New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-07-20

pressiye. and b, and by logged silence took pos
session of our party. After passing lofty peak
which Francois called Djebel Nut'ar, the NOUN
tain of Rain. we came to a large Noslem building,
situated on a bleak emiaence, overlooking part oil
the valley oftIe Jordan. This is the tomb called
Nebbee Moussa by the Arabs, and believed by them
TO stand upon the spot where Moses died. we
halted at the gate, but no one came to ADMIT US
though my companion thought he saw man
head at one of the apertures in the WALL Arao
tradition here is as much at fault as Christian ira
d;t;on in many other places. The true Nebo IL
somewhere in the chain of Pisgah, and though
probably saw it, and all see it who go down TO
the Jordan, yet mo man knoweth its place unto
this day"
Beyond Nebbee Moussa, we came out upon the
last nights overlooking the Dead Sea, though
several miles of low hills remained to be passed.
The he ad of the Sea was visible as far as the Ras
el-Feshka on the west and the hot fountains Of
Callirhoe on the eastern shore. Farther than
this, all was vapor and darkness. The water was
a soft deep purple hue, frightening into blue
Our road led down what seemed vast sloping
causeway from the mountains, between two
rayines, walled by cliffs several hun fred feet in
hight. 1t gradually aattened into plain, covered
with a white, saline incrustation and grown with
clumps of sour willow, tamarisk and other shrubs
among which | looked in vain for the Oser or
Dead Sea apple. The plants appeared as if smit-
ten with leprosy, but there were some flowers
growing almost to the margin of the sea. We
reached the shore about PM. The heat by this
time was most severe, and the air so dense as to
occasion pains in my ears. The Dead Sea is 300
feet below the Mediterranean, and without doub
the lowest part Of the Earth surface. attribute
the oppression felt to this fact and to the suItr
ness OF the day, rather than to any exhsaton from
the sea itself. Francois remarked, however, that
had the wind, which by this time veering round
to the northeast, blown from the south, we could
scarcely have endured it. The sea resembles q
great cauldron sunk between mountains from three
TO four thousand feet in hight. and probably we
did not experience more than 1.-THE Of the sum-
mer heat
proposed bath, for the sake Of experiment,
| but +. endeavortd to dssuade us. He had tried
! it, and nothing could be more disagreeabe; we
risked getting fever, and besides there were four
hours Of dangerous travel yet before us. But by
| this time we were half undressed, and soon
| floating on the clear btumnOus waves. The
beach was fine gravel and shelved gradually down.
| kept my turbaD on my head, and was careful to
avoid touching the water with my face. The
was moderately warm and gratefully soft and
soothing to the skin. 1t was impossible to sink,
and even while swimming, the body rose half out
of the water | should think it possible to dive
for short distance, but prefer that some else
4 Al. Al l.. r.. Il
for a pillow, one might sleep as on one of the
patent mattresses. The taste of the water is
salty and pungent, and stings the tongue like salt
peter. We were obliged to dress in all haste
without even wiping off the detestable liquid, yet
| experienced very little of that discomfort which
most travellers have remarked Where the skin
had been previously bruised, there a slight
smarting sensation, and my body felt clammy and
glutinous but the bath was rather refreshing than
otherwise.
We turned our horses heads toward the Jordan
and rode on over dry, barren plain. The two
Bedouins at first dashed ahead at full gallop utter
ing cries. and whirling their long guns in the air.
The dust they raised was blown in our faces, and
contained so much salt that my eyes began to
smart painfully. Thereupon | followed them at
an equal rate of speed, and we left long cloud
the accused soil whirling behind u.s. Presently
however, they fell to the rear, and continued t.
keep at some distance from us. The reason O.
this was soon explained The path turned east
ward, and we already saw line of dusky green
winding through the wilderness. This was tn
Jordan, and the mountains beyond, the home OF
Iobber Arabs, were close at hand. Those robbers
frequently cross the river and conceal themselves
behind she sand-hills on this side Our brave es-
cort was therefore inclined to put us forward as a
forlorn hope, and secure their own retreat in case
Of attack But were all well armed, and
had never considered their attendance as anything
more than a gentee way of buying them off from
robbing us, we allowed them to lag as much as
they chose. Finally, as we approached the Pill
grims Ford, one of them took his stat on at some
distance from the river, the top of mound
while the other got behind some trees near at
hand; in order, as they said, to watch the eppO-
site hills, and alarm whenever they should see
any Of the Benz Sukrs, or the Benz Adwams, or
the Tyakh, coming down upon Us.
The Jordan at this point will not average more
than ten yards IN breadth. 1t flows at the bottom
of a gully about fifteen feet Deep which traverses
the broad vally IN a most tortuous course. Inc
water has a white, cayey hue, and is very swift.
The changes of tfe current have formed islands
and beds of soil here and there, which covered
with dense growth of ash, poplar, willow and
tamarisk trees. The banks of the river are bor
deIed with thickets now oyergrown with wild
vines and fragrant with Towering plants. Birds
sing continually in the cool, dark coverts of the
trees | found a charm in the wild lonely, uxuri-
ant banks the tangled underground, and the rapid
brawmg course of the sacred stream, as it slip
ped in sigh, and out of sight among the trees. 1t
:. almost innnns sihle 10 rench the water at any