lake," continued Ziba, "can the eye just discern the high rocks on which stand the city and fortress we are in search of." They were indeed just visible. But as we moved on at a quicker pace, they rapidly emerged from the dimness in which they first appeared, and began to assume their proper forms. The same scene continued to surround us, save that the whole plain of the desert began to slope toward the huge basin of the sea, and the sand to become more light and soft, and the low rocks to disappear. We now, too, had brought into sight the great highways from Idumea, winding round the head of the lake, and those from the northern parts of the Peræa, all leading to Machærus, which, since its restoration by Herod the Great, has been not only a post of defence and repository for munitions of war, but likewise a place of resort for the merchants who trade between Arabia, Jerusalem, and Tyre, and the general coast of the Mediterranean. Along these main channels of communication we could now see horsemen, travellers on foot, and long lines of loaded camels, either bent towards Machærus or Herodium, or else, going from these cities towards the west and north. The Dead Sea now opened before me in all its grandeur and boundless extent. While the shore at the northern extremity, where the Jordan sends in its there dull and muddy stream, is but a vast waste of sand, all flat and low, even to the water's edge, the eastern and western shores are on the other hand, bold and sublime, with mountains of every wild and jagged form running down to the shore itself in lofty and abrupt precipices of bare and shattered rock, then retreating into the interior and rising into loftier summits still. Between these ranges of hills lay the mysterious sea, heavy and motionless, as if indeed dead. No ripple broke its surface, no wave murmured along the shore-weltering only among the loose rocks piled along its margin. The silence as of death rested over it. The waters of this inland ocean, heavy with salt, their surface covered with an oily film which impedes the action of the winds, and being moreover without tides strike the eye at once as different from all others from those of the Great Sea always in motion by reason of its tides, and from those of other lakes which fresh and light are curled by the gentlest breath of air that passes over them. Had this sea, instead of water, presented to the eye a surface of white polished silver, where every object on its sides was reflected with the perfection of reality, it would not have differed from what I saw, nor filled the mind with more astonishment. When we drew near, and impa tient of delay, attempted in the most direct manner to reach the shore, we were instantly defeated by the soft and treacherous sands into which our horses sank. This compelled us to wind round the bay, which forms the upper extremity, that we might gain a rocky shore lying under a low cape, or promontory, that divided us from the city and fortress of Machærus. Having accomplished our object, we stood upon the rocks against which the water lay, reached down and tasted for ourselves its exceeding bitterness, and looked into those clear depths which the eye penetrates as they were composed of crystal. It demanded but slight effort of the fancy to make me believe, that far down in those dismal solitudes, I beheld the pinnacles and towers, the temples and the walls. of the devoted cities; and that I could still hear, as the peasants affirm they ever do, the moaning or the imprecations of the wicked spirits there overwhelmed, and whom the justice of God still binds in their watery prisons. I lay along upon the rocks and gazed, and listened, till I was weary, and I was roused by Ziba's voice, saying, that it was time we set on for Machærus, would we reach that place before night. END OF VOL. I. shore at the northern extremity, where the Jordan sends in its there dull and muddy stream, is but a vast waste of sand, all flat and low, even to the water's edge, the eastern and western shores are on the other hand, bold and sublime, with mountains of every wild and jagged form running down to the shore itself in lofty and abrupt precipices of bare and shattered rock, then retreating into the interior and rising into loftier summits still. Between these ranges of hills lay the mysterious sea, heavy and motionless, as if indeed dead. No ripple broke its surface, no wave murmured along the shore-weltering only among the loose rocks piled along its margin. The silence as of death rested over it. The waters of this inland ocean, heavy with salt, their surface covered with an oily film which impedes the action of the winds, and being moreover without tides strike the eye at once as different from all others from those of the Great Sea always in motion by reason of its tides, and from those of other lakes which fresh and light are curled by the gentlest breath of air that passes over them. Had this sea, instead of water, presented to the eye a surface of white polished silver, where every object on its sides was reflected with the perfection of reality, it would not have differed from what I saw, nor filled the mind with more astonishment. We we are net tient of delay attempie. It m defeated by the soit all. treater Sui which our horses sang Ta wind round the bay whe tremity, that we might galit nutr under a low cape. or promo IC from the city and fortrest. Having accomphsie. o upon the rocks agaus win. reached down and taste. ceeding bitterness an. wont depths which the eye pelletres a composed of crysia. ↑ demande effort of the fancy VO TERAS HIP HOPES, Lan down in those sma se pinnacles and towers, the letters d of the devoted clean tunt; so as the peasants aftr. the eve or the imprecation C. Up Viat overwhelmed, and whol te juber. still binds in thei: water priser upon the rocks all gaze was weary, and I was rouse saying; that it was time we strona, di would we reach the place were |