Q 99 
the Dead Sea and the River Jordan. 
noticed by some of the most ancient writers. Strabo, amongst 
others, states that men could not dive in this water, and in 
going into it, would not sink lower than the navel; and 
Pococice, who bathed in it, relates that he could lie on its sur- 
face, motionless, and in any attitude, without danger of sinking. 
These peculiarities, which I, at first, suspected of being ex- 
aggerated, are fully confirmed by Mr. Gordon, who also 
bathed in the lake, and experienced ali the effects just related. 
2. The water of the Dead Sea is perfectly transparent, and 
does not deposite any crystals on standing in close vessels, 
3. Its taste is peculiarly bitter, saline, and pungent. 
4. Solutions of silver produce from it a very copious preci- 
pitate, showing the presence of marine acid. 
5. Oxalic acid instantly discovers lime in the water. 
6. The lime being separated, both caustic and carbonated 
alkalies readily throw down a magnesian precipitate. 
7. Solutions of barytes produce a cloud, showing the exist- 
ence of sulphuric acid. 
8. No alumine can be discovered in the water by the delicate 
test of succinic acid combined with ammonia. 
9. A small quantity of pulverised sea salt being added to a 
few drops of the water, cold and undiluted, the salt was readily 
dissolved with the assistance of gentle trituration, showing 
that the Dead Sea is not saturated with common salt. 
10. None of the coloured infusions commonly used to ascer- 
tain the prevalence of an acid or an alkali, such as litmus, vio- 
let, and turmeric, were in the least altered by the water,- 
