same word in these very mountains, as the name of the plain north of Wady Musa, called Sutuh Beida, 'White Plains.' The high plain, also, south of Wady Musa, extending round to the foot of Mount Hor, is called Sutûh Hárûn, 'Plains or Terrace of Aaron.' Burckhardt, p. 429. It is therefore not improbable, that M. de Bertou has by mistake transferred this name from the base of Mount Hor to the bottom of the great valley. Or, his Arabs may indeed have spoken of the place as a level spot, and thus have called it es-Sutah. At any rate, even if it actually exists there as a proper name, it can have no reference whatever to a 'pente,' or dividing line of waters.

These are the main points in the report of M. de Bertou, which, as it seems to me, require either confirmation or correction. I might go on and extend the list much further, and point out also many other inaccuracies of his map; but this seems less important. In the mean time, I cannot but hope, that travellers in that region may bear these topics in mind, in order that the public may soon learn the exact truth.

NOTE XXXVIII. Pages 606, 608.

CATASTROPHE OF SODOM. In order to present a connected view of those facts respecting the region of the Dead Sea, which seem to have a bearing upon this memorable event, I venture to insert here, although at the risk of considerable repetition, my own letter to the distinguished geologist mentioned in the text. His reply is subjoined in the original French. Then follows a notice of the remarkable Lake of Pitch, on the island of Trinidad.

SIR,

1. E. ROBINSON TO L. VON BUCH.

Berlin, April 17th, 1839.

In accordance with your kind permission, I venture to throw together a few hints and notices respecting the region around the Dead Sea, and its phenomena, in the hope of being able, through your suggestions, to arrive, perhaps, at some explanation, founded on scientific principles, of the historical notices of this district contained in the Scriptures.

Our journeyings led us twice to the borders of the Dead Sea. Once, passing down from near Hebron (el-Khulil), we struck it at 'Ain Jidy; and proceeded along its western side to Jericho, The second time, we went from Hebron to near the ford marked on most modern maps; thence to the southern extremity; and

so through the Ghôr and Wady el-'Arabah to Wady Musa. We found the sea here occupying the whole breadth of the great valley, which extends from Jebel esh-Sheikh and Bânias to the Red Sea at 'Akabah; but the mountains do not open out into a circle or oval around it, as is usually represented. At both the northern and southern ends of the sea, that and the valley are somewhat contracted, by promontories running out obliquely from the western mountain.

The promontory at the southern extremity, called Usdum, is a long even ridge unconnected with the western mountains, and lying in front of them, running along the shore S. S. E. from near the said ford to the end of the sea. It then bends to the Southwest for nearly the same distance, where it terminates. The height of this ridge is 150 to 200 feet; and the mass of it is fossil salt, thinly covered with strata of limestone and marl. South of this ridge the Ghôr is again wider. But about eight or ten geographical miles (60 to a degree) distant from the sea, in the same direction, is a line of cliffs stretching across the whole Ghôr, as if cutting off all further progress southward. At the foot of these are many brackish springs, which at present form a marsh along their base. These cliffs, however, proved to be nothing more than an offset, or step, between the Ghôr below, and the higher level of the valley further south; which from that point takes the name of Wady el-'Arabah.

Through these cliffs, or this offset, consisting of marl, the deep water-course of the great valley breaks its way down to the level of the Ghôr, between banks 150 to 200 feet high. It is called Wady el-Jeib, a Wady within a Wady. This water-course was dry when we saw it in June; but in the rainy season it drains off the waters of el-'Arabah and of the adjacent mountains and high deserts on either side, and carries them northwards to the Dead Sea. Its bed has a rapid descent; and bears marks of a large and powerful volume of water. It begins, as we learned from Arabs of that region, beyond Wady Ghüründel, or nearly three quarters of the distance towards 'Akabah; the water-shed being so indistinct, as not to have been remarked by travellers who have passed over it. The waters of Wady Ghurundel itself flow off northwards. The waters of the great western plateau, or the desert et-Tih, as far south at least as to the point opposite 'Akabah, and probably much further, also flow northwards along the plateau; being drained off by the Wady el-Jerâseh, which runs north and enters el-'Arabah nearly opposite to Wady Musa.

The great valley, as seen from 'Akabah, looking northwards,

appears to have only a very slight acclivity, and exhibits scarcely a trace of a water-course. The whole conformation of this valley, thus presenting a much longer and greater descent towards the North than towards the South, seems of itself to indicate, that the Dead Sea must lie considerably lower than the Gulf of 'Akabah

It has been generally assumed, that the Dead Sea has existed only since the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, recorded in the book of Genesis; and the favourite hypothesis of late years has been, that the Jordan before that time flowed through Wady el-'Arabah to the Gulf of 'Akabah, leaving the present bed of the Dead Sea a fertile plain. But this, as is now known, cannot have been the case; at least not within the times to which history reaches back. Every circumstance goes to show, that a lake must have existed in this place, into which the Jordan poured its waters, before the catastrophe of Sodom.

