Few Americans are aware that an American naval officer was the first man to examine the shores and to sound the depths of the Dead Sea. This is the largest lake in Palestine and, physically as well as historically, among the most remarkable in the world. Its northern end is almost due east of, and about fifteen miles distant from Jerusalem. It is fed by the Jordan River, and some smaller streams, and has no outlet. It is about forty-seven miles long and nine and one-half miles in greatest breadth. Its maximum depth is 1,278 feet and the surface is L292 feet below sea level. Owing principally to the large amount of chloride and bromide of magnesia no animal life can exist in the water; and since there are no fish there are no sea birds. This was probably the reason for the local superstition that birds could not fly over the water. In like manner the scarcity of vegetation along the shores, due to scanty rainfall, gave rise to the story that no plant could live in the poisonous air of the sea. Similarly the mists caused by the excessive evaporation are exaggerated by the natives into noisome vapors.
That this body of water, situated in the midst of a fairly well Populated region, fed by a river known by name throughout Christianity, suspected of hiding beneath its noxious waters the guilty cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, could have remained for s° many centuries a comparative mystery, is sufficient evidence the dangers, real as well as fancied, which exist in the region. Although the natives of Palestine, Christian, Jew, and Moslem, are not possessed of sufficient scientific curiosity to overcome their superstitious dread of the “Sea of Lot,” the Franks, or foreigners, since the time of the crusades have visited the Holy Land in large numbers. Had the conquest of the Dead Sea been less difficult, it certainly would have been accomplished long before Lieutenant W. F. Lynch, United States Navy, in 1848 succeeded where others had failed.
The first to navigate the sea in modern times was Costigan, an Irish traveler, who was there in 1835. His failure may be ascribed to the stupidity of a Greek servant who, to lighten the boat, threw overboard the supply of drinking water. Costigan managed to reach Jericho in an exhausted condition, was attacked by fever, and, after being conveyed to Jerusalem, died there.
Twelve years later Lieutenant Molyneux, R. N., while descending the Jordan, was attacked and robbed by Bedouins. He succeeded in reaching the Dead Sea, but after a brief and unsuccessful attempt, sacrificed his life as had his predecessor.
These two failures are an indication of the seriousness of the problem which confronted the American naval officer. William Francis Lynch was born in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1801, and entered the United States Navy at an early age. He was a lieutenant in 1848 when he made his survey of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. The following year he was promoted to commander and in 1856 to captain. In 1861 he resigned to enter the Confederate service in which he attained the rank of commodore. He died in 1865.
A study of the Narrative of the United States Expedition to the River Jordan and the Dead Sea will give the reader some idea of the character and the characteristics of Lieutenant Lynch. He apparently possessed a stubborn courage, and much of the success of the expedition was due to his firm and unbending attitude toward Turkish officials and savage Arabs. He was deeply religious and his narrative is filled with quotations indicating an intimate familiarity with the Scriptures, mythology, history, and classical literature. As a leader he was firm, conscientious, and just. He exacted a pledge from all his party to abstain from all intoxicating drinks and he considered that
If there be any herb, in any place,
More opposite to God’s herb of grace
It is tobacco.
Lynch had long considered the expedition and in May, 1847, “the town and castle of Vera Cruz having surrendered, and there being nothing left for the Navy to perform,” he requested permission to “circumnavigate and thoroughly explore the Dead Sea.” He received notice of approval July 31, and immediately began making necessary preparations. He procured two specially built metallic boats, one copper, the other galvanized iron, and shipped for their crews ten seamen, “young, muscular, native- born Americans, of sober habits.” He also had detailed as his assistants two officers, Lieutenant J. B. Dale and Passed Midshipman R. Aulick, both excellent draughtsmen. These with Francis E. Lynch (in charge of herbarium) and Joseph C. Thomas, master mate, composed the original exploring party. Henry Bedlow joined as a volunteer at Constantinople, as did Henry J. Anderson, physician and geologist, in Beirut.
The boats were made in sections so that they could be taken apart for overland transportation. In addition two low-wheeled trucks were built for the purpose of transporting the boats entire. Both methods were employed during the expedition. Arms consisted of a blunderbuss, fourteen carbines with long bayonets, and fourteen pistols, four revolving and ten with bowie knife blades attached. Each officer carried his sword.
