The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1850-01-09

| ton OF the river Jordan. The sketch map
ofits course from the lake of 1iberias to
the Dead Sea is a masterpiece of minute
delineation; and although we may regret
in behalf of literature and science that the
same hand which guided the pencil was
not spared to WELD the pen, it is but fair
to pronounce the narrative eminently inter-
esting, and in high degree creditable to
the industry and ability of the writer. ALL
that relates to the river and adjacent coun-
fry, except in the immediate vicinity of the
two seas, is addition to the stock of human
knowledge, as valuable and important as
it is interesting and novel; and viewed as
the result Of the enterprise, it merits the
commendation-':.fnis cornat opus"
week was spent upon the river and its
banks. The navigation of the Dead Sea,
or as it is classically termed from the Bit
umen it produces, the lake of Asphaltites,
was attended with less difficulty, and its
results are ofless importance in scientific
point of view, tending as they do, rather
to confirm or disprove the statements of
previous voyagers, than to develope facts
before unknown. They will operate, how
ever, in some degree, to satisfy the curios-
ity of the Christian world, which, ever anx-
ious to penetrate the mystery that wells the
sea of Sodom, was stimulated to eager ex-
pectation by the promise of an exploration
to be prosecuted under auspices that seem
ed favorable to its success.
Twenty-Five days were employed in ma.
king the circuit of the lake and crossings
requisite to determine its depth. During
this period very minute observations were
recorded respecting all the atmospheric
phenomena. The exact topography of its
shoreswas also ascertained and delineated.
1t is forty miles long, with an average
breadth of nine miles. "The inference
from the Bible" says the commander,
'that the entire chasm was plain sunk
and overwhelmed by the wrath of God,
seems to be sustained by the extraordinary
character of our soundings. The bottom
of the sea consists oftwo submerged plains
an elevated and depressed one-the last
averaging thirteen hundred feet below the
surface" The prejuhce which gave to
this sheet Of water the name Of Dead Sea,
grounded doubtless on the belief that its
waters held in solution ingredients, and
emitted effluvia, destructive of animal life,
is so far confirmed, that it may be regard
ed as an established fact that no form oflife
exists therein, nor could any animalcule
or vestiga of animal matter to be detected
in it when subjected to powerful micro
scope-so salt it is, so dense, so bitter
But the men bathed in it without peril to
life, though with sufficiently disagreeable
consequences; for it was found oily and
acrid in the extreme, pealing the skin from
the body, and producing prickly smart
ing sensation; and numerous and curious
birds were found upon the borders of the
lake, and seemed to fly over it and to skim
its surface; and wild ducks seemed to float
upon it at their ease. ..
The buoyancy of the water is such that
the boats with the same load drew one inch
less upon the lake than in the river. lis
action was so powerful on the copper boat,
that while exposed to its immediate friction,
the metal was bright as FURNISHED gold, but
corroded Immediately on coming in con-
tact with the air
The commander describes the water as
inodorous, and contends that its saline ex.
halations are not only innocuous, but they
are positively salubrious. 1t is to the eli
miate, the intense heat, that he ascribes the
dangerous and expressing influence that
soon began to impair alike the physical
health and mortal vigor of the party, caus-
ing the figure of each to assume lean
dropscal appearance, the lean to become
stout, and the stout corpulent; the pale
faces to be horid, and the forid ruddy;
the slightest scratch to tester, and the bod
les of many 10 be covered with small pus-
tules. Happily the work was accomplish
ed before worse symptoms appeared; and
in few days after their return to Beirut,
they all recovered, save the lamented Dale.
New York Journal Of Commerce.
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