The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1903-06-20
DEAD SEA AS II IS NOW.
A BODY OF WATER MADE FA.
NOUS BY BIBLICAL HISTORY.
Latter-Day Discrepancies Between
Fact and Scripture-Puzzle About
Cities of the PIain-Cnly Locl,jaw
Microbes Can Live in the Dead Sea.

from Jericho. There is no road, ther
are no bridges, but during the dry sea
son a wagon may cross the barre;
plains almost anywhere. fer it is likt
the Bad Lands Of Dakota. except tina
] the surface is coated with salt an&
gypsum instead OF alkali. During tn,
rainy season it is impossible.
The Dead sea occupies a sink in
closed on three sides by precipitous
and barren mountains. Or the Moal
shore they rise to the height Of 350'
feet, and the Jerusalem side to 250(
| feet, and touch the water in two
places, being cut by rocky gorges. Thl
| Dead sea is almost the shape and di-
| mensions Of Lake Geneva in Switzer-
! land, being AZ miles in length and nine
| and half mdcs wide at the widest
part. Near the centre it is less than
two miles wide. At the northeast cor
| ner not far from the mouth of the
Jordan, sounCings show a depth of 1910
feet. From there southwark the bot
tom shelves rapidly upward, and at
the southern extremity it is only eight
or II feet deep. The mean depth is
1880 feet. The variation in depth dur
ing the year is often Is much as 90
feet, according to the rainfall. The
normal level below that Of Mediterran
can is 1892 feet, the total depth of the
depression below the level of the Med
iterranean is 2603 feet. Jerusalem is
2494 feet above the Mediterranean and
1886 feet above the Dead sea.
Scientific observation justifies the
estimate that daily average of $780,,
600 tons of water is received into the
sea from the Jordan and other sources
during the year. During the rainy
season the amount is very much great
er; during the dry season, it is, of
couse, very much less, but this average
will be maintained year after year.
There is no outlet, and the level is Kept
down by evaporation only, which is
very rapid because of the intense heat,
the dry atmosphere and the dry winds
which are constantly blowing down
from the gorges between the noun
tains. This evaporation causes haze
or mist to hang over the lake at all
times, and when it is more rapid than
usual heavy clouds form and thunder
storms sometimes rage with great vio-
lence in the pocket between the cliffs,
even in the dry season. A flood Of
rain often falls upon the surface of the
sea when the sun is shining and the
atmosphere is as dry as bone half
mile from the shore. The mountains
around the Dead sea are rarely seen
with distinctness because Of this haze.
The waters of the Jordan when they
reach the sea are as brown as the
earth through which they f1Ow-a
thick solution of mud-but the instant
they mingle with the salt water of the
lake the particles of soil are precipi-
tated and they become as clear as crys-
tai, with an intensely green tint. Car
rying so much soil and having so swift
a current, one would suppose that the
sea would be discolored for consider
able distance, but it is not so. The
is remarkably slight. The
Jordan has quite delta at it's mouth,
breaking into number Of streams and
frequently changing it's course because
If the distractions brought down by it's
own current.
All the streams which feed the Dead
;ea are more or less imprcgnant with
sodium, sulphur and other chemicals.
lence the water contains an unusual
luantity, at least rs percent Of solid
substance. Seven percent of this is
ommon SALT percent is chloride Of |
magnesium, which gives the water its
lauseous and bitter taste, and per-
ent is chloride of calcium, which
makes it feel smooth and oily to the |
ouch. There are several other ingre-
tents in smaller quantities. The wa
er boils at 221 degrees Fahrenheit. It's
pecific gravity varies from 1921
there it receives the discharge of
resh water from the Jordan, to 1.256
the southern part, near ledge Of
ock salt. Salt has been collected and
old in the neighboring cities from
ne earliest times. and is considered
strong.
At the bottom of the lake are large
eds of asphalt, and the surrounding
oil is rich in bitumiEous matter.
mall Jumps of bitumen. which is SOL
lifted petroleum, frequently float upon
le surface, and may be picked up
mong the gravel on the shores. At
le southeast corner is ridge of pure
,ck salt five miles long and 300 feet
Ugh. A pillar that rises beside it is
ointed out to tourists as the remains
Lots wife. This deposit of fossil
1T is said to contain higher per-
,ntage of chloride of sodium than is
und elsewhere. The bottom of the
Ike in that vicinity is covered with
rye crystals so hard as to defy solu-
On except in boiling water
The water OF the Dead sea is very
auseous. No stomach is strong
Tough to retain it. 1t is sticky to the
uch. and. when dried, leaves a coat
6 of salt and other chemicals upon
e flesh of bathers. But it is a beauti-
i blue color, and so transparent that
- can distinguish objects upon the !