It seems also a necessary conclusion, that these cities lay to the southward of the lake; for Lot fled to Zoar which was near to Sodom; and Zoar lay almost at the southern end of the present sea, (the name having still existed in the time of Abulfeda in the 14th century,) apparently at the mouth of a Wady coming down from Kerak in the eastern mountains. The fertile plain, therefore, which Lot chose for himself, and which was well-watered like the land. of Egypt, lay also S. of the lake and near to Zoar. (Gen. xiii. 1012.) And to the present day more living streams (not less than three or four) flow into the Ghôr at the south end of the sea from the eastern mountains, than are to be found so near together in all Palestine; and the tract is better watered still, than any other district throughout the whole country.

In that plain, too, were wells or pits of asphaltum (), the same word used in describing Babylon, and indicating the same substance as that with which the walls of that city were cemented. (Gen. xiv. 10, compared with Gen. xi. 3.) The valley indeed in which these pits were, is called Siddim; but it is said to have been near the salt sea, and contained Sodom and Gomorrah. (Gen. xiv. 2, 3, 10-12.) The streams that watered the plain remain to attest the accuracy of the historian; but the pits of asphaltum are no longer to be seen. Did they disappear in consequence of the catastrophe of the plain?

The southern part of the Dead Sea has a singular configuration. About three hours north of the southern extremity, the broad low neck of a peninsula runs out from the eastern shore, terminated by a long bank at right angles to the neck, like a long

narrow island or sand-bank, running from N. to S. This bank is nearer to the western than to the eastern shore; and the peninsula may be said almost to divide the sea. (There is a trace of this peninsula on the maps of Berghaus and others; though it is always too small, and has not by any means the true form.) At the southern point of this long bank, the sea, which is here hardly wider than a very large river, sweeps round to the E. and S. E. and forms a bay; which constitutes the southern part or end of the sea, and is in general very shallow. The adjacent shore on the South, is low and flat; and when the lake is swollen by the winter rains, the water sets up over it two or three miles further south than when we saw it. The limit of this overflowing was very distinct; being marked by trunks of palm-trees and other drift-wood. Indeed the whole southern part of the sea, as seen from the western mountains, resembled much a long winding bay, or the estuary of a large river, when the tide is out and the shoals left dry.

We travelled with Arabs of different tribes, inhabiting both the northern and southern parts of the western coast; and our guides were among the most intelligent Sheikhs of those tribes. We inquired often and particularly respecting the phenomena of asphaltum in this sea; and received a uniform answer from all. They had never known of its being found except in the sea; nor there, except after earthquakes. After the earthquake of 1834, a considerable quantity was found floating in small pieces, which were driven ashore and gathered. After the great earthquake of Jan. 1, 1837, (in which Safed was destroyed,) a large mass of asphaltum was found floating in the water,-one said like a house, another like an island,-to which the Arabs swam off, and cut it up with axes, and gathered enough to sell for two or three thousand Spanish dollars. In both cases, the asphaltum was found in the southern part of the sea. One Sheikh, a man fifty years old, who had spent his life here, said he had never seen asphaltum, or known of its being found, at any other time.-The Arabs all supposed, that it collects upon the rocks of the eastern shore; and being broken off, falls into the sea; but they did not agree as to the place where this was supposed to occur.

In view of these facts, which were observed or collected by ourselves upon the spot, I would respectfully suggest the following inquiries.

1. May we perhaps regard the lake as having anciently extended no further south than the peninsula; near which then were the asphaltum-pits, and further south the fertile well-watered plain?

2. Is it allowable to suppose, that either by a conflagration of the asphaltum in the pits, or by some volcanic action, the soil of this plain (with the cities) might be destroyed, and its level lowered; so that the waters of the lake would rush in, and thus form the present southern bay? Might perhaps the asphaltum have previously collected into a mass or stratum round about the pits, and have become covered or mixed with soil, so as to form a fertile tract; which was then destroyed by conflagration? Or further, might we perhaps conceive, that in combination with some such cause, the bottom of the sea might be heaved up by volcanic action, so as to raise the level of the waters, and cause them to overflow a larger tract?

3. Is there perhaps good reason for supposing, that these pits or fountains of asphaltum may still exist under the waters of the lake; and that the asphaltum becoming hard through the action or contact of the water, remains fixed around the orifices of the fountains, until dislodged by some shock like that of an earthquake ?—If, as is reported, asphaltum were anciently more abundant in the lake than at present, this might perhaps be accounted for, by supposing it not to have been usually gathered and carried

away.

I might go on and suggest many other inquiries; but these perhaps are sufficient for the purpose in view. For any sugges tions which you may make relative to these or other kindred topics, I shall feel myself under the most grateful obligations. With high consideration, Yours, etc.

E. ROBINSON.

P. S. I forgot to say, that small lumps of sulphur are found in many places along the shores of the sea.

MONSIEUR,

2. L. VON BUCH TO E. ROBINSON.

Berlin, 20 Avril, 1839.

C'est plutôt pour répondre à l'honorable confiance que vous voulez avoir en moi, que dans l'espérance de pouvoir vous faire une observation digne de vous être présentée, que je vous addresse ces lignes.

La vallée du Jourdain est une crevasse, qui s'étend depuis le Liban jusqu'à la mer Rouge sans interruption. Voilà, à ce qui me semble, le resultat de vos récherches, comme de celles de Mr. de Bertou et Mr. Callier, qui malgré ce fait en veulent à Mr. RitVOL. II.

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