3387 
stand, under King Guy, of Lusignan.) The strand of the lake 
is interesting, covered with fine gravel formed of small pebbles 
-of limestone basalt and rolled flint, polished by the incessant 
movement of the waters, and mixed with innumerable dead 
shells produced, belonging to the Genera Neritina Melania 
Melanopsis Cyrena and Unio. In 1834 there was much 
trembling of the earth in this locality, and upwards of 20 tons 
of Bitumen were ejected near the south end of the Dead 
Sea. 
In 1837 one of the greatest earthquakes took place that 
has ever been experienced in Syria. The trembling of the 
earth occurred from one end to the other of the Jordan Valley, 
following the direction of the mountains which bordered it. 
and that of the great axis of dislocation of the basin. This 
earthquake was felt over a zone 184 leagues long, and 32 
leagues wide. Six thousand persons perished in this catas- 
trophe. The town of Tiberias was entirely destroyed, and in 
the environs new hot springs burst forth, and deep fissures were 
produced in the rocks. After this earthquake the Arabs saw 
floating on the Dead Sea a mass of asphalte as an island or 
like a house. They drew from it about 3000 dollars in selling 
it at the bazaar of Jerusalem at 100 francs the quintal (about 
2 cwt.)* 
There is a mineral spring about a mile below Tiberias or a 
little more, with a very high temperature, 143° Fahrt., so 
hot that where it is emitted I could not put my hand in it to 
take out this little pebble, which has as you will see a 
volcanic appearance, also a bath used on alternate days by Arab 
men and women, of course the water must become cooled 
greatly there before anyone could safely get in it, even an 
Arab. The bath is of the dirtiest character. The analysis of 
this spring taken from the United States official reports (Lynch 
Expedition) is as follows :— 
* See p. 274 Lartet “ Essai sur la Geologie de Palestine.” 
