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During the bath Ali had spread out the mid-day lunch, and it was eaten with a hearty relish. The Doctor embraced the opportunity to say it was not until 1837 that anybody discovered the Dead Sea to be lower than the Mediterranean. Some English surveyors ascertained it, and the

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matter attracted so much attention that ten years later an American expedition was sent to survey the Jordan and the Dead Sea; it was commanded by Lieutenant Lynch, of the United States Navy, and was thoroughly equipped for its work.

"Lieutenant Lynch," said the Doctor, "landed at the Bay of Acre in March, 1848, carried his boats on trucks drawn by camels over the mountains of Lebanon, and launched them in the Lake of Gennesaret. From this lake the party descended the Jordan to the Dead Sea, spent three weeks in a survey of that body of water, and then levelled' the route to the Mediterranean, in order to settle the question of the relative heights. They found that no fish or living thing belongs to the water of the Dead Sea, and all fish from the Mediterranean or the ocean die very soon after being

WHY THE DEAD SEA IS SALT.

341

placed in it. Ducks swim in the water without injury, but it is fatal to them to be plunged beneath it. As it contains nothing for them to eat, they have no inducement to dive.

"At the southern end of the Dead Sea is the Mountain of Usdum, which contains a cavern three or four hundred feet deep, in which there are deposits of salt. There are other salt deposits in the neighborhood, and it is believed that the Dead Sea derives its saltness from the dissolving of these deposits, and also from the substances brought down by the River Jordan."

"Every lake without any outlet is salt, is it not?" Fred asked.

"Certainly," replied the Doctor; "it is a rule of nature that has no exception. All water from springs, brooks, and rivers contains salt gathered from the earth, and sometimes the quantity is considerable. It is the slight amount of salt that makes water palatable; if you taste of pure distilled water you will find it 'flat,' and its purity is what makes it so.

"The salt brought down from the land gradually accumulates; the water passes off by evaporation, but the salt remains. As time goes on the saltness of the water increases, so the scientific men tell us, and perhaps millions of years hence the ocean may be as strongly impregnated as the Dead Sea. Who can tell?"

CHAPTER XXVI.

FROM THE DEAD SEA TO THE JORDAN, JERICHO, AND JERUSALEM.--THE VALLEY OF THE JORDAN.

IT

T was a ride of less than two hours from the Dead Sea to the Jordan; the ground was level and the horses in good spirits, so that the whole party indulged in the luxury of a gallop. The course of the Jordan was

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indicated by trees and great masses of reeds, but the stream was so completely concealed by them that its waters were not revealed until rein was drawn at the bathing-place of the pilgrims.

The boys could hardly restrain their impatience to reach the waters of the river that is so intimately connected with the history of Christian

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ity. Of course they made immediate preparations for a bath, according to the custom of the great majority of visitors; the water was so cold that they remained in it only a few minutes, and were glad to resume their clothing and make a calm study of the scene.

"The river at this point," wrote Frank in his journal, “is about a hundred feet wide, and flows with a current so swift that we could hardly stand against it. We waded and swum to the other side; swimming was preferable to wading, as the bottom is composed of sharp stones, which are very disagreeable to walk upon. The guide said the stream was swollen by recent rains, and at least a foot deeper than at its ordinary stage.

"There is a ford at this bathing-place, and another higher up. Caravans and single travellers going from the east to the west bank, or vice versa, usually pass by one of these fords, and sometimes a large party may be seen here. It is not safe to venture on the other side without a strong guard, as the Arabs are far worse than those between here and Jerusalem, probably because they are not under so much restraint by the government.

"Several explorations have been attempted of the Land of Moab, as the country east of the Jordan is called, but only a few of them have succeeded. In most instances parties have been compelled to return just after crossing the border, and before they had accomplished anything of what they went to see. The Arabs are treacherous, and often violate their promises after they have received heavy backsheesh to permit travellers to go on without disturbance. If you want to know more of this region we advise you to read 'The Land of Moab,' by H. B. Tristram, one of the few travellers who has explored it. Another interesting work on this subject is The Desert of the Exodus,' by E. II. Palmer, and don't forget 'The Land and the Book,' which we have already mentioned.

"Mr. Tristram tells in his book how narrowly he escaped being rob bed, and perhaps murdered, by one of the tribes that roam over the country. It often happens that there is a quarrel between two tribes, and when any parties from one encounter the other there is certain to be bloodshed. If strangers happen to be under the escort of the defeated party they must share its fate, and consequently it is not an easy matter to select a guard that can carry you through safely.

"When Mr. Tristram's party started from Hebron there were two tribes from which it was necessary to choose an escort, or rather to whom to pay black-mail. The choice fell upon the Jehalin tribe, and, after a good deal of negotiation, a contract was made and signed with them.

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