ASP 



38.15 vrcre muriiitcJ lime and muriated n;agnefia. See 

 Mem. Paris, 1778, p. 63. From tlicfc falls the water 

 derives its bitter talle ; and the bitumL-ii which floats upon 

 tlie furface of this lake, and which arifes from its borders 

 or its bottom, docs not communicate to it any quality. As 

 to the fait which it produces, the Arabs farniAi themfelvts 

 with large quantities by digging pits about the fliorc of the 

 l:ii-;e, fdling them with wsttr, and leaving them to be cry- 

 ll.\Ilii',-d Ijy the fun. As to the bitumen, wiiich gave name 

 to this lake, it is faid to have thrown up great quantities 

 of it, and that it is much uf^d by tlie Egyptians and the in- 

 habitants of other countries for the purpole of embalming 

 dead bodies. Indeed Jofcphus a.Tuies us, that it afctnded 

 in mad'es as big as an ox without its hc?.d, and even of a 

 larger fi/.e. Mr. Maur.drcll fays (Journey, p. S4.), that 

 there wis no bitumen in the place where he happened to 

 be ; but that it is gathered near the mountains on both fides 

 in great plentr. Pococke, however, (Travels, p. 56.), ob- 

 ffvdd it to float on the furface of the water, and after 

 v,u;dy weather to be found on the fiiore, where the Arabs 

 gatiier it for the purpofe of applying it to tlie fame ffe 

 with cmmon pitch ; and Ur. .Shaw (Travels, p. 347.) in- 

 forms us, that he was affured that the bitumen is raifed at 

 certain times from the bottom of the lake in large hemi- 

 fpheres, which, as foon as they touch the furface, and are 

 ailed upon by the external air, buril at once with great 

 fmoke and noife like the pulvis fulminans of the chemills, 

 and difperfe themfelves into a thoufand pieces. This, he 

 adds, only happens near the fhore ; for in greater depths, 

 the- eruptions are iuppofed to dilcover themfelves in fuch 

 columns of fnwke as are now and then oblerved to arife 

 from tlie lake. This bitumen is defcribed as refembling 

 our black pitch, and not to be diftinguifhed from it except 

 by its fulphureous and fcctid fmell, oceafioncd either by 

 friftion or by fetting it on fire. Some perfons have con- 

 founded it with a blackilli combuilible ftone throv/n on the 

 fliore, and fometimes called " Mofes's ftone," which held 

 in the flame of a candle, will foon burn, and emit a fmoke 

 and intolerable ilench. Whilil its weight is much dimiiiifhed, 

 it retains its bulk, and becomes of a whitifli colour. Dr. 

 Pococke obiVrves, that thefe ftones are found about two or 

 three leagues from the ihore ; and he fuppofes, that a ftra- 

 tum of this kind of ifone under the lake is probably one 

 part of the matter that feeds the fubterraneous lire, and 

 eaiifes the ebullition of the bitumen. 



Mr. Maundiell info'.Tns us, that he faw feveral birds flying 

 about and over this fea without Ji:iy vifible harm ; and he 

 fufpects that the tradition which reports, that no animals 

 can live in thefe waters is falfe, as he obferved among the 

 pebbles on the fl^jre two or three fliells of fidi refembling 

 oyrter fliells, which were cafl up by the waves. He fur- 

 veyed the waters with attention, in order, if poffible, to dif- 

 cern the ruins of t'.ie abforbcd cities, but he failed in his at- 

 tempts to difcovtr them ; he was told, however, by two 

 aged perfons, not deftitute of underftanding or probity, that 

 they h Jtl once aftually feen one 't thefe ruins near the fhore, 

 and the waters being frtallow, they went to it, and found 

 there feveral pillars and oti'er fragments of buildings. As for 

 the apples of Sodom, Mr. Maund'ell n.-ither faw nor heard 

 of any ; nor was anv tree to be feen near the lake from 

 which fuch kind of fruit might be expefted. A late tra- 

 veller, Mr.VoIney (Travels in Kgypt and Syria, vol. i. 

