

DEAD SEA DEAN FOREST. 



mi^lit have been from the stones at the bottom, or 

 from a hazy atmosphere ; there were green shrubs 

 down to the water's edge at one place, and nothing 

 to give an idea of any thing blasting in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the sea. The idea that no fish or 

 other animal could exist in these waters has been 

 refuted by recent travellers, and specimens of shells 

 have been brought to England. 



The pitch that floats on the surface of the water 

 affords the means of subsistence to a considerable 

 number of Arabs, who dispose of it to the Pacha 

 of Egypt, and receive in return scanty rations of 

 food, and a few presents, in the shape of trinkets 

 or trifling articles of dress. The Arabs also furnish 

 themselves with salt, which they prepare from the 

 waters of the lake, by digging pits about the shore, 

 filling them with water, and leaving it to be crys- 

 talized by the heat of the sun. 



In ancient times bitumen, (pitch,) which is pro- 

 duced from this lake, was used by the Egyptians 

 in embalming their dead. It is said by Josephus, 

 the Jewish historian, to have risen to the surface 

 in masses as big as the body of an ox. Dr Shaw, 

 in his Travels, informs us, that, at the present day, 

 the natives assure him that it rises in large hemis- 

 pherical masses, which, when they come to the sur- 

 face, burst with a loud explosion. This, he says, 

 only happens near the shore, for in greater depths 

 the eruptions are supposed to discover themselves 

 in columns of smoke, such as are now and then 

 seen to rise from the surface of the water. This 

 bitumen only differs from our common black pitch, 

 by possessing a sulphurous and foetid smell when 

 rubbed or burned. 



Many old travellers have reported, that at times 

 the ruins of towns are to be seen beneath the sur- 

 face of the waters, but no writers that can be re- 

 lied on have ascertained the fact. Philosophers 

 were for some time unable to account for the fact, 

 that the Dead Sea, although constantly receiving 

 the waters of the river Jordan and of some other 

 smaller streams, still remains at the same height ; 

 but accurate calculations have been made since that 

 time, and it is proved, that the evaporation that 

 takes place from the surface of so large a body 

 of water is sufficient to account for the circum- 

 stance. 



Much yet remains to be discovered with respect 

 to the natural history of this interesting lake ; but 

 the extreme danger attending any researches in 

 these countries, on account of the constant hostile 

 demonstrations on the part of the native Arabs, 

 has deterred travellers from visiting its neighbour- 

 hood. 



Rae Wilson, in his Travels in the Holy Land, 

 fays, " To the taste the waters appear decidedly 

 to contain more salt in solution than common sea- 

 water, and in smell they resemble that of Harrow- 

 gate, or bilge-water. Crosses are made of the bitu- 

 men, which are sold at Jerusalem, and an odd idea 

 is entertained by some persons, that the wearing of 

 this substance serves as an antidote against the 

 plague. Travellers should be on their guard, as 

 there are pits near the lake that it is dangerous 

 to approach." 



The apples of Sodom, fair without and bitter 

 within, are considered as fabulous, but Chateau- 

 briand, the French traveller, professes to have dis- 

 covered a kind of fruit answering the description : 

 he says, " It grows two or three leagues from the 

 mouth of the Jordan, and is of a thorny appear- 

 ance, with small tapering leaves. Its fiuit is ex- 



actly like that of the Egyptian demons, both in .'* 

 and colour; before it is ripe, it is filled with a cor- 

 rosive and saline juice; when dried, it yields a 

 blackish seed that may be compared to ashes." 



DEAL ; a town in Kent, nineteen miles S.E. 

 from Canterbury, and seventy-two E. by S. from 

 London. Here is no harbour, but the ample road- 

 stead, called the Downs, between Deal and the 

 Goodwin Sands, furnishes convenient anchorage 

 for ships during the prevalence of paiticular winds; 

 and homeward or outward bound vessels generally 

 touch at this port, in proceeding to or from Lon- 

 don ; the former to land passengers and dispatch 

 letters, notifying their arrival, and the latter to 

 take in letters and provisions. Upper Deal, now 

 a mere village, was probably of anterior origin to 

 the present town, called, by way of distinction, 

 Lower Deal, which consists chiefly of three streets, 

 running parallel with the beach. Boat-building and 

 sail-making, with other pursuits subservient to na- 

 vigation, constitute almost the sole occupation of 

 the population of Deal, which has considerably de- 

 creased since 1821. During the last war, this town 

 was a scene of the utmost activity, from the ex- 

 tensive commerce carried on for the supply of pro- 

 visions and maritime stores for the shipping ; but 

 the port being now less frequented, the trade has 

 necessarily declined. Deal has long been famed as 

 a station for pilots, whose skill, boldness, and cour- 

 age, have procured them a high degree of reputa- 

 tion. Since the erection of floating lights on the 

 Goodwin Sands, the gallant services of the Deal 

 boatmen have been less in demand. This coast is 

 defended by three castles, erected by Henry VIII., 

 in 1539 ; which are Deal castle, Sundown castle on 

 the north, and Walmer castle on the south. Here 

 is a custom-house, arid likewise a naval store- 

 house ; and at Walmer is a naval and military hos- 

 pital. Population of Deal in 1841, 6648. 



DEAN FOREST is situated in the western part 

 of Gloucestershire, between the rivers Severn and 

 Wye, and now extends over 23,373 acres of land. 

 It belongs to the crown, and has been long noted 

 for the value of its timber. During the last war 

 it supplied upwards of a 1000 loads of timber annu- 

 ally for the use of the navy. It also abounds in 

 coal and iron ore : iron appears to have been 

 wrought in the forest both by the ancient Britons 

 and the Romans; and in the reign of Edward I. 

 seventy-two furnaces for smelting iron are recorded 

 to have been built there. It must formerly have 

 been much more thickly wooded, and of much 

 greater extent than at present ; for we find that 

 it was anciently so overgrown with oaks, as to have 

 become a notorious harbour for robbers. 



The Forest of Dean is divided into six walks, 

 known by the names of their respective lodges or 

 houses, built for the residence of the royal keepers : 

 its government is nominally vested in a lord warden, 

 who is also constable of the castle of St Briavels, 

 formerly the residence of men of eminence in the 

 government of England, six deputy-wardens, four 

 verderers chosen by the freeholders, a conservator, 

 seven woodwards, a chief forester in fee and bow 

 bearer, eight foresters in fee, a gaveller, and a 

 steward of the Swanimote many of these offices 

 have, by the lapse of time, now fallen into disuse. 

 The population of the forest by the last census is 

 estimated atlO,692,and is almost entirely composed 

 of what are called free miners, who claim, and have 

 for centuries exercised, most important mining pri- 

 vileges. The origin of these privileges is unknown ; 



