234 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TEEEITOEIES. 



Stansbury's report. It gives the specific gravity, 1.170; solid contents, 

 22.122 out of 100 parts. The solid contents, when analyzed, gave the 

 following coroponents : 



Chloride of sodium 20. 19G 



Sulphate of soda 1. 831 



Chloride of magnesium 0. 232 



Chloride of calcium A trace. 



22. 282 

 Loss 0. 110 



22. 122 



The specific gravity as here given corresponds exactly with the mean 

 of eight different analyses of the waters of the Dead Sea, which is largely 

 above that of the water of the ocean, (1.0278.) The solid contents of 

 the water of the Dead Sea, taking the mean of the eight analyses,* before 

 mentioned, is but 21.077, or 1.315 less than that of Great Salt Lake. 

 This analysis shows clearly, as confirmed by practical experiments, that 

 here can be obtained an abundant supply of salt for all the wants of 

 this entire region, the percentage in the water being unusally large. 



When we remember that all the water which flows into the lake is 

 fresh, a somewhat puzzling question arises as to the source of such an 

 abundant supply of saline matter. But the numerous and extensive 

 saline incrustations at various points on the surrounding shores, left 

 by the drying up of the winter marshes, show very clearly that some 

 j)ortion of the earth is saturated with this ingredient. But as an inves- 

 tigation of this subject does not belong to the scope of this report, let 

 us turn to that most interesting feature of the lake, the fact that although 

 receiving the waters of various streams, yet it is without any visible 

 or even supposed outlet, its influx of water being disposed of entirely by 

 evaporation. A very natural inference is that the level of the lake 

 must var}" with the amount of water discharged into it by its various 

 tributary streams. In the spring, when the streams are highest, the 

 humidity of the atmosphere greatest, and consequently evaporation 

 slowest, we would presume the level of the lake is higher thau in the 

 latter part of summer when the tributaries are low and the atmosphere 

 dry. What the difl'erence of the level is between these extremes I do 

 not kuow, nor am I aware that any observations have been made for the 

 imrpose of ascertaining, but I am inclined to think it far less than might 

 be supposed. The rise of the level of the lake within the last eight or 

 ten years, I am satisfied, can have no connection with an increased influx 

 of water, but is owing entirely to some other cause. 



The shores being quite flat, a variation of the level of the lake can be 

 easily perceived, and hence the fluctuations if considerable would be 

 observed. But there is probably a very potent reason why these varia- 

 tions are very slight; the evaporating influence is probably in excess of 

 the normal amount of water flowing in, but is counteracted by the 

 extreme saltness of the water, hence the spring excess of water does 

 not produce the efl'ect on the status of the lake that might be expected. 

 In other words, the lake would dry uj) and become simply a water-sink 

 as that of the Humboldt, if it were not for its saltness. The material 



* Smith's Bib. Die. Ill, 1183c. 



