Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-12-28
THE DEAD SEA.
lis Exploration and Survey In I 848 by an OIL.
Ger OF tho American Nnvy, Capt. Lynch.

n III iaSe Oatutuay Cuu Jou Hau aH
interesting reference to that anoma-
lous feature Of the globe known as
the Dead Soa. 1t is most remarka-
bio in its origin, its location, contin-
uance and special characteristics. In
view of all this the lecturer you quote
asks why it has never been properly
explored and its peculia,ities fully
investigated.
Such explorations and investiga-
tions, however, have been thoroughly
and scientifically made and officially
reported upon, and the report is now
on file. They were made, too, for
the first and only time, under the
authorization of our own government
and by one of our own countrymeh.
Certain Intellectual attempts to ex-
plore that mysterious sea had been
made by persons in their private Ca
pacity--notably by Costagan and
Molyneux, Englishmen of scientific
attainmcnts but both of them at an
early stage of their exploration per
ished from the effects of that me-
phitic sea.
In 1s47 w. f. Lynch, lieutenant
commander of our navy, being at
that time otherwise unemployed, ap-
piled for permission to make a thor
ough and systematic exploration of
the Dead Sea. His request was
granted by the navy department, and
he was ordered to the command of
the United States store ship Supply,
detailed for that service, for which
he was directed to make suitable pre-
parations and appropriate outfit.
This being done, his officers and
crew specially selected, the expedi.
tion sailed from New York in No
vember, 1947. Capt. Lynch pro-
ceeded to Constantinople. There,
through the American minister, he
obtained the Sultan's frman of au-
thorization to pursue his way and to
prosecute the undertaking, with au-
thority to call on local officials for all
needful supplies and protection. On
the 9Th Of April following (1s4S)
Capt. Lynch reported by dispatch to
the navy department. his arrival at
the Sea of Galiiee, all well, and his
two river boats launched ready for
the voyage down the tortuous and
turbulent Jordan to it's debouchment.
On the 10Th of April their boats, one
of copper, the other of galvanized
iron, were launched on the sombre,
glaring surface of that sea of death
and dcsolation. The work was ardu-
GUS, but they persevered for nearly a
month, through burning heat and
binding storm, and under the scorch-
ing, sitting sirocco. At times the
heat would rise to 10 degrees ia the
shade of their tents, the temperature
of the water at twelve inches below
the surface being 80 degrees, and
within those waters not even their
microscope could detecs the faintest
trace of living thing. Their clothes
and skin were coated with greasy
salt, eyes and nostrils were painfully
irritated by saline matter in the air
and the air itself was burdened with
sickening, sulphurous odor.
Despite these fearful hindrances,
the Dead Sea was explored through
ali its length and breadth, from the
debouchmcnt of the Jordan
to the awful chasm of the
Ghor at its southern extremity.
They made soundings by trangula-
tion of the whole, ranging from
feet to 1913 feet, it's greatest dcpthH
Daily. Investigations, thermometric,
barometric and hygrometrc were
made and carefully noted. BY baro-
metric measurements they found the
surface Of the Dead Sea to be a little
over 1900 feet below the surface Of
the neighboring Mediterranean. They
determined the volcanic nature of
the surrounding rocks; gathered
slabs Of bitumen along the shores;
scaled the cliffs of Moab on the Ara