordan The
work we learn, will be ready for publication. The
delay OF its appearance has been occasoned by the
Gus illustrations with which il is to be embellished
A2 50 p m close in with the shore, but unable
to land from the soft bottom and shoaness OF the water
AT so, light breeze from WNW., hauled to the north
toward the base of the peninsula. long, narrow, dry
marsh with few scrubby bushes, separated the water
from range OF stapendous hills 1000 feet high. The
cliff OF En- Nuweireh Little Tiger) lofty and grand
lowered above in horizontal strata of brown limestone
and beautifully rosecolorcd sandstone beneath Clouds
in the east, (nmns seemed to be threatening gust AT
&c. steered NNE along low marshy flat in shallow
wafer The light wind had subsidized and twas oppres
sively hot, AIR ~ deg water twelve inches below the
surface 80 deg thin purple haze the mountains.
and awful appearance haze thin that was trans
parent, and rather blush than distinct color appre.
hended thunder gust earthquake and took in the
sail AT so hot clustering hurricane struck from
the southeast, and or some moments we feared being
driven out 10 The thermometer rose Immediately to
02 deg The men, closing their eyes shield them from
the hery blast were Obliged to pull with all their might
to stem the rising waves, and at 80 physically exhaust
ed, but with grateful hearts, gained the shore. My
eye lids blisered by the hot wind being unable
We landed on the south side of the peninsula, near
Wady Humier the most desoate spot upon which had
yet encamped Some went up the ravne to escape from
the sitting wind; others, driven back by the glare, re-
turned 10 the boats and crouched under the awnings
One mounted specaces to protect his eyes, but the metal
became SO heated that he obliged to remove them
burning to the touch and the inner folds of garments
cooler than those exposed 10 the immediate contact
OF the wind. We bvouacked without tents on dry
marsh, few dead bushes around and some OF the
horny nubk and tree bearing red berry, short dis
lance inland, with low canes on the margin OF the
At short distance to the N f., on the peninsula,
found fragments OF an immense and very old mill stone
The mill had doubtless been turned by canal from the
avine, down which the water must flow coPously in the
rainy season.
Al s., finding the heat intolerable we walked up the
dry torrent bed in search of water. Found two
sve pools rather than stream, with some minnows in
Them the WATER not yet stagnant, flowing from the upper
to the lower pool There succulent plants
their Margins and fern roots and few bushes around
them. There huge boulders OF sandstone IN the
bed of the ravne dead palm tree near the largest pool
living cleft OF The rock at the head OF the gorge
and high up, the submits of the beetliDg Cliffs the
sandstone lay in horizontal strata. with perpendicular
cleavage. and limestone above it's light brown color rich
ly contrasting with the deep red below
The sandstone below limestone here, and limestone
without sandstone the opposite shore, would to
indicate geological fault
Washed and bathed in of the pools, but the relief
only momenary. In instant, after leaving the
water the moisture the surface evaporaed and left the
skin dry, parched and stiff Except the mInnows IN the
pool. there not living thing stirring but the hot
wind swept moaning through the branches OF the wither
ed palm tree and every bird and insect, if any there
were, had sought shelter under the rocks
Coming out from the raviAe, the sight was singular
one The wind had increased to tempest; the two
remies and the western shore OF the curtain
Yellow ase and the red and ayess SUM- in the bonzed
Clouds had the appearance presents when looked upon
through smoked glass Thus may the heavens have APP
peared Just before the Almighty III his wrath raned down
fire upon the cities Of the plain Behind the rugged
crags of the mountains OF Moab, the land OF incest
veoped cloud Of dust swept by the simeon from the
great desert of Arabia
There was smoke on the peninsula, little to the
north of US. We knew not whether those who made it
might prove friends foes and therefore that little
h. dad bad rn.,n
of the Taamrah with us, for the express purpose OF
communicating with the natives, but he was so fearful OF
their hostility, that could not prevail on him to bear
eyes fixed the streaming smokes he had equatted him
self down short distance from He thought that we
would be attacked in the night felt sure that we would
other but at advantage, and fifteen wearmed Franks
can, that region, bid defiance to anything but surprise
We threw ourselves upon the parched cracked earth.
seemed insupportable from the heat Some endeavored
to make screen Of OF the boats awnings. but the
fierce wind swept it over in an instant twas more like
the blast of furnace than living air. AT our feet was
the sea, and right through the thlcke we could
distinguish the cleaning of the fires, and hear the
shouts from an Arab encampment
In the early part OF the night there scarcely mo-
ment that was not at the water breakers but
the parching thirst could not be aayed tor although
there was no peceptibe perspl5aton the hud was car
the breakers were exhausted and last waking thought
was water In our disturbed and fevesh slumbers, we
anced the cool beverage puID4 DOWN our dIChcu anu
burning threats The musquitoes as their stngs were
by the heat tormented almost to madness,
and we spent miserable night, throughout which we
compelled 10 lie encountered with our arms, while,
BY turns, we keep vgilant watch
We had spent the day in the glare OF Syrian sum- by
the salt mountain of Usdun, in the hot blast Of the sroc
CO, and were now bvouacked under the cacned cliffs OF
| Moab When the water exhausted, all too weary
to 90 for more, even If there danger OF sur
prise, threw ourselves upon the ground-eyes smart,
ing, skin burning, lips and tongue and throat parched
and dry, and wrapped the first garment we could lind
around our heads to keep off the sitting blast and in our
brief and broken sumbers, drank from ideal fountains
Those who have fell thirst, never suffered in
simeon in the wilderness, been far of at with
Water, everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink,
,rated by the exclamation of the victim in Dantes Infer
no:
The little rils which down the grassy side
| or Casenno flow to Amos stream,
| Filling their banks with vsrdne as they glide,
! Are ever In my view mo idle dream
| For more than vision parches, makes me weak .
Than that disease which wastes my pallid cheek
Our thoughts could revert to home in connexlon
with the precious element and many were the imaginary
speeches made to visionary common councils against
ideal water Cats, which went about unsubstania city
Streets spoutng the glorious liquid in very wastcfu
ness OF abundance, every drop of which seemed priceless
pearls, lay the shore OF the Dead Sea- IN the
feverish sleep OF thirst
The poor, affrighted Arab slept not wink; for re
peatedly when went out, was my CUSTOM to see thai
all quiet and the senes the alert, ne was eve
in the same place. looking in the same direction.
AT midnight the thermometer stood at QS shortly ate
which the wind shifted and blew lightly from the north
At4 thermometer 50 degrees; comparatively cool