2 8 4 THE NATURAL HISTORY 
one might fee both fkins, the yellow uppermoft, 
and under it the green. There was a miferable 
houfe with feats for bathing, built clofe by it ; but 
it was not kept in repair, as no body here makes 
any ufe of thefe gifts of nature. 
XII. The DEAD SEA. 
1. The foil is a crumbly clay, impregnated with 
fait, and greatly refembles that of Egypt. 
2. Quartz, to which adhered a cruft of fait. 
3. Nodules of clay, which are round and corn- 
pad. Thefe 1 faw in the clay near the coaft. 
4. Schiftus. Slate refembling flint, fcattered 
here and there on the banks. 
5. Perpendicular layers of a lamellated brown 
clay, in the common clay on the banks. Is this 
imperfed flate ? 
6. No rufh or reed. 
7. No plants near the fhore. A ftinking plant 
with a labiated flower, at fome diftance ; and a 
plant of a fait tafte, in the plain. 
8. The Afpbaltes is gathered by the Arabs in 
confiderable quantities every autumn on the flrore, 
where it is thrown. It is carried to Damiata, and 
there fold for dying wool. 
9. Shell fifh were common on the fhore. 
10. The Arabs fay, there are no fifhin this fea i 
however, I doubt the truth of this, as there are 
Ihell fiih. 
1 1. No navigation. 
12. The neighbouring mountains are compofed 
of a foft calcareous done, and appear to be formed 
by this fea, which has gradually decrealed. 
13. The flate feen in the mountains has been 
Afphaltes, now changed into flate. 
14 - 
The 
