60 General Notes. [January, 
issued by Stanford, or the map published with the traveler’s last 
journals. The distance the Con ngo has flowed from its extreme 
source in Eastern Bisa to Nyangwe Manyema is about 1,100 
miles. 
EXPLORATIONS IN PALESTINE.—The Palestine Exploration So- 
ciety, which is supported by voluntary contributions, was organ- 
ized in 1870 for the purpose of making a scientific survey of the 
region known in Biblical history as Moab, Gilead and Bashan. 
In 1873 the first surveying party was sent out, and in 1875 the 
work of exploration was further extended by a second party, one 
of the members of which was Dr. Selah Merrill, who gave special 
attention to the archeology of the regions explored. The work 
of surveying was soon suspended, however, but Dr. Merrill con- 
tinued his researches during 1876 and a part of the present year. 
At a late meeting of the Society, as reported in the Tribune, — 
Dr. Merrill said, in part: “ One of the difficulties of exploration 
in Palestine is caused by the traditions which widely prevail—a 
difficulty which is experienced in exploration in no other part of 
the world. Numerous archeological facts have been collected, 
however, which will be very valuable in the study of the Bible. 
All explorations are carried on in the face of many obstacles. 
The climate is very peculiar and severe, and many explorers have 
lost their lives on this account. The Valley of the Jordan from 4 
ke Tiberias to the Dead Sea, sixty miles in length and about 
three miles in width, is generally supposed to be a desert, but this _ 
is not so. I have examined the Valley of the Jordan on the east — 
side several times, and I am satisfied that it could be easily irri- 
gated from the Jordan itself. It would then become exceedingly 4 
fertile, and it is believed that half a million people could live in 
this valley. Some very important mounds exist in various parts — 
of this region. In the Succoth region there is a very large one, | 
thickly covered with pottery. Into this I wished to dig, for I 
think some very valuable results may be obtained in this way. It 
was in this region that King Solomon’s brass foundries were situ- — 
ated. I think that the best evidence of the situation of the Cities 
of the Plain shows that they were at the north end of the Dead 4 
Sea. In the region east of the Jordan nearly all the houses are ~ 
deserted, on account of the Moslem and Turkish rule. You can — 
-~ scarcely travel half an hour in this region without meeting witha — 
valuable ruin. The theatres in many cases were built so as tO © 
command fine views of the surrounding country. Between Petra — 
and Damascus there were between 400 and 500 miles of Ronm : 
roads. There was also in ancient times an extensive system 
irrigation. This was especially apparent in the Valley of the 
h 
Jabbok, the most fertile portions of which are now under culti- _ 
vation. 
prea Typ areaaese 
. Orton’s EXPLORATIONS IN SOUTH AmEricA—Several letters — 
~ from the late Professor Orton have appeared in the New York 4 
a Ske a 
PEN PEE ER ie PE ee EE EN AE O 
