TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 141 



the "Iliad " records the final struggle between the Iberian and the Indo-European 

 races for supremacy in Asia Minor. 



On the Western Shores of the Dead Sea. By the Eev. G. Clowes, B.A. 

 The journey was performed in 1863 in company with four friends, under the 

 guidance of Abu Uahuk, sheikh of the Jahalin tribe of Arabs. The party readied 

 the shores of the Dead Sea through the Wady-ez-Zuweirah. Whilst crossing the 

 broad plain which here stretches towards the lake, dead trees were observed stand- 

 ing in the water at some distance from the shore. Mr. Poole, in October 18o5, 

 r.'uiarked tlie same thing ; it is therefore more than probable that a permanent 

 rise in the level of the sea has taken place of late years. To the north of the 

 Wady-ez-Zuweirah, the party noticed tlie existence of three distinct parallel 

 beaches, the highest lying at least fifty feet above tlie level of the sea, wliich re- 

 moved all doubt that the Dead Sea was once much higher than at the present time, 

 and therefore the old idea of the Cities of the I'laiu being submerged is untenable. 

 At a place half a mile south of Ain Jid}-, the author, whilst bathing and trying 

 the buoyancy of the water, found that he was being carried by a strong current in 

 a northerly direction. He suggested that this may either have been an eddy caused 

 by the influx of the Jordan, or a movement produced by a spring in the bed of the 

 lake. The analysis of a bottle of water collected at this point countenances the 

 latter idea, for he had fortunately the means of comparing it with that of a portion 

 collected two days previously from the north of the lake : — 



Collected April 9th, Collected 



half mile S. of April 7th, from 



Ain Jiddy. north sliore. 



Specific gravity 1-1674 1-1812 



Percentage of salts 20-54 21-585 



Boiliug-i^oint 106°-5 Cmt. 108° Cent. 



These analyses showed that the water collected at Ain Jidy was less dense and 

 contained a smaller percentage of salts than that obtained two days previously at 

 the north. These facts appeared most interesting in connexion with the question 

 •whether the supply of water from the known sources is suiHcient to coimterbalance 

 the enormous evaporation constantly going on. 



Account of an Expedition across the Roclcy Mountains into British Columbia, 

 by the Yellow-Head or Leather Pass. By Viscount Milton and Dr. 

 Cheadle. 



This journey was undei-taken with a view to discover the shortest route between 

 the Red River settlement and the gold district of Cariboo, in British Columbia. 

 The pass by which the party crossed the Rocky Mountains had been formerly used 

 by the voyageurs of the Hudson Bay Company ; but it had been long abandoned. 

 The route followed, after descending from this pass, namely, by the Thompson 

 River, had never before been attempted, owing to the dense growth of primitive 

 forest and the dangerous navigation of the streams. The enterprise was success- 

 fully accomplished by Lord Milton and his companion, though not without the loss 

 of nearly all their baggage and provisions and several narrow escapes of life. 

 Enough was seen to convince them that this was the best line for the construction 

 of a road from Canada, via Red River, into British Columbia, as it was the most 

 direct one practicable, and was far removed from the United States frontier. A 

 great portion of the country to the east of the mountains was noticed to have been 

 completely changed in character by the agency of the beaver, which formerly 

 existed here in enormous numbers. The shallow valleys were formerly traversed 

 by_ rivers and chains of lakes, which, dammed up along their conrse at numerous 

 points, by the work of these animals, ha\e become a series of marshes in various 

 stages of consolidation. So complete has this change been, that hardly a stream 

 is found for a distance of 200 miles, with the exception of the large rivers. The 

 animals have thus destroyed, by their own labours, the waters necessary to their 

 existence. In the Thompson and Frazer River valleys, the travellers noticed a 

 series of raised terraces on a gi-and scale. They were traced for 100 miles along 



