The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-03-21

fresh air of the morning blowing upon
US we passed into the cleansing food.
There was life in every drop
Of it. There can be no doubt
about it; as tonic the Jordan is
unrivaled. While we waded autiously
near the shore, sitting down in the clay
bottom to get as much Of the water with
as little OF the current as possible, we
were startled by crashing Of under
brush and thunder Of feet. Out of the
bush emerged the Russian pilgrims in
the widest excitement. Each stroye to
be the first to plunge into the stream.
Many of them were already half naked,
and they speedily stripped, put OIL long
white garment-a kind OF shroud in
which il Is their wish to be buried-and
having immersed themselves in the
Jordan, they took off the
shroud, rolled it carefully up, and
having placed it in their luggage, re-
turned quite naked to pass half hour in
the river.
OF for the Dead Sea! A rapid run in
the fresh morning air, over the parched
plains. Much of the way, we followed
the Jordan bank and were sheltered
somewhat by the foliage that fringes it.
All this time,- though we could have
leaped into the stream with hop, skip
and jump, we caught only occasional
glimpses of the river as it rushed
like mill race between its steep clay
walls, buried out Of sight in luxurious
groves of willow. Until we were actu-
ally upon the shore OF the sea, plough
ing through pebbles and soft sand, we
strained our eyes in vain toward the
valley of death, eager to catch glimpse
of its bitter waters. Our trail wound
through dense growth OF cane, olean-
70 rio Va tod nv ~
the baked soil in Indian file, thinking of
the wild boars, wolves, jackals, ana
leopards that prowl in the vale OF Gilgal
the vale that was of old compared to
'the Garden Of the Lord" We saw
nothing, not even vulture, though no
panorama Of the Dead Sea is complete
without shadow OF his wings darken-
ing the canvas.
Out Of the splendid distance, over the
Salt Sea, the Sea Of Asphalt, the Lake
OF Lot-call it by what name you will,
for it bears all these-over the Eastern
Sea OF The oil prophets, stole the Wither-
ling breath of furnace. Our horses
sweltered in the heat. There was no
shelter near the shore, for our camp
| Itrappings had already gone up into the
wilderness. A dip into the gummy and
elastic water was all we asked now,
and in ten minutes we stood upon the
sand halt blinded with the heat and
glare that nearly over came US before
we were safely out of 1T. The sea near
the plain of the Jordan is shallow. Look
ling toward the south, the eve is lost in
l the profound mists that envelope 1t. Six
and forty miles of sky blue crystal, thir-
teen hundred feet in depth, the topmost
wave which is thirteen hundred feet be-
low the level of the Mediterranean.
Neither fish, shells, nor coral are found
here. There are fish bones on the shore,
the wrecks of the Jordon. The bitter
oil-it is hardly worthy Of the name of
water-strangles everything to death,
and then spits it out into the sun. Six
million tons of sweet water fall into the
Dead Sea daily; six million tons rise
out of it, spiritualized, and float over
it.
When we passed into the water we
felt the weight of it before we got knee
deep. Soon we grew buoyant, and kept
our balance with difficulty. 1t was like
trying to swim on cOrks that won't keep
their places. A few steps further and
over we went, heels up, and, to our sur
prise, heads up, likewise. Tue bath was
certainly most refreshing, and the novel;
ty of it not unlike agood-natured practi-
cal joke. When least suspicious, over
we went ON all fours, bobbing like blad-
ders, and finding it extremely difficult
to make much headway through the al
most soliu waters. The Dead Sea does
for change of medicine; it is as bitter
as gall; but l would as soon think of
swimming in strong solution of feather
beds. When we had once got into our
clothes and struck out for the wilder
ness, our skin burnt like fire, and we
she'd fakes OF salt in such profusion you
might have easily mistaken us for MEM
bers of the Lot tamily.-lSan Francisco
Chronicle,