On October 2, 1847, Lynch received orders to command the U. S. storeship Supply, a sailing vessel. On November 1, he was directed to proceed to the Mediterranean and to apply to the Turkish Government, through the United States resident minister at Constantinople, for permission to pass through a part of the Turkish dominions for the purpose of exploring the Dead Sea and tracing the Jordan River to its source. If permission were granted he was to turn over command of the ship to the first lieutenant, and to land with the exploring party on the coast of Syria.
The expedition sailed from New York November 26 but was delayed at Port Mahon because of smallpox on board and did not reach Smyrna until the middle of February. Lieutenant Lynch immediately took passage in an Austrian steamer for Constantinople, where he was granted an audience with the Sultan, but was obliged to wait two weeks before receiving the firmin, or permit. Rejoining the Supply at Smyrna on December 9, he sailed for the coast of Syria. Before proceeding to the Bay of Acre he stopped at Beirut to put ashore an exploring party.
Upon arrival at Acre, Lynch called on the governor and was courteously received, but it was evident that no assistance could be obtained without resort to bribery. This Lynch was determined not to do. The governor informed him that a border sheik, Akil Aga El Hassee, who was present at the interview, had just brought in alarming intelligence of the hostile spirit of the Arab tribes in the country bordering on the Jordan, and insisted that it would not be safe to proceed without a guard of at least a hundred soldiers. The governor offered to procure means for the transportation of the boats, and to provide against molestation, for the sum of 20,000 piastres (about $800.00). Lynch declined to entertain the proposition and determined to proceed without assistance from the governor. He engaged the sheik, Akil, together with “ten spears,” all well mounted and an Arab nobleman, called Sherif Hazza of Mecca. The latter was held in great veneration by the Arabs because he was the thirty-third lineal descendent of the Prophet. There is no doubt that the presence °f these Arabs was of great value in preventing trouble with the native tribes during the expedition.
The horses, which had been arranged for through the governor of Acre, proved to be “miserable galled jades,” unbroken to harness. It was soon evident that they were of little use. They were used to draw the empty trucks to Acre, but it was necessary to convey the heavier equipment by boat across the bay. Here the party bade farewell to the Supply, which was anchored before the walled village of Haifa.
Camels being abundant in the vicinity, Lynch decided to try the experiment of substituting them for horses as draught animals and succeeded in hiring a number through a resident of the town. The experiment was a complete success and the party left Acre for Tiberias, on the Sea of Galilee, on April 4, with eleven camels, sixteen saddle horses and one mule.
The distance from Acre to Tiberias is only about thirty miles m a direct line, but so great were the difficulties encountered in transporting the boats across the mountains in that land where wheeled vehicles or roads were unknown, that it was not until the fifth day that the boats were finally launched in the sea of Galilee, where “since the time of Josephus and the Romans no vessel of any size” had sailed. Only one small wooden boat could be found along the shores and this Lynch purchased for about twenty- five dollars, christening it the Uncle Sam.
In descending that part of the Jordan between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea, it was decided to divide the expedition into a land party and a water party. The former under Lieutenant Dale, with Akil and his Bedouins for guides and guards, was to proceed by land along the river, observing the country, guarding against attacks on the water party, and preparing the nightly camps on the river bank. The latter under Lieutenant Lynch was to take the boats down the river, making the necessary observations and notes for the construction of charts.
Both parties left Tiberias April 10, the boats entering the Jordan late in the afternoon. They floated down the stream for an hour before encountering the first rapids which were shot without serious damage, although one boat struck a rock. Camp was pitched below the rapid.
Eight days were required to complete the descent of the river. In his report to the Secretary of the Navy, Lynch says that the Jordan was found to pursue a most tortuous course, traversing at least 200 miles in a space of sixty miles of latitude and four or five of longitude. Moreover, the river “was interrupted in its course by frequent and most fearful rapids.” The men had to clear out old channels or to make new ones and sometimes placing their “sole trust in Providence, they plunged down appalling descents.” So great were the difficulties that on the second evening they were but twelve miles in a direct line from Tiberias. Here the Uncle Sam, unable to withstand the battering, foundered and was abandoned.
Altogether they were forced to plunge down “twenty-seven threatening rapids, besides a great many of lesser magnitude.” In shooting the larger rapids, it was customary to take everything out of the boats and to send the men overboard to swim alongside and guide them. At times it was necessary to head upstream, let go a grapnel, and ease the boat down. The crews were constantly wet from working in the water and weary from their severe labor by day and sentry watches by night, but all were perfectly well when the expedition arrived at the mouth of the Jordan eight days later.
