The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1851-01-25
MIS- { T. /. l. \ \ \



We descended by a steep path INTO the
plain, aud passing pool ct slagnate-~a.
ter, surrounded By a mass of long dafk
weeds, rode through few low tapruY
bushes, aud reached the matlAlu OF the
lake. There wa, hard ppbnl, stand
s,rewcd here and there with dut wood
bear trunks OF trees wltAcfcd and div,
covered with coating @, sat, suaa
humps of buumiuous substance were seat
tered over the beach we Afterwards iouud
several other pieces floating ou the water
The water itself va, clear and .lu. III, and
the sun was reflected from It's surface with
dalxIing glare, viewed from this point, the
Bahr Luiho, Ms the arabs call i, lost moth
ing OF its gloomy aspect Cart, on our lcit
hand. hy the dark range of Moab, a CON
tlnuaiion OF the craggN heights We had just
omitted formed the barrier on the r-',t, their
black bitumiuous cliffs rising abruptly from
the lake. which stretched tar before Us into
the distance, till It's lead, hue, were bent
with the haN bIuc OF the horizon waste.
water, cray. monotonous hlnc ,kt. the sole
component, OF the cherries landscape,
Heated and ia,igucd, We prepared for
general battle, AT last our private party. for
the pilgrims determined to reserve their en-
cfgics Tor the sacred Jordan the Lake al
So iom being held by them IN horror aud
abomlna,ion, utterly unadapied to the ends
OF cleanliness or comfort. as We afterwards
asccrtained to our cost. The bad oder IN
which the lake was held did not, however
deter us-and having called a halt. 80
plunged like Young ducks into the llaii
element, paulo CHECKING like hen on the
bank. We plunged Disastrous Wa, the
plunge. Rapidly enough. head after hrad
popped up from h. 'erlhlc waters hair
matted, eyes smating, and Tongues burning
from the intense sulphcrous bitter miners
ion, water il was ao'. nor hi'umcn. nor salt
nor sulphur, but disgusting compound of
them AL lour--a hog,hcad OF II would
serve rs an cmotic. You could neither
sink in i, nor swim IN il. Talk OF a tly ia
moiassc-, or Il wasp IN barrel of TAR
can find no parallel for battle in the Dead
Sea.
hrourh, home a bottle Of II, aud sick.
encd some scores OF my Appropriateness.
But the snfIerngs of my companions were
II ffitlt To WHAT I til tbl hitl ff'ftff'' 90
consequence of M, superior horscmansmp
lumped into the waters as raw ~ beet
steak, aud jumped out OF It a. Il were
ilayed alive; however. let me hc Just To
this abonnahle ni,ture il | smarted for
it, nv wounds were well caulcliled and
compleielv skinned ovcr ika cure WAS
perfect to miracle We dressed with the
comfortable sensation of men who had
been well coaiad over with mutton snci-
stiff greasy. aud extremely out of sorts,
with "A liusling, creeping leel over the SKIN,
and remoun,ing turned our steps To the lords
Of the Jordan. Crossing the plans towards
the rirht, we reached the banks oi the river
which burrows, IN It's siunous course, lar pc
low the level of the plan the dense thIck-
G, OF bushes, shrubs. AVID trees that aro" ont
Of its waters in many places scarcely
out.,opng the bank. The stream Is very
rapid and the water mudv. Leaving the nv
or to follow its meanderings, We arrived 10y
shorter path at the cele' rated 'otdS,
where tradition tells us the host OF isefael
trod dry shod through the depths, as The
flood retired before the arb vi Cod nor +
1t improbable fiat here John the BAPTIST
WAS baptising, aud that here our blessed
Lord, NJ he came out OF the waters, received
the public seal of his ministry, when the
Holy Ghost in bodily shape like dove
came upon him, and voice from heaven
which said, Thou ar, my beloved son, IN
thee nm well pleased"
At this part of the river The banks are
low, and nearly OF a level with the streams ;