THE 



AMERICAN 



JOURNAL OP SCIENCE AND ARTS 



[SECOND SERIES.] 



Art. XXI. — Notice of the Narrative of the U. S. Expedition to 

 the River Jordan and the Dead Sea, by W. F. Lynch, U. S. N., 



Commander of the Expedition ; with Maps and numerous illus- 

 trations. 



The Dead Sea so remarkable in sacred history and full of 

 mysteries both to the popular and scientific mind, has at last been 

 successfully explored. Its headlands have been mapped out, its 

 bottom has felt the sounding lead, and boats from a country un- 

 known to the ancient world have ploughed its sullen waters. 

 Lieutenant Lynch, to whom the Expedition was intrusted by 

 Government, in 1847 took command of the store ship Supply; 

 a *id was provided for his explorations with two metallic boats 

 °ne of copper and the other of galvanized iron. Ten vigorous 

 young American seamen " pledged to total abstinence" were en- 

 listed as a crew for the boats ; and to their temperance was at- 

 tributed their recovery from the extreme prostration consequent 

 °n this hazardous service. Lieutenant Dale, an officer of high 

 attainments and abilities, was associated with the commander: 

 ^d it was with deep grief that we heard the announcement of 

 his death soon after the explorations were completed: he was like 

 Molyneux and Cortigan before him, a victim to the deadly influ- 

 xes that still hover over the old " cities of the plain." 



They sailed from New York, Nov. 26, 1847, and landed at 

 Beirut on the 25th of March following. On the 28th they left 

 *°r St. Jean d'Acre, and took their departure for the lake of Gen- 

 nesareth, from the river Belus. Their boats, which were made 

 ln sec tions for transportation, were placed on trucks brought for 



Second Series, Vol. VIII, No. 24.— Nov., 1849. 41 



^m 