 p. 3 10.) fays, that '"i:s lake coutaLio neither animal nor vege- 

 table life. No verdure is percei'. cd on i-ts banks, ror art lifh 

 to be found in its waters ; but it is not true, adds this writer, 

 that its exhalations are pclliferous fo as to deliroy birds 

 fiymg' over it. It is very common to fee fwaltows fkimming 

 its furface, and dipping for the water neeeiTary to build their 



ASP 



ncds. The real caufe which deprives it of vegetables and 

 animals, is the extreme faltnefs of the water, wliich very 

 miicli exceeds that of the fea; the foil around it, impregnated 

 with this fait, produce no plants, ai'.d the air itfelf, loaded 

 with it by evaporation, and receiving the fulphureous and 

 bituminous vapours, cannot be favourable to vegetation ; and 

 hence proceeds the deadly afpedt which reigns around this 

 lake. The origin of this mineral (fays Mr. Volnev) may 

 be eafily dlfcorered : for on the fo'.ith-wcll fhore are miiics 

 of fofTil fait, which are fituated in the lides of the mountains 

 extending along that border, and which have, for time 

 immemori.il, fupplied the neighbouring Arabs, and even the 

 city of Jerufalem. On this fliore are alfo found fragm.ent^ 

 of fulphiir and bitumen, wliich the Arabs convert into a. 

 trifling article of commerce. Tl'ere is alfo found a fort of 

 ftone, which, with fricSion, emits a noxious fmell, burns 

 like bitumen, receives a polifii like white alaballer, and is 

 ufed for the paving of court yards. At intervals there may 

 be alfo feen unfhapen blocks, which prejudice has rniftaken 

 for mutilated tlatues, and which pafs with ignorant and 

 fuperftitious pilgrims for monuments of the adventure of 

 Lot's wife. Mr. ISlaundrell was informed that on the wetl 

 fide of the fea is a fmall promontory, near which ftood the 

 monument of Lot's metamorpliofed wife, part of wliich, as 

 he was told, is vifible at this day. But he had neither 

 faith enough in the report of his informers, ror fufficient 

 leifure for examining the truth of this fabulous relation. 

 One remarkable property of this lake remains to be men- 

 tioned ; and this is, that though it receives the Jordan, tlie 

 brooks of Jabok, Kilhnn, Arnon, and otier fprings, which 

 rufh down from the adjacent mountains, yet it never over- 

 flows ; this eircumftance has led fome naturalifts to imagine 

 that there is a fubterraneous communication between this lake 

 and the Mediterranean, or the Red Sea. But no gulf of 

 this kind has been difcovered ; ncr, indeed, is it neceffaiy 

 to recur to any hypothefis of this kind ; fince it has been 

 demonllrated by accurate calculations, that evaporation is 

 more than fufKeient to carry off the waters with which the 

 lake is fupplied. This evaporation is, in faft, very conlide- 

 rable, and frequently becomes fentlble to the eye by the 

 fogs with which the lake is covered at the rifing of the fun, 

 and >A hich are afterwards difperfed by the heat. This lake 

 is inclofed on the eaft and well by very high mountains ; on. 

 the north it is bounded by the plani of Jericho, on which 

 fide it receives the v^-aters of Jordan ; ou the fouth it is opeH 

 and extends beyond the reach of the eye. Jofcphus (Antiq. 

 1. viii. c. 2. De Bell. 1. iv. c. 14.) afPicns this lake the length 

 of 580 furlongs, from the mouth of 'uidan, to the to\i u ef 

 Stgor or Zohar on the oppofi' e fliore, or about twenty-two 

 leagues ; and a breadth of about 150 furlongs, orfive leagues: 

 but Mr. Maundrell (ubi fupra, p. S4.) tuys, that it is twenty- 

 four leagues lor.g, and fix or feven broad. 



ASPHALTUM, in Mh.raL^y, denr resa kind of bitiimi- 

 nous ftone, found near the ancient Bab^Ion, and lately in the 

 province of Neufchatel ; v hich, mixed with other matters, 

 make an excellent cement, i^icorruptible by air, and imp -ne- 

 tiT.ble by water; thi was fuppofed to be the mortar fo much 

 celebrated among the ancients, v. herewith the walls of Baby- 

 lon, and tiie temple of Jerulalem were cemented. 



It yields a 1 oil which defends fhip, from water, worms, &c. 

 much better than the oidi;-.ary compolition : and which is 

 alfo of p,.>d fervice for the clcanimg ar.d healing of ulcers, 

 &c. UttK Mi lural "Pitch. 



ASPIL\X, 'm.yircerit dcgraphy, a nation of the ifle of 

 Cyprus. Steph Bvz. 



■ 'ASPHODELUS, in B:tony, nj^hochl or khig's-fiMr. 

 I..H1. Gen. 421. Schreb. 5; 9. Gacrtn. 17. JufT. 52. Clafs, 

 hexandria monogynla. Nat. Ord. aronaiidc. jiffhtidelt jui?. 



Geu> 



