Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. V, No. XXIX., October, 1852Various
Religion
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. V, No. XXIX., October, 1852
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
The information which the Christian world obtained in respect to
the Dead Sea and the character of the country around it, was, after
all, down to quite a late period, of a very vague and unsatisfactory
character, being derived almost entirely from the reports of occasional
travelers who approached the shores of it, from time to time, at
certain points more accessible than others, but who remained at their
places of observation for so brief a period, and were so restricted
in respect to their means and facilities for properly examining the
localities that they visited, that, notwithstanding all their efforts,
the geography and natural history of the region were very imperfectly
determined. Things continued in this state until the year 1847,
when Lieutenant Lynch, of the United States naval service, made his
celebrated expedition into the Holy Land, for the express purpose of
exploring the River Jordan and the Dead Sea. We have already, in our
article on the River Jordan, given an account of the landing of this
party at the Bay of Acre, of their extraordinary journey across the
country to the Sea of Galilee, and of their passage down the Jordan in
the metallic boats, the Fanny Mason and the Fanny Skinner, which they
had brought with them across to the Mediterranean. We now propose to
narrate briefly the adventures which the intrepid explorer met with
in his cruise around the Dead Sea. When he commenced the undertaking,
it was considered both by himself and his companions, and also by his
countrymen and friends at home, to be extremely doubtful whether he
would be able to accomplish it. All previous attempts to navigate the
sea had failed, and had proved fatal to their projectors. Some had been
destroyed by the natives--others had sunk under the pestiferous effects
of the climate. When, therefore, the boats of this party, heavily laden
with their stores of provisions and their crews, came from the mouth
of the Jordan out into the open sea, the hearts of the adventurous
navigators were filled with many forebodings.
A GALE.
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