DEPRESSIONS IN THE EARTH'S SURFACE. 153 



of a scarcely fordable stream, expands into a shal- 

 low and reedy lake Huleh by name a pool 100 feet 

 above sea-level. Resuming its course, the river runs 

 southward, descending hurriedly through a wild chan- 

 nel, then expands into " the Sea of Galilee, which is 

 the Sea of Tiberias." (John vi, 1.) This lake, which 

 was sometimes called Gennesaret, is the only body of 

 fresh water on the globe which is below the level of the 

 ocean, being 636 feet lower than the surface of the 

 Mediterranean. As might be expected, the water be- 

 ing fresh, the lake is well supplied with fish and other 

 organic products of an aquatic character. On the 

 shores of Galilee the fishermen, Peter and Andrew, 

 were "casting their nets;" and in the immediate vi- 

 cinity John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness, 

 said, " Repent ye, for the kingdom of Heaven is at 

 hand ;" and here is where the marvelous Nazarene 

 sought the itinerant preacher " to be baptized of 

 him." 



The Sea of Galilee is quite restricted in area, be- 

 ing 13 miles long and 6 broad ; and it is so shallow 

 that the current of the Jordan can be traced clear 

 through the still water, from inlet to outlet. After 

 .the river leaves Lake Galilee, it descends rapidly 

 southward 70 miles in a ravine, and then discharges 

 its contents into " Lake Asphaltites," or the Dead Sea, 

 a body of intensely salt water, 1,298 feet below the 

 level of the Mediterranean. The area of this his- 

 torical water is 40 miles in length and 7 miles in 

 width ; and its greatest depth is 1,300 feet. The 

 shores of the sea are precipitous in places, yet shal- 

 lowing to a beach on the eastern boundary. Near the 

 southern border is an isolated mass of rock-salt; and 

 not far from this is a pillar or shaft of pure salt 40 



