* 
Description of Minerals from Palestine. 349 
by these balls Djezzar alladed to mineral concretions of a 
spherical form, found in that mountain. As the Turks made 
use of stones, instead of cannot-shot, it is probable that Djez- 
zar, who was in great want of ammunition, had determined 
upon using the stalagmites of Mount Carmel for that pur- 
ose.” When I first read Clarke, | bad not the most distant 
expectation of ever having the pleasure, personally, to exam- 
ine Se Oras of these singular stones. 
‘Picked up near the shore of the Dead Sea.” Itisa 
seach bea Se of flint, partly of a flesh-red, and partly of a 
brown colour 
34. rom a mountain near the Dead Sea.” This isa 
dark gray bituminous limestone. Before the blowpipe, it 
inflames, sends forth a dense smoke, a strong bituminous 
odour, and becomes bleached. I have never before seen 
limestone which contained so large a proportion of bitumen. 
his stone was taken from a mountain near the Dead 
Sea. I afterwards put it on hot coals, and it gave out a strong 
stench of sulphur, (of bitumen, it is ptesamed, as I could per- 
ceive no odour of sulphur from No. 34, which is beyond 
question the same kind of stone,) and, for about two minutes, 
laze four or five inches high. Before burning, it was of a 
ae colour, and much harder than now.” =“ 2 an. fetid 
mestone of the lake Asphaltites” (the same . 35,) 
ci is,’ says Clarke, ‘“* manufactured and sold at Scrunled for 
amulets. ‘Tt is worn in the east as a charm against the 
plague.” 
A multitude of unfounded reports have long been in cireu- 
culation, and have gained admittance ito many valuable 
works, respecting the dreariness and insalubrity of the lake. 
Asphaltites, and of the region of country around it. It i 
been afirmed that fish could not live in its waters; that 
substance would sink in them; that every kind of Sites 
thrown into the lake, however heavy, would instantly be press- 
ed to its surface; that, owing to the destructive exhalations 
which perpetually proceed from the water, every bitd that 
attempted to fly over it fell lifeless on its surface ; that dis-_ 
mal sounds issue from it, like the stifled clamours of the peo- 
ple who were ingulphed i in its flood; and that a very beautiful 
fruit grows on its margin, which is no sooner touched than it 
becomes “dust and bitter ashes.””. These and a thousand 
other wonderful tales of a similar character, modern wo 
have discovered to be entirely fictitious. 
