The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-06-20

about seven miles wide, but as the fierce waves
tossed our boat about like plaything. II SEEM
ed If the lake suddenly expanded in all d.
rections. / have ut different times in my life
been in great danger from the watsr. / was
once upset in a boat on Lake Superior, and had
to swim for my life. Never but onse, and that
when We struck an iceburg in the Atlantic, was
1 so much alarmed. i really felt we were in
danger of going to the bottom. The miserable
Arabs seemed to know nothing about managing
the boat and we could not make them under
stand a word of our language. and they were as
much alarmed as we. The boat was leaking all
the time and occasionally a large wave paid us
unceremonious visit"
The author of" The Schonberg Gotta Family"
in her work entitled "Wanderings Over Bible
Lands and Seas" writes: 1--WE were warned by
no means TO attempt a voyage in il "a boatl,
because in the sudden storms Of wind which
burst on this inland sea as Of old. she becomes
unmanageable by the unskillful boatmen."
Ktto states in Land of Promise: " The
position of the Lake of Tibor,as, imbosomed
deep in the midst of higher tracts of country.
necessarily exposes it to gusts of wind, and in
Winter to tempests."
Coleman. in Historical Geography Of the
Bible" remarks: d" From the position between
high hills, it the Sea of Gslileel Is exposed to
sudden gusts of wind"
Mr.. Tristan. a Palestinean traveller, having
been in q storm on the Sea of Galilee. wrote:
"The wind continued TO increase. Tho boat
would not beat, and with its lateen sail close
to the wind, made very little way. It was now
pitch dark, and finding we only made leeway,
we had TO take in the sail and ply the oars"
Dr. +. ID. Clarke describes as follows: The
River Jordan continues its course through the
middle of the lake. causing strong current,
and. when this is opposed by contrary winds,
which blow here with the force Of hurricane
r. Al -
ain into the lake. 10 ray be conceived that
boisterous sea is Instantly raised; this the
small vessels of the country are Ill qualified to
resist"
We read this from DR.. J. T. Duryea: "Thls
extraordinary valley gathering in by day the
rays of tho Summer sun, becomes heated like a
furnace; and as tho rarefed air rises the cooler
currents from the surrounding nights pour in,
especially at night creating many sudden
tempest. when this occurs. this little sheet
of water, commonly so tranquil, is torn and
tossed in a most tumultuous manner"
A recent traveller says: I'VE pitched our
tents on the shore and remained Cor three days
and nights exposed TO the fury of ono of those
tremendous winds. We had to double pin all
the tent ropes, and frequently were obliged to
hang with our whole weight upon them to keep
the quivering tabernacle from being carried
bodily into the air. No wonder the disciples
tOiled and rowed hard all night when such
wind was blowing. The whole lake before
was dashed into fury; and the waves repeat
eddy rolled up to tent door, tumbling over
the ropes with such violeRce as to carry away
the tent pins"
Capt Wilson once witnessed one Of the trea-
cherous tempests that occur on the Sea Of Gall
lee. III describes it as follows:
Sudden storms, such as those mentioned IN
the New Testament, are by no means uncom-
mon; and had good opportunity of watch
ing some of them from the ruins of Canada,
on the eastern hills. The morning was delight
full gentle essterly breeze and not cloud
in the sky to give warning of what was coming.
Suddenly. about midday, there was a sound Of
distant thunder, and small cloud, no bigger
than mans hand was seen rising over the
nights OF Lubieh to the west. In q few mo-
ments the cloud appeared to spread, and heavy
black masses came rolling down the hills toward
tho lake. completely obscuring Tabor and Hat
tin. At this moment the breeze died away;
there were few minutes of perfect calm,
during which the sun shOne out with intense
power, aud the surface of the lake was smooth
and oven as a mirror. Tiberias, Nejdel, and
other buildings stood out in sharp relief from
the gloom behind; but they were soon lost
sight of rs the thunder-gust swept past them,
and, rapidly advancing across the lake, lifted
the placid water into light sheet of foam; in
another moment it reached the ruins, driving
myself and companion to take refuge in els
tern, where for nearly an hour we were con-
fined. listening to the rattling peals of thunder
and torrents of rain. The effect of half the
lake in perfect rest whilst the other half was
in wild confusion, WAS extremely grand. It
would have Jared badly with any light craft
caught in mid-lake by the storm and we could
not help thinking of that memorable occasion
on which the storm is so graphically described
as coming down upon the lake."
Literature.
The Century for December, 1887, a paper by
Mr.. Wilson.
The English Illustrated Magazine. December,
1887, an article by Laurence Oliphant.