During the descent of the river, daily observations were taken and sketches made from which a chart of the river from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea was constructed. They encountered many Arabs but, although forced twice to stand to their arms, were not attacked. Nor did they meet with other unusual adventures, though on April 11 they killed “an animal having the form of a lobster, the head of a mouse, and the tail of a dog.” This must have been an unusual sight for teetotalers. No humans, other than savage Arabs, were seen until a few hours before arriving at the Dead Sea. At the “Bathing place of the Pilgrims,” the party saw an army of about 8,000 pilgrims from Jerusalem arrive and bathe in the sacred river at the spot where tradition has it that the Israelites passed over the river with the Ark of the Covenant, and where the Savior was baptized by John.
The boats entered the Dead Sea in mid-afternoon of the 18th and an intimation of what might be expected was soon received. The course was set for a prearranged rendezvous on the northwest shore. A fresh northwest wind was blowing, which gradually freshened to a gale with a heavy sea, “the water a noxious compound of bitters and salts.” The laden boats struggled sluggishly and, “from the density of the water, it seemed as if their bows were encountering the sledge hammers of Titans instead of the opposing waves of an angry sea.” The evaporating spray left thick encrustations of salt upon clothes, hands and faces. This caused a prickly sensation wherever it touched the skin and was exceedingly painful to the eyes.
The wind continued to increase and blew so fiercely that after an hour and a half the boats could make no headway, and were in great danger of foundering. In order to lighten them some of the fresh water was thrown overboard. “The wind instantaneously abated, the water, from its ponderous quality, settling as soon as the agitating cause had ceased to act.” Within twenty minutes the boats were pulled at a rapid rate over a placid sheet of water that scarcely rippled beneath them and, about five hours after entering the sea, were hauled out at the rendezvous. Camp was pitched in a cane brake beside a brackish spring.
On April 20, after a day of rest, the two boats were used to sound, directly and diagonally, across to the eastern shore. On the following day the camp was moved about ten miles south and the slow process of circumnavigation, examination of the shores, and sounding of the depths was started. They encountered appalling heat and a daily succession of violent, if brief, gales which rendered their arduous labors extremely trying and hazardous.
Two days later the camp was moved another ten miles south and a base line of 3,350 feet was measured. Daily astronomical and barometrical observations were taken, topographic sketches made, animal and bird life noted, and botanical and geological specimens collected. This camp which was to be the depot while upon the sea was named “Camp Washington, in honor of the greatest man the world has yet produced.”
Easter Sunday, April 23, was devoted to rest, for the first effects of the great heat were becoming apparent. All hands “felt a great oppression about the head and much drowsiness.”
Two lines of soundings were run from Camp Washington to the peninsula on the eastern shore. On the following day the party left the camp for a boat reconnaissance of the southern portion of the sea. Lines of soundings were run, samples of the bottom preserved, and topographical sketches made. Passing the cliff of Sibbeth, or Masada, perpendicular and from 1,200 to 1,500 feet high, the ruins of the fortalice constructed by Herod were observed upon the level summit. This was to be explored later. About fourteen miles were covered this day, particular attention being given to the geological construction of the western shore. Camp for the night was made almost at the southern extremity of the sea. It was very hot during the night and, although all hands slept in the open, Lynch says “we could not even endure a kerchief over our faces to screen them from the hot and blistering wind.”
On the 26th, the party skirted the southern shore taking soundings and making sketches. Landings were made at points of interest. As far as is known these were the first modern boats to enter this section of the sea “which most probably covers the guilty cities” of Sodom and Gomorrah. While here an extraordinary lofty round pillar of solid salt about forty feet high was observed and examined. Superstition has it that this is the identical pillar of salt into which Lot’s wife was transformed.
Rounding the southern end of the sea, they closed with the eastern shore and hauled to the north towards the base of the peninsula. In mid-afternoon a hot blistering hurricane came up. After exhausting exertions in the extreme heat and heavy sea, the party gained the shore on the south side of the peninsula. The wind was stifling, the glare almost unbearable. Spectacles could not be worn to protect the eyes as the metal became too hot to be endured. Arms and coat buttons were “almost burning to the touch.” At 9:00 p. m., the supply of water was exhausted and they threw themselves upon the ground, “eyes smarting, skin burning, lips, and tongue, and throat, parched and dry” and wrapped the first garment they could find around their heads to keep off the stifling blast. Shortly after midnight the wind shifted and the morning was cooler. After taking observations, a start was made for the western shore, one boat being sent by the way of the south end of the peninsula. Camp was pitched about ten miles south of Camp Washington.
