326 Lieut Lynch? s Expedition to the Jordan and Dead, Sea. 



served other ruined walls and remains of architectural structures. 

 Bitumen was seen upon the beach ; it* had a bright smooth sur- 

 face like a consolidated fluid. 



The weather was intensely hot ; the awnings of the boats 

 erected for tents on land afforded no adequate protection, and at 

 midnight the sirocco, although from the N.W., raised the ther- 

 mometer to 86° and 88°. The people lay in the open air upon 

 the pebbly beach of this desolate sea. In the morning a young 

 quail was found nested by the side of the commander, as a refuge 

 from the hot wind. 



The salt mountain of Usdum or Sodom was near at hand. It 

 is perfectly isolated but has no appearance, externally, of being a 

 mountain of salt. Seetzen saw this salt mountain in 1806, and 

 says that he never before beheld one so torn and riven. On the 

 eastern side of Usdum is a lofty, round, detached pillar, "which 

 on examination, was found to be composed of solid salt, capped 

 with carbonate of lime. The upper or rounded part is about 

 forty feet high, resting on an oval pedestal from forty to sixty 

 feet above the level of the sea. It is slightly conical, crumbles 

 at top and is crystallized throughout in spiculse. A kind of but- 

 tress connects it with the mountain behind, and it is covered with 

 debris of a light stone color. Josephus and his cotemporary Cle- 

 ment state that they had seen a pillar of salt which they be- 

 lieved to be identical with Lot's wife, and this may be the one 

 to which they had reference. 



Large specimens of the salt were brought away in the boat. 

 The water was so shallow that they could not approach within 

 200 yards of the beach ; throughout the southern part of the lake 

 the depth was rarely over two feet, and frequently less than 

 one foot. The foot prints made by the party on landing were 

 on their return encrusted with salt. Mr. Dale landed, and his 

 feet sank twelve inches in slimy mud, then through a crust of 

 salt, and then another foot of mud before reaching a firm bottom. 

 The beach was so hot as to blister the feet, and when one of the 

 men attempted to carry Mr. Dale, both sunk down, and they 

 were obliged to run as they could — it was like running over burn- 

 ing ashes, and when they plunged their feet into the slimy brine 

 at 88°, the sensation of comparative coolness was delightful. 



The scene around them was one of unmitigated desolation. 

 On the south stood the rugged and water worn salt mountain 

 and pillar ; on the east the lofty and barren mountains of Moab, 

 in a cave in which Lot is supposed to have taken refuge ; on the 

 south the high hills of Edom half surrounding the salt plain, the 

 scene of Israelitish victories; and to the north the calm and mo- 

 tionless sea curtained with night. The atmosphere was difficult 

 of respiration ; the air oppressively hot, the temperature being 



97°, and that of the water 90° twelve inches below the surface- 



