Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-03-31

u us IfOIn Uh1S pOlDJ, as IL 1oeQS must De- since
the Dead Sea lies some 800 feet below the
Mediterranean While Jerusalem. which we left
In the morning. stands about $500 feet above
that body OF water. In fact, the path in some
places reminds one OF the Old horseback trails
leading into the Yosemite Valley, except that
the formation and color OF the rock surround
iDgs were different. And along here, too, l
found an explanation OF popularity tnat had
puzzled me all the morning. The mountains Of
Moab, across the valley, were of a rich reddish
hue, While those through which we had been
we at last reached the slope facing the valley
on our side we found the color there the same
as that opposite. The rocks on every hand
they had been subjected to wrarhfuI rain Of
fire and birthstone not many generations ago.
Farther down this changed again The lower
portion Of the mountains aud all their spurs
projecting out into the valley seemed to be OF a
white and rotten limestone debris, out of which
the life had been burned long long since. They
le9ked ,,n indeed more IKE huge heaps OF leacaed
In measure, as such refuse will, than any
thing else to which can compare them
DEAD SEA BATH.
About half an hour after we reached the level
plain We were upon the clean, pebbly shore of
the Dead Sea, and in few moments more our
clothes were off and our bodies in its rippllng
waves. The water, which is quite clear, and
nearly the color Of the Niagara river below the
falls, seemed to me little more bitter and salty
than that of Salt Lake, although brighter and
IICTc dGtTaCiFc UO Jn6 eye when seen close at
hand. Its supporting power struck me as
little greater, also, than that OF Salt Lake, as
the body fiOated more easily and the difficulty
OF swimming was greater on account of the ina
Dility to keep ones feet under water. So large
quantity OF salt Is held In solution that the water
has what's called believe a ''rOpy" appearance,
much IKE That Of Plate OF Tapoca
out OF the water there was not as large deposit
of salt crystals on the body as after bath in
Salt Lake and the feeling Of the skin, instead Of
I pynpcfp6
oily and sticky. Our dinner that night was
seasoned with salt made from Dead Sea water
color than the best article Of brown sug ar Its
crystals were large and hard, and, though
foreign substances were evidently present, In
considerable quantity, 1t was not unpleasant to
the taste. was told that two quarts OF the
water Will produce one quart OF salt, but this is
probably an exaggeration. TO complete the
statistics OF this remarkable body OF water,
may add what many OF my readers may already
knOW:-that there Is no living thing OF any kind
In it: that even the drtftwOod brought down by
the floods In the Jordan is speedily cast upon its
shores: that It's length is about fOrty-f1ve and
It's greatest width about ten miles; that 1t is
over 1900 feet deep at the deepest place; and
that the immense quantity OF fresh water
poured into 1t daily IS undoubtedly taken up by
evaporation, as its great depth below the basin
OF the Mediterranean must preclude the idea Of
Subterrauean outlet.
ON THE BANKS OF THE JORDAN.
A ride OF about five miles from the shore OF
the sea across the level lower plain brought us
to the banks of the Jordan, at point nearly
the same distance above its mouth. am sorry
to be obliged to confess that 1 was sadly dis
appointed In my first sight of this famous
stream. For centuries 1t has been the theme
OF religious song and duplication, its shores
Thousands Of miles to rest upon. One is natn-
rally therefore led TO exrrcr noble body OF
pure and sparkling water. 1t is nothing OF the
klnd. It's banks are cut by the current deep
q a II tpn6 nfo
lis water Is thick, muddy, and somewhat milky
Ia color. l am told, and am glad to believe,
that above the Lake OF Tiberias its water Is
clear, and breaks In musical ripples over
pebby bottom, between green and shady
banks: but in the lower valley 1t is directly the
opposite OF this. Its immediate banks are
frDged with growth Of small trees and under
brush, it is true, but the stream itself and a,
its surroundings are disappointing and drear
to the last degree. The View from the riveri
every direction IS equally forlorn @ a ana deSolate
before said, is OF dull ashy white, general >
with base OF greentsh gray. The rains an /
winds OF ages have fashioned this material int
curious and fantastic shapes On one side MAJ
be seen away off What looks like the ruins
an ancient city; on another seeming tower
and temples rise above the plain; but the form
cones, which at a distance strongly resemble
white tents. Indeed, it requires no great
stretch Of the imagination to fancy in the twi-
light vast armies encamped between the banks
Of the river and the mountains on either side.
Three OF four miles above the point where we
nfst reached the Jordan we came to the place
held by tradition to be the spot where Christ
was baptized by John the Baptist. Like all good
pilgrims we bathed In its waters here, also We
found the bath most refreshing, and, after our
the bed p Of the s is ceVefed With sharp
stones, which cut and bruise ones bare feet like
flint or broken glass, and the stream proved too
ing or swimming to the other side. We roughly
estimated the width OF the river at this point at
about eighty feet. Its greatest depth was from
e aSe to SD SIX feet, though 1t is probably deeper
early spring, and ShallOWer than now at the
close OF the dry selSon.
CAMPING OUT BETWEEN GILGAL AND JERICHO
The sun was fringing with gold the clouds be-
hind the Mountains OF Judea and putting a tint
of rose and purple on those Of the Land OF Moab
as we turned our faces away from the Jordan
and rode radidly between curiOusly shaped
mounds and through thckets OF the cruel tree
from which tradition says Christ's crown OF
thornS was made, TO our quarters for the night
midway between the script,lral village Of GIlgal
and ancient Jericho, which we reached a little
while after dark.
Before retiring at night we were visited by a
bard OF friendly BedaweenS encamDed near By,
who offered US the attraction of a fantasia"
The music for the entertainment was furnished
by the clapping OF mems hands, While one OF
the dancing women accompanied herself with
a series OF wild unearthly cries not unlike the
war whCop OF North American Indian, but
shriller and more ear piercing than any sound
| had ever before heard. Seen in the dim light,
the swarthy faces Of these children OF the
desert, with their flashing eyes, shining white
teeth, and strange noises, presented weird
and somewhat attractive spectacle; but we soon
wearied OF their efforts, and turned toward our
beds, tired and sleepy after our rough ride OF
more than forty miles.
We were In our saddles before sunrise the
next morning, on our way to the Fountain of
Elisha and the site of Old Jericho. The land
lying along the stream flowing from the fOun-
tain is irrigated by its waters and is thus made
quite productive and pleasant to the eye.
We passed a number Of little patches of wheat,
which, though lately SOwn, and only now COM
ing through the ground, is expected to be ready
for the sickle In May, and also considerable
variety OF semi-tropical plants. Before long
the welcome sound OF the waters OF the spring
were heard, tumbing In beautiful cascades
over its rocky bed, and when we came to the
stream we found it remarkably like New
England mountain trout brook In clearneSs and
swiftness. The fountain, which we reached
few rods further on, bursts from the earth
through wall Of heavy stone, In volume nearly
sufficient for an ordinary mill stream, and falls
into deep and quiet little pool In the shade Of
a Wide-spreading tree the whole forming a
most attractive and refreshing scene. The In
teIeSt attached to this spot comes from the
legend which Identifies the spring as the one
whose ''water was naught' until healed by
Elisha; and the rich vegetation along It's stream
seems IN confirm the promise the nrnnhat