The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-18

came Creek tablets have been found
nearby, and ruined temples and col
umns show that the place was once
the site of considerable city. 1t "a
now only mud village OF about fifty
huts.
Going down 20 Lake Huleh, We see
q marshy catchment basin, into which
other streams run and from which
the Jordan flows ont. There is little
activity about the lake. y few
Bedouins live near IT, and their only
business seems to be making mats OF
the papyrus reeds which grow on the
shores These are tho waters of
Merom mentioned in Joshua.
"A little farther down is the main
crossing to Damascus The place Is
known as the Bridge of jacobs
Daughters. and the stream is here on
the level OF the sea, 1t drops $50 feet
In the next nine miles, having con-
tinuous series of cascades from there
almost TO tho Sea of Galilee.
The Seas of Life aud Death.
The remainder of the Jordan's course
runs between the seas of life and
death. refer to the Sea of Galilee. at
the north. and the Dead Sea, at the
south. The first Is sweet, full of fish
and surrounded by perdure. The other
is saltier than any other water on
earth. and SO bitter and poisonous that
no living thing can exist within 1t.
The distance between these two seas
in 81 straight line north and south Is
about siyty-flve miles and the slope
from one to the other Is almost twelve
feet to the mile. or over 600 feet Con-
Meeting them is this great trough of
the Jordan, from one to sixteen miles
wide. Through it the sacred river
runs. 1t winds about like corkscrew.
making SO many turnings that 1t
covers a course moro than zoo miles
in It's sixty miles distance. 1t goes
with great force, has twenty-seven
ca scades, and there are numerous falls
where electric plants might be put in.
The land on each side might be turned
to rich farms II 1t could only have
water, and 1t may be that the good
fairy Of electricity will GONE time
bring the dead earth to life.
The Vegetation.
As TO the vegetation, there are some
farms in the upper part of It's course,
and the Sultan has sugar plantation
halfway between Galilee and the
Dead Sea, where he works soldiers as.
laborers. There are small fields Of
grain, Including millet, wheat and
barley here and there, and T am told
that rice and indigo can be grown.
Down near the Dead Sea there is
considerable cultivation on the Jericho
plain. The land Is irrigated by a
stream from the mountains of Judea
and by the Spring Of Elisha. It is
cut UP into small patches, which are
covered with orange groves, almond
orchards and vineyards. Much OF the
fruit goes up to Jerusalem. There are
! also folds OF egg plants. tomatoes
and melons. and dates could undeubt-
| eddy be grown. All the way from here
| to old Jericho, distance Of three or
more miles, are orchards, vineyards
and gardens. They are fenced with
thorn bushes, the thorns on which are
great hooks turning inward, They
! arc said to be the same thorns as
| those OF which, the crown OF OR
\ Saviour was made
| How the Jordun Looks.
The Jordan is not navigable. 1t
has no harbors, no boats and no cities
or villages of any account along its
| whole course. 1t has numerous fords
/ but no bridges Of any size. There s
| a wooden bridge about six miles above
| the Dead Sea. 1t Is q toll bridge, with
| fords above and below 1t. The peo-
Pile use tho bridge only when the rive,
is high. at other times the caravans
save the toll by passing over tbs
fords.
on its course from Galilee to the
Dead Sea the river narrows and
widens. Now it is SWIFT, black, sui
len current flowing between usly mud
1 banks covered with refuse, now il
comes close to the mountains which
border the valley on either side, ana
/, down here at the Dead Sea it reaches
i a width of 500 feet, being so shallow
4 that you could almost wade across ii
4, Tho water catches the foundations 81
Tho Snlountains. 1t changes in colol
\ from season TO season, and III this
spring 1t spreads out In foods ayel