The party returned to Camp Washington the 28th. The tendency to drowsiness was almost irresistible this day. The men pulled mechanically with half closed lids, and all who were not kept awake by their labors were fast asleep. The drowsy sensation amounted almost to a stupor. It was greatest in the heat of the day but did not disappear at night.
Next day a land party, under Lieutenant Dale, explored the ruins of Masada, while one boat was sent across to sound in a north and south line between the peninsula and the western shore.
The marked symptom of ill health now caused the commanding officer much uneasiness. “The figure of each one had assumed a dropsical appearance. The lean had become stout, the stout almost corpulent; the pale faces had become florid, and those which were florid, ruddy; moreover the slightest scratch festered and the bodies of many were covered with small pustules. The men complained bitterly of the irritation of their sores whenever the acrid water of the sea touched them.”
At about noon the two boats left camp for the eastern shore. It was intensely hot and when sails were set the men “yielded to the oppressive drowsiness and lay in every attitude of a sleep that had more of stupor in it than repose. The fierce angel of disease seemed hovering over them, and I read the forerunner of his presence in their flushed and feverish sleep. Some, with their bodies bent and arms dangling over the abandoned oars, their hands excoriated with the acrid water, slept profoundly;—others, with heads thrown back, and lips cracked and sore, a scarlet flush on either cheek, seemed overpowered by heat and weariness even in sleep.”
Arriving at the eastern shore in late afternoon they bivouacked. A messenger from Akil was waiting for them with invitations from two Arab sheiks, one a Christian and the other a Moslem, to visit the mountain town of Kerak, seventeen miles distant, and 3,000 feet above the Dead Sea. Lynch decided to accept in the hope that the change of altitude would invigorate the party.
While waiting for horses, which had been promised by the Arabs, the two boats were sent to complete the topographical sketch of the shore lines of the bay and to sound down the middle. On their return the copper boat which “wore away rapidly in the briny sea” was overhauled, while Lieutenant Lynch rode out to the ruins of Zoar.
The journey to Kerak was made the following day, May 2. The party was cordially received by the Christian Arabs but their Moslem brethren, angered because the gifts which they expected were not forthcoming, assumed such a threatening attitude that Lynch was forced to abandon his intention of remaining two days in the mountains, the return trip being made the next day. In order to insure an unmolested journey Lynch calmly took the Moslem Sheik’s son as a hostage and required this astonished and chagrined youth to accompany the party to the boats. The party embarked at once and proceeded north along the eastern shore, camping for the night at the mouth of the river Arnon, a stream eighty-two feet wide and four feet deep. The northward course, paralleling the eastern shore, was continued next day, the party to examine objects as they proceeded, and landing occasionally to examine other objects of interest. Camp was made shortly after noon at the outlet of the Zerka Main where they found a small stream.
On May 5, the increasing heat of the sun and the lassitude of the party warned Lynch to lose no time. Sending one boat to sound directly across, he dispatched the other to complete the topography of the eastern shore and to determine the position of the mouth of the Jordan. During the absence of the party, the camp guard had moved tents and equipment about ten miles north of Camp Washington, and here the party landed, having completed the circumnavigation and exploration of the Dead Sea.
Considering the difficulties, the work had been done most thoroughly and reflects great credit upon the commander of the expedition. The party, in twenty-two days, had “carefully sounded the sea, determined its geographical position, taken the exact topography of its shores, ascertained the temperature, width, depth, and velocity of its tributaries, collected specimens of every kind, and noted the winds, currents, changes of weather, and all atmospheric phenomena.”
Boats were now taken apart that they might be loaded on camels, specimens were packed, and preparations made for leveling across to the Mediterranean. A large float, flying the American ensign, was moored in eighty fathoms out of reach of the Arabs. On May 10, the leveling party having leveled over the crest of the mountain, tents were struck and the Dead Sea was left behind. Progress was slow on account of the difficulties encountered by the leveling party in the mountainous and desert country and it was the 17th that the level was run to the highest peak northwest of Jerusalem.
The party remained at Jerusalem until the 22nd, when it started for Jaffa (Joppa). