IT was hard to leave a spot so sacred as Jacob's Well, and a locality where every foot of ground seemed to be associated with some interesting fact of sacred history. As we turned our faces southward gloomy Ebal, the "Mount of Cursing," with Joseph's tomb at its base, was behind us, while Gerizim, the "Mount of Blessing" was on our right. To the east of us, across the "Plain of Moreh" (now called El Muknah) lies Shalem, or Salim, where the patriarch Jacob once encamped, while not far from it is "Ænon near to Salim," where "John baptized because there was much water there" (John 3:23), and to this day there is a fine stream, fed by everlasting springs, which as it rolls away towards the Jordan leaves many fine bathing pools, well-suited for baptistries, scooped out in its course.

      Four or five miles from Jacob's Well, after we had passed around the eastern extremity of Mount Gerizim, we stopped under the shade of some giant olive trees for our noonday rest and lunch. I wish to mention one incident that occurred here in order that American Young Folks may see that some of the eastern boys have an eye to business. Not [224] long after we had alighted, two bright-faced boys from Nablous, dressed in their funny eastern style, who had followed us all the way from the city, at least six miles away, presented themselves with blacking-box and brushes to get the job of blacking our dusty shoes. They had shrewdly kept their distance until we could easily spare the time for their job, but they had seen that our neglected leather badly needed "a shine." Of course we could not refuse to encourage such a display of enterprise in the East, and they occupied nearly an hour in giving a civilized appearance to the shoes of twenty-seven Americans. And do you suppose it was a "nickel shine"? When we each gave them an English penny they felt that they were magnificently rewarded, and returned home rejoicing over their good fortune. I suppose they had never so much money before, in all their lives. Indeed, they had done a great day's work according to the ideas of a country where a man's daily pay is only ten or fifteen cents.

      After riding to the southern verge of the fertile plain we ascend a rocky defile, and upon a barren hill we see a wretched village called Lubban, which would be unworthy of mention, were it not that it represents the ancient Lebonah named in Judges 21:19. Then we leave the great central road that leads from Shechem to Jerusalem, and turn [225] southeast to pick our way without a road along the sides of a gorge or valley called the Wady S'eilun, "the Valley of Shiloh." At last we ascend a low hill with valleys around it, with much higher hills beyond them. This hill is covered with stones which show that they are the remains of ancient buildings, and a part of the walls of two structures of considerable size are still standing, but there is not a single inhabited dwelling on the spot. This heap of ruins the people of the country call S'eilun, a name which suggests the ancient name of Shiloh, and has helped learned travelers to determine beyond a doubt that this is the site of that renowned city. Here it is, "On the north side of Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah" (Judges 21:19), and the site is still called by a name similar to Shiloh.

      Do you remember that, long before the days of David and of the temple at Jerusalem, Shiloh was the capital of Israel? For about three hundred years this was the place where the Tabernacle stood, and where the twelve tribes came together three times a year to the great feasts of the Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. After Joshua had conquered the country he brought the Tabernacle here from Gilgal, near the Jordan, where it remained during the war, and this was its seat during all the time of the Judges until the death of Eli. Here, too, the good, childless Hannah [226]

SEILUN, ANCIENT SHILOH. [227]

prayed in the court of the Tabernacle for a son, and here she afterwards brought her little boy to be reared up for the service of the Lord. Here that boy grew up in the house of the Lord and became Samuel the Judge and Prophet, one of the greatest men in all Hebrew history. It was here too that the wicked sons of Eli, the high priest, defiled the Tabernacle by their sins, and brought upon the country the judgment of God. When they had been defeated in battle by the Philistines they sent for the Ark from the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle and brought it to the battle-field in the hope that it would give them victory, but God was not with them on account of their sins, and Israel was defeated, Hophni and Phinehas were slain, and the Ark of God was taken.

      All day long old Eli, more than eighty years of age, waited at the door of the Tabernacle for news from the field of battle. At last a breathless messenger, covered with dust and blood, rushed into the city, and then hurried to the Tabernacle where Eli awaited. Then he cried, "The battle is lost! Thy sons, Hophni and Phinehas are slain. The Ark of God is taken!" When Eli heard the awful tidings, especially that the sacred Ark of the Covenant, which had never been touched by an unholy hand since it was made at Mount Sinai, three hundred and fifty years before, was in the hands of heathen, he gave a great cry of grief, and fell [228] over backwards from his seat, and died (1 Sam. 4:18).

      It was the darkest time that had ever occurred

THE TABERNACLE.

in the history of Israel since the cruel Egyptians were slaying all their male children. In this period of confusion the history is not every clear, but we can gather enough to learn that the Tabernacle was removed to some other place, probably to save it from the Philistines, and that the city of Shiloh was destroyed. Many hundred years after, when Jeremiah was rebuking the sins into which the people had then fallen, he exclaimed: "Go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I [229] set my name at the first, and see what I did to it, for the wickedness of my people Israel" (Jer. 7:12).

      We were deeply interested in a place so remarkable. We found a space leveled off by cutting down the rock of the hill in places, which was about eighty feet wide and about four hundred long. This is probably the spot where the Tabernacle so long stood. On the east of the hill is an abundant spring which must have supplied the ancient city with water. On the hill stand two or three very ancient oaks, one of which the natives call "an inhabited tree." They believe that it is occupied by unseen spirits, and the branches are hung with ribbons, rags, rings and other offerings by which the superstitious Arabs hope to secure the favor of the mysterious spirits of the tree. They also regard the two buildings of which I spoke above, as sacred edifices, and call one "the Mosque of the Eternal," and the other "the Mosque of the Forty."

      The shadows of the mountain on the west were stretching over the valley when we rode down from the hill of Shiloh into the level and well-cultivated plain. The shepherds were leading in their flocks from the hills where they had been pastured during the day, to the sheepfolds at their villages, where they would be safe from the wild beasts at night. It was interesting to see that each shepherd, instead of driving, led his flock, calling the sheep [230]

A SHEPHERD AT SINJIL. [231]

after him, and that when the flocks became mixed the sheep of each flock, at the sound of their shepherd's voice, separated from the rest and followed him. One of the boys drew out his Testament and read from the tenth chapter of John what Christ says about the good shepherd. How plain it all seemed as we looked on the scene before our eyes!

      It was dark before we rode up the mountain side to Sinjil, the place where our camp was pitched. I found in the morning that it was a wretched town of huts made of stone and dirt, with a splendid view from its lofty height, but I remember it best on account of two facts. The first is that we had the worst water here that we had seen in Palestine. I fancy that it was taken from a rain-water pond scooped out on the mountain, though I did not see its source. It had not raised for several months, and the water was thick with mud and little living, crawling, creeping things. We were very thirsty, but we could not drink it. The second fact was that the jackals, the same animal called foxes in the story of Samson, gathered from the mountains around our camp, and gave us a serenade. The music they gave us was not particularly pleasing, but it was spirited, and so different from anything we had ever heard, that we remained awake the most of the night listening to it. Indeed, I never heard a more dismal howling, unless it be that of prairie wolves.

      In our tent that night we learned from our [232] "Baedeker" that the name Sinjil is a corruption of the word Saint Gille, the old name, which has been shortened. When the Crusading Knights held Palestine, a French warrior called the Baron Sainte Gille built his castle on this high hill where it commanded the great road from Jerusalem to the north. Around it grew up a little town which was called by his name. He mouldered into dust many centuries ago, and his castle has all gone except some of its stones, but his name remains in the native village which is called Sinjil to this day. One another high hill just west of here is a place now called Jilgillah, which is named in connection with Elijah the Prophet. He was there the same day that he ascended in the chariot of fire (2 Kings 2:1). It was then called Gilgal.

      When we mounted our horses in the morning we knew that we were not more than twenty miles from Jerusalem, the goal of our journey, and that we could reach it long before night, but we intended to turn before we went there, and go down to Jericho, the Jordan, and the Dead Sea. Still, as we rode southward, through glen and valley, over rocky roads, among terraced hills planted with figs and olives, past the "Robber's Fountain," a place which has an evil name and deserves it, up the high ascent beyond, we could not keep from thinking and talking of the Holy City which was so near at hand. When we had reached the crest of the rocky hill between Bethel and the Robbers' [233]

NATIVES OF SINJIL. [234]

Fountain we paused in wonder over the unexpected scene that opened out before our eyes. A mile or two away we could see Beitun, the modern name of the ancient Bethel, perched on the top of a stony hill, while to the east, not far away, was the Rock Rimmon, where the remnant of the Benjaminites who had escaped from the great slaughter of their tribe found a refuge (Judges 20:47). But the sight that filled us with wonder was seen before us many miles to the south. Over the crest of a hill which arose at the distance of ten or twelve miles, that we afterwards learned was Mount Scopus, we could see the domes, minarets, towers, and tallest buildings of what seemed like a great city.

      What city is this? We knew that Jerusalem was in that direction, but no traveler that we had read spoke of its being visible from the north at such a distance. To settle any doubts I galloped along our line until I reached Joseph, who was at its head. "What city, Joseph, is that which I see yonder?"

      "That is Jerusalem!" was the reply.

      JERUSALEM! The city of David! The city where the Lord was crucified! The city of the Resurrection, the Ascension, and of the first Christian Church! How this sight, so unexpected, thrilled my soul! There are moments of emotion that can never be forgotten, but which language cannot describe. It was such a moment in my life [235] when I was surprised by this view of Jerusalem from the north. Had I expected it, the expectation would have prepared me for the sight, and would have tempered my emotions. Why had not the books of travel, and the Guide Books, told us of this impressive view of Jerusalem from the hilltop north of Bethel? Well, I am glad that they had not. We paused in wonder, and pointed out to each other the Mount of Olives, the Mosque of Omar, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Tower of David, and other renowned objects of the Holy City with which he had already become familiar from the books of travelers, and which we had long desired to see.

      As we rode and came near to the rocky hill on which Bethel stands out attention was fixed upon a body of men, about fifteen in number, who appeared to be waiting for our coming. Who could they be? They were a strange-looking group, with strange garments, armed with swords and flintlock muskets, and were standing by their horses. On their heads they wore a turban, tied in its place by a black rope made of horse hair, and their bodies were covered, with a woolen garment like the hunting-shirt of the old western backwoodsmen, which was fastened on by a girdle at the waist. Below the knees the legs were bare, and upon the feet were sandals. These men had [236]

A BEDOUIN ENCAMPMENT. [237]

swarthy faces, black, glistening eyes, and fierce countenances. When we asked about them we were told that they were Bedouin, and that they had come up to protect us as we rode down to the Jordan. We were going down into the Bedouin country, and this people for three thousand years had considered it their right to rob and even to murder all travelers who did not buy their protection. They had been educated to think that it is honorable to live by robbery and stealing, and even to murder when necessary in order to secure the goods of other men.

      There are about fifteen of these swarthy fellows in all. That fine-looking man, better dressed than the others, with the noble Arabian horse, is their leader, the "Sheik of the Jordan," as he is called. His tribe roams in the Jordan Valley, or lives on the mountains overlooking it, and they levy toll on all who wish to see that famous river. Still, when once you have paid them for protection, they will keep their contract faithfully, and one can trust himself in their hands with perfect safety. Though robbers themselves, they will fight to the death to protect from other robbers those who have employed them.

      Now we start forward in a long line with the Sheik at the head, and his men scattered out on each side of us. We of course travel on horseback, for we are going over a road which has never yet been traveled by a wheeled vehicle, and [238] which never will be. We have already rode on horseback about three hundred miles in Palestine, and had thought that we had been over the worst roads in the world, but we have before us a much worse road. The Arabs who attend us call it the "Devil's Road," and say that he made it to annoy and torment good people who wish to go down to the Jordan. Well, to-day there were more than a score of good Christians in our company who voted, when night came, that if the Arab story was true, the devil had made a great success. It was with many a bruise and with aching bones that we went to our beds that night. There were eight horses whose feet slipped out from under them on the smooth rock of the descents, almost as slippery as glass, and which tumbled down with their riders. Will's horse was one of those that fell, but he was nimble enough to spring aside so that the horse did not roll on him. All were not so fortunate. One man, a Mr. Hitt, from Kentucky, went rolling and sliding a great many feet along with his horse. He claimed that he was not hurt, but two or three days after he went to bed, whether due to this or not, and although we kept him with us until we got back to Paris, I never saw him able to sit up again.

      We first rode through Beitun, the ancient Bethel, now a little village of a few hundred population on the top of a rocky hill, the sides of which are terraced and planted in olive and fig trees. Bethel [239] is one of the oldest cities of the world and is mentioned in the history of the patriarchs Abraham and Jacob. It was called Luz before Jacob's time, but here, with his head upon a stone, he saw that wonderful vision of the ladder to heaven crowded with angels. Then he said, "This is surely the house of God," and he called the place Bethel, which means "the House of God" (Gen. 28:11). When, many hundred years after, an idol temple was erected here, the prophets called the place Bethaven, which means "House of Vanity." It is still a very stony place, with terraces around the hill to hold what little soil remains.

      When we had rode about a mile east of Bethel, suddenly there burst upon us a splendid vision. For the first time from the hill-tops of Palestine we beheld the Jordan valley far below us, the winding course of the famous river, the mountains of Moab beyond, Mount Nebo, where Moses died, rising to the southeast four thousand feet, like a great sentinel of the mountain chain, and the shining waters of the Dead Sea below us. It was a glorious sight from the mountain-top, I can assure you.

      When we saw the Jordan Valley, with the Jordan winding here and there in its course through the rich level plains, we called to mind that Abraham, nearly four thousand years ago, from the very spot where we were standing had looked, with his nephew Lot, down the upon the same beautiful [240] scene. You will find the account in the thirteenth chapter of Genesis, which I wish you would all read, for it contains a very beautiful story.

      When Abraham told Lot to take his choice of the land, we read, "And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well-watered everywhere, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the Garden of the Lord, like unto Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar." We are told that Abraham and Lot were between Bethel and Hai when this took place. That is the very spot where we had this splendid view of the same scene on which they looked so many thousands of years ago. This was only one of the many illustrations which we had of the wonderful accuracy of the descriptions in the Bible.

      Not far east of Bethel we passed a "Tell," as it is called, which is believed to be the spot where the city of Ai was standing when Joshua led the Israelites into Palestine. You remember that, after he had taken the city of Jericho near the Jordan, he sent up an army to take the city of Ai because it blocked the road by which he wished to lead his people up into the highlands of Palestine. This army was defeated and driven back in disgrace. Then Joshua found out about the sin of Achan and punished him, and after this went up himself with a second army, which took and destroyed the city (Joshua, chapters 7 and 8). [241] To-day we were riding down to Jericho along the road by which Joshua marched up. And a terrible road it is, too. Those Israelite soldiers must have been good climbers. They had been kept for forty years among the high mountains about Mount Sinai and to the north of it in the Arabian wilderness, and they had learned how to scale mountain heights and precipices, or they never could have marched up this road.

      Down, down, continually down, our path leads us. We descend nearly a mile in going five or six miles. The Jordan valley is over four thousand feet lower than Bethel. Our way leads over slippery rocks, along the margin of precipices, and sometimes the horses slip and fall with their riders. Often we dismount and lead them for fear of a fall, and at last we reach the base, not without bruises, but without broken bones, for which we thank God. Those who take the ride down from Bethel to Jericho will never forget it.

      When we were down and had reached Jericho we were glad to camp for the night by "Elisha's Spring," so called from Elisha the prophet. I wish I had space to tell you the story of his being here. You will find the account in the second chapter of Second Kings, how he made the waters of this great spring sweet and good. Well, they have "remained sweet unto this day." When, after our long hard ride, we got off at our camp by the side of the little river that rolls away from the spring, [242] and drank of its cool, clear, delicious waters, we felt like we had never tasted any so sweet. The Arabs call it the "Sultan's Spring," and the waters are surely fit for a king. They are the more valued, because good water in this Eastern country is not found everywhere, by any means.

      Near our camp were the great heaps of the old Jericho that was destroyed so many years ago. When Joshua and the Israelites crossed the Jordan they found a city here near this spring with strong walls. They could not get up into Central Palestine without taking it, for it stood near the mouth of the pass by which they must march up. For you must remember that a great wall of mountains runs along on the west side of the plain of the Jordan, and there are only a few places where an army could march up. The chief road up to Jerusalem and all the hill country, which indeed is the greater part of Palestine, is along a narrow gorge or valley, now called the Wady Kelt, which gradually ascends between the lofty cliffs until the top is reached many miles from Jericho. You will find in the sixth chapter of Joshua an account of the strange manner in which he took the city. For many hundred years after his time the place was desolate, but at last a town was started here again, and when Christ was on the earth, there was an important city. It was then often called "The City of Palm Trees" because there were so many on the plain, and the [243]

THE SITE OF JERICHO. [244]

country was finely cultivated. The balsam gardens of Jericho were known far and near. But now the country is a wilderness. The terrible Bedouin who live across the Jordan in the great mountains, as well as those who lurk on this side of the river, are a terror to all peaceful and industrious inhabitants, and the land lies a waste. There is a wretched mud village near here, called Riha, inhabited by about as miserable-looking objects as I have ever seen, and this is the Jericho of our times. No man dares to till the fields or to live outside of a town where he cannot enjoy protection. On our ride of six miles down to the Jordan we saw no living being but ourselves and our Bedouin protectors.

      Next morning long before day we were awaked by the sound of bugle, bells and gong. It is the signal to spring from our beds, leave our tents, eat a hurried breakfast by candlelight, and to ride down to the Jordan. We must go down before the sun gets too high. for we are in the furnace of Palestine. We are in the deepest natural depression on the face of the earth. If a canal was cut so as to let in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, our camp would be at the bottom of a lake more than a quarter of a mile deep. Where we ride is about 1300 feet lower than the surface of the ocean. Here, so far down towards the earth's [245]

THE FORD OF THE JORDAN.

center, is one of the most scorching places in the world. The vegetation is all tropical. At noon there is danger of sunstroke; hence long before sunrise we are galloping over the Jordan plain, down toward the sacred river.

      It was a glorious ride on that November morning. Behind us were the great mountains of the Wilderness of Judea, rising bleak and bare like the wall of a mighty fortress; at our right hand was the site of Gilgal, where Joshua's army had its base of supplies for seven years during his wars; we ride among the heaps of old Jericho which Joshua captured and destroyed; before us, on the other side of the Jordan, are the dark mountains of Moab and Gilead. That giant that raises its head above the others is Mount Nebo, where Moses died and was buried, and that sheet of water that shines like silver as the rays of the rising sun fall upon it is the Dead Sea.

      This great plain was once fair, "well-watered, even as the garden of the Lord." Once the balsam gardens cultivated here raised a great revenue. It is now a waste, untilled, without inhabitants; not because it is an arid desert, but because the Bedouin are more dangerous than Indian savages.

      Shortly after the sun showed itself above the mountains east of the Jordan we rode into the green belt of trees which conceals but marks the course of the famous river. Then, a few moments [247] after, we were on its banks, leaped from our horses and rushed down to the brink of the stream. We were at the "Pilgrim's Bathing Place," where thousands of pilgrims come to bathe themselves every Easter. Here, too, is where they came to John. "from Jerusalem and all Judea and were baptized in the Jordan." Here, too, came Jesus and was baptized, and as he came up out of the water the heavens were opened, the Holy Spirit descended like a dove, and God said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." At the ford just above the Bathing Place our Lord crossed on his last journey to Jerusalem, and near here the Twelve Tribes marched across under Joshua when they came to possess Canaan.

      These great events, as well as others named in the Bible, come before my mind as I stand upon the brink. This place is a beautiful spot. A bend in the river makes a sort of lake and forms a pool of almost still waters, which provides an excellent place for bathing, or for baptizing. So inviting did the waters appear that in a little while about twenty Americans could have been seen sporting and swimming in the most famous and sacred bathing pool in the world. Here the water deepens gradually and the current is very gentle, but above and below the current is swift and deep.

      Now if you will look on the map at the Jordan, after a few words about it, we will ride away down [248] to the Dead Sea. It is the largest river in Palestine, but is only about one hundred and fifty miles long. It starts from the fountains in the Lebanon Mountains, which we visited on our way to Damascus, and then flows into the famous Sea of Galilee. There its surface is over six hundred feet below the ocean level, but it falls seven hundred feet more before it empties into the Dead Sea, so that where we stand upon its brink its surface is nearly thirteen hundred feet lower than the level of the sea. It is the most famous river in the world, but these facts that I have just been telling show that it is as curious as it is famous. Its fame, however, is not due to its size or beauty, but to the wonderful history that has centered along its course.

      But now let us mount, for the dragoman has blown his trumpet; so we spring into saddle, and our tough Syrian horses are soon on the gallop southward, over the plain towards the Dead Sea. It is only five miles away from the Pilgrim's Bathing Place, and we make the ride in less than an hour. At first the soil of the plain is rich, and would yield great crops if it was in the hands of skillful farmers, but presently vegetation ceases, the land grows bare, the soil indicates the presence of elements which are poisonous to vegetable life, then we see sticks and other objects crusted over [249] with salt, and now we hear the dull thud of the heavy waters, as they strike the shores, of the strangest sheet of water in the world. We are standing on the edge of the DEAD SEA.

      What a name for a sea! Why was it given to it? Look around and think a little while and I believe you can give the answer. Do you see any fish sporting in the waters? There is not one. If you were to bring a hundred from the ocean and turn them out into this sea, in an hour they would all be dead. They cannot live in these waters. Do you see any water-fowl floating upon the surface of the sea, or wading in the shallow edges, or flying over the waters! There are none whatever. Do you see any cities or towns upon its banks, or any boats carrying commerce over its surface? There is nothing of the kind. Its shores are desolate, and no boat ever sails over its waters, save when explorers have brought one from elsewhere in order that they might sound its depths and examine its shores. A number of years ago Lieutenant Lynch, an American officer, was sent by our government to find out something about this strange sea, and he floated boats from the Sea of Galilee down the Jordan to the Dead Sea and then sailed over its surface. A few others have also surveyed the sea in boats brought for the purpose, but none belong to this strange body of water.

      Hence you can easily see why it is called the "Dead Sea." There is no life there. It is an [250] abode of desolation and death. Perhaps it was not always so. Once there were beautiful cities near here, called the "Cities of the Plain." Some think they stood where now roll the waters of the sea, but concerning this we cannot be certain. We do know, however, that they could not have been far away. You will read of their destruction in the nineteenth chapter of Genesis.

      Their story is a very sad one. Like many upon whom God pours out great worldly blessings, they became very wicked, and finally an awful judgment fell upon them. Fire fell from heaven, possibly lightning-flashes, and the earth heaved in mighty earthquakes, and when the smoke that filled the air had passed away, those cities had gone forever. Though this took place in the times of Abraham and Lot, this country around the sea has been a desolation ever since, and looks as though it had been scorched with fires.

      Taste these waters. How bitter and how salt they are! They are far saltier than the waters of the ocean; indeed they contain more salt than the waters of any other sea in the world. Do you know that you can dissolve enough of salt in a bucket of water so that an egg will float upon it without sinking? Well, these waters have so much salt in them that a man will not sink, whether he can swim or not. You might throw him out of a boat, and he would float like a plank upon its surface. [251]

THE GREAT DEAD SEA.

      Of course a good many of our company wished to have a bath in a sea so strange as this, and hence in a little while more than a dozen Americans were wading out into the gradually deepening waters. They could get along very well until they reached a depth of three or four feet, and then its upward pressure would become so great that their feet would be thrown up and they would take a horizontal position of necessity. One incident furnished us a good laugh.

      A Rev. Mr. Gottschalk, a German minister of Chicago, was one of our company. He was a fat man and would weigh full two hundred pounds, but could not swim. He waded out into the sea, until the water was a little more than three feet deep, when up flew his feet, and he was lying on top of the water! For a little while he enjoyed this, but then he tried to get his feet down to come ashore, and found it impossible.

      He floundered around at a great rate for a while, making the water fly like a spouting whale, but could make no headway, since he did not know how to swim ashore. At last he came frightened and began to cry out for help to save his life. After we had stood and laughed awhile at his ludicrous distress, we sent a man to tow him ashore. Then we had a hearty laugh at him for being frightened for fear of being drowned, when he could not sink if he tried.

      I will tell you one or two more strange things [253] about this curious sea. Its surface is a quarter of a mile lower than the surface of the ocean. If a canal was cut from it to the ocean its waters would not run to the ocean, but those of the ocean would run into it until it was a quarter of a mile deeper than it is now.

      Now still another strange fact. The Jordan river, the largest river of Palestine, is running into it all the time, and in the spring-season pours down great floods. Other streams also run in from the east. Yet there is no escape for its waters. Why does it not then fill fuller, and fuller until it reaches the mountain tops and runs into the sea? Because, down here in this deep trough the sun heats it until the waters pass off in vapor as fast as they pour in. You know that when you put a kettle on the stove the water in it will pass off into steam as it is heated. So it is with the waters of the Dead Sea. [254]

[YFBL 224-254]