| Show THE DEAD SEA A barren stretch of valley in the land of moab encircles the dead sea the water wate of the historic lake is as i nine as the southern sky but subdued by a dim veil of 0 mist no living ng thing disturbs its crystal depths lying still almost lifeless leless li the sea itself seems dead as dead as all the liance chance fish washed 1 in from the ie j jordan 0 and quickly destroyed by the salty water it Js is a region of desert like stillness but there is none of the cheer of a desert oasis in this clear lake which lures you to drinkard drlik drin kand and ripples mockingly away as you draw up a cupful of 0 water made unbearably bitter by salt accumulated through ages I 1 1 this dismal valley is said to have held the unfortunate cities ot of sodom and gomarrah it if this bo be true the consuming fire of wrath wiped out all traces of their existence the valley is devoid of all signs or of life past or present except the birds that cross its borders and a few bedouins Bedou ins who camp along the shore of the sea the sea has no outlet the jordan river sends its flood down to pour vivid lite life into the sea but as rapidly as the jordan enters wind and heat draw off the the surplus water leaving the sea at its unchanging level parched dryness prevails brine and bitterness fill the land as well as the sea it if the dead sea slept in so dreary a valley in the days of lot it is no wonder that lots wife looked back toward blazing sodom |
