F. GEOGRAPHY. 159 



Scripture places have been made, some of them quite differ- 

 ent from those heretofore adopted. Rock-hewn tombs were 

 found in various places, and excavated cisterns, shaped like 

 bee-hives or inverted funnels, are very common. Subterra- 

 nean store-chambers were also met with, and are still used 

 by the natives. 22 A, 1872, 311. 



PALESTINE EXPLOEATION SOCIETY. 



A society was organized in New York some time since, un- 

 der the name of the "Palestine Exploration Society," with 

 Rev. Dr. J. P. Thompson, chairman, Dr. Howard Crosby, sec- 

 retary, and James Stokes, Jun., treasurer, with a list of mem- 

 bers including the principal archaeologists of the Eastern 

 States. Its first report was published some time ago, embra- 

 cing an account of the American explorers in Palestine, and 

 the proceedings of the English Palestine Exploration Society, 

 notices of the late explorations in Jerusalem, the Moabite 

 stone, etc., and concluding with an appeal to all persons in- 

 terested for contributions of funds to aid in carrying out the 

 proposed researches of the society. 



The field of investigation proposed includes the territory 

 east of the Dead Sea and the Jordan Valley, as also Hermon, 

 Lebanon, and the valleys and plains of Northern Syria. A 

 simultaneous prosecution of researches in this field by two 

 such bodies as the American and English societies w T ill prob- 

 ably be productive of very important results, especially if 

 supported with proper official documents from the Turkish 

 government. 



As so much of what is now on record in regard to the 

 geography and condition of Palestine is due to Americans, it 

 is much to be hoped that the work may be continued- by 

 them toward a successful completion. It is well known that 

 the labors of Dr. Edward Robinson, in 1838, gave the first 

 impulse toward the modern explorations in the Holy Land. 

 His report of that exploration, as also that of a second one 

 made in 1852, continues to this day the great store-house of 

 information upon the geography of the country. The first 

 critical examination of the Dead Sea was made in 1848 by 

 Lieutenant Lynch, of the United States Navy, and his report 

 is also a standard authority. Other American works on the 

 same subject are "The Land and the Book," by Dr. W. M. 



