586 Journal of a Tour through [Nov. 



miles long, and eighteen broad, and six thousand nine hundred 

 and fourteen tons of vapour being allowed to every square mile, there 

 will be drawn up every day above eight millions, nine hundred, 

 and sixty thousand tons. As the heat of the sun is of more activity 

 here than in the Mediterranean Sea, exciting thereby a greater pro- 

 portion of vapour ; so the Jordan may, in some measure, make up this 

 excess by swelling more at one time than another ; though, without 

 doubt, there are other rivers, particularly from the mountains of Moab, 

 that must continually discharge themselves into the Dead Sea*." Al- 

 though none of the rivers flowing into the sea of Shahi, are so large 

 as the Jordan, yet collectively they cannot fail to make up an immense 

 mass of water. It is perfectly impossible to form an estimate of the 

 proportion of the supply to the evaporation, because all Persian rivers 

 overflow their banks in spring, and at the end of autumn are mere 

 rivulets. 



Just as the sun was on the eve of setting, I proceeded on foot to the 

 shore of the lake. An awful silence hung over it, but the sound of its 

 waters slowly rolling before the wind, which blew at the time, were 

 even more appalling than the desolation of its shores. In this solitude 

 I felt something approaching to pleasure from the sight of a hawk, 

 which passed over the unnavigated waters. This incident arrested the 

 course of those feelings, which divine indignation forces upon a travel- 

 ler who visits the Dead Sea, though the assertion that no birds can fly 

 over that sea, on account of the pestiferous vapour inhaled from its 

 surface, has received a marked contradiction by our latest travellers. 

 I have already remarked that no fish exist within the waters of Lake 

 Ourumia, having made particular inquiries at the village, whose inhabi- 

 tants have often spread nets in vain ; nor did I observe on the shore 

 any shells whatever, or find, in truth, a solitary tree of any species. On 

 the whole, the vast wilderness, and dreadful sterility of the same, is 

 sufficient to impress a beholder with feelings of awe and dread. I 

 remained about half an hour on the shore, and filled a bottle with the 

 water. The shades of evening were approaching, the glorious lamp of 

 night was watching, as it were, a close of day, to illuminate benighted 

 worlds ; and my village guide represented the danger of remaining 

 longer, since a surprise might be apprehended from some of the 

 wandering tribes, who are ever on the watch for prey. In consequence of 

 this we returned to the village. We continued our march from hence, 

 going south, over a barren tract of dark mountains, totally devoid of 

 vegetation. The soil was argillaceous, and now and then the road lay 

 over deep strata of rock, among which talc was predominant. Previously 



* Vide Travels into Syria, and the Holy Land, by Dr. Thos. Shaw, F. R. S. 



