i 3 o TRAVELS TO THE EAST. 
habited and cultivated. We returned in the after- 
noon to our tents; and after dinner I walked out to 
feu rch for Natural curiofities around Jericho, efpe- 
dally near the rivulet that runs acrofs the plain. The 
famous Afclepias gigantea of Judea, and the tree 
Xvhofe flowers refemble a Honeyfuckle, and hath thick 
leaves, were the raoll remarkable plants I found. 
We broke up from Jericho directly after mid- 
night, to go to Jordan. We travelled over the re- 
maining part of the plain of Jericho, and therefore 
had a good road We came before day-break to 
the Ihore of Jordan, three leagues from the Dead 
Sea. Here mafs was read by (even Priefts. 1 ob- 
ferved the different breadths of Jordan. Here it 
was about eight paces over, the fhores perpendi- 
cular, fix feet high, the water deep, muddy, rather 
warm than cold, and much inferior in goodnefs to 
the Nile. On thelhores grew Rhamnus,Vitex Agnus 
Callus, a Willow of which Pilgrims make flaffs. We 
travelled hence to the Dead Sea, accompanied by 
an Arabian Prince. The plain reached to the fe ;1 > 
and was three leagues long, level, with fome fmall 
riling grounds difperfcd in different places ; between 
which were narrow vales, uncultivated and barren- 
The foil is a greyilh fandy clay, fo loofe that ouf 
horfes often funk up to the knees in it. The whole 
furface of the earth was covered with fait, in the 
fame manner as in Egypt. The foil therefore was 
Egyptian, and might be as fruitful if it were tilled; 
and, without doubt, it was fo in the time of the 
lfraelites. The river had thrown up a quantity 
Willow at its mouth. The Ihore confiiled of the farn^ 
clay as the large plain over which we had gaffed- 
In feveral places were perpendicular flrata formed 
of a redd ill l brittle earth; which, without doubt, wu 
in time become Hate, inclofcd in limeltone, fuch 35 
is 
