332 Lieut. Lynch' s Expedition to the Jordan and Dead Sea. 



On the 17th, Lieut. Lynch and Lieut. Dale visited the valley 

 of the Leontes or Litany, running near the Lebanon range. They 

 saw in this region pits of bitumun ; there are five in all, but 

 only two were in operation, one sixteen and the other twenty- 

 five feet deep. 



On their way to the plain of Damascus, Jan. 19, they passed 

 over Anti-Libanus. The lower parts were terraced and covered 

 with vineyards and olive and mulberry orchards, above were 

 oaks, then heath and fern, lichens and moss, and at the summit 

 limestone and boulders of quartz. They crossed in a gorge be- 

 tween Mount Hermon and the next peak to the south. The 

 two crests and many clefts on both sides were covered with 

 snow. The summit of Mount Hermon is estimated to be about 

 9000 feet above the sea level. 



As they descended, the limestone disappeared and gradually 

 gave place to sandstone, and trap and serpentine appeared lower 

 down. The prevailing rock, the next day, was granite with 

 metallic veins and quartz. They passed rapidly from wintry 

 cold to summer heat. Damascus is situated at the foot of Anti- 

 Libanus. We shall not attempt to recount the description of 

 Damascus — its bazaars, its cafes, its lazy smoking population, 



its baths — its narrow streets and innumerable dogs over which 

 the stranger stumbles. The population is estimated at 115,000. 

 It was very gratifying to the travellers to meet their country- 

 men, the Rev. Dr. Paulding and Rev. Mr. Barnet, of the Ameri- 

 can mission, to whose hospitality and kindness they were much 

 indebted. As many of the party were threatened with illness, 

 they hastened on to Beirut ; they seemed to have imbibed the 

 disease which had heretofore prostrated all who had ventured 

 upon the Dead Sea. 



On the night of the 29th, after they had encamped, (it was in 

 the cold mountain air 4000 feet above the sea,) Mr. Dale was 

 attacked with the same symptoms as the other sick persons. 

 At eleven o'clock the next day, Beirut and the sea were in 

 sight, but the sick were ready to fall from their saddles ; hap- 

 pily they met Dr. DeForest of the mission, who prescribed 

 promptly. 



July 1. — Lieut. Lynch, Mr. Dale and two seamen, required im- 

 mediate medical attendance, and all hands were nearly sick. 



This interesting narrative closes with the death of Mr. Dale, 

 who, despite of all the care and kindness of the American mis- 

 sionaries and physicians and their families, sunk beneath the 

 fever, and was buried at Beirut with military honors. 



In leaving this work which has afforded us much instruction, 

 we add a word to express our estimation of its value. It does 

 honor to the zeal, intelligence, and moral feeling of the author; 

 and his brave companions are entitled to the thanks of their fel- 



