,28$ -CLARKES TRAVEL^. 
crystal; sweet, cool, and most refreshing to the iasie. Swim¬ 
ming to a considerable distance from the shore, we found it so 
limpid, that we could discern the bottom, covered with shining 
pebbles. Among these stones was a beautiful but very diminu¬ 
tive kind of shell, being a non-descript species of buccinum 
which we have called buccinum galil eum. We amused 
ourselves by diving for specimens ; and the very circumstance 
of discerniug such small objects beneath the surface, may prove 
the high transparency of the water The river Jordan main¬ 
tains its course through the middle of the lake; and, it is 
said, without mingling its waters. A similar story is related of 
the Rhine aud Moselle at Coblentz, and in other parts of the 
world, where difference of colour appears in water by the junc¬ 
tion of rivers.f A strong current is caused by the Jordan in 
the middle of the lake ; and, when this is opposed by contrary 
winds, w hich blow here with the force of a hurricane from the 
southeast, sweeping from the mountains into the lake, it may 
be conceived that a boisterous sea is instantly raised ; this the 
small vessels of the country are ill qualified to resist* As dif¬ 
ferent statements have been made of the breadth of this lake, 
and experienced mariners are often tolerably accurate in mea¬ 
suring distance upon water by the eye, we asked Captain Cul- 
Yerbouse what he supposed to be the interval between Tiberias 
and the opposite shore, where there is a village scarcely per¬ 
ceptible, upon the site of ancient Hippos, He considered it 
equal to six miles. Mr. Loudon, purser of the Romulus, and 
also the cockswain, were of the same opinion ; of course, such 
a mode of computing distances must be liable to error. We 
could obtain no information from the inhabitants concerning 
the dimensions of their lake : the vague method of reckoning 
according to the time one of their boats can sail round or across 
it, was the only measure they could furnish, According to 
Sandys 3 J its length is twelve miles and a half, and its 
breadth six. This is evidently derived from Josephus.§ Of 
* The figure-which most resembles this new species of buccinum is in Chemnitz. 
(Vol. IV. p.43. tab. 124-jf. 1167, 1169. jl He-calls it Nassa fasciata: i and describes it 
fasciis alternis obscure brunneis, rufescentibus et candidis circumcincla He refers 
also to Seba (Thesaurus^ vol. III. taf>. 53. f. 43.) who describes it “ cinereo-flctva, itidem 
costata crenata, et prof unde lyrata The latter part of Seba’s description is particu¬ 
larly characteristic of this new species, which is evidently a buccinum. Chemnitz 
says that his shell is found in great abundance at Tranquebar. Neither of the figures 
referred to affords a correct representation of the Galilaean buccinum \ nor is there in 
Linnaeus any description which answers to it. We have therefore named it bucci- 
S«UM GALtLiSUM- 
| See p. 42, of this Volume. 
. u In iength an hundred furlongs, and fortie in breadth.” Sandy's Travels , Book iiL 
141. Lend, 1637. 
9 See a former note,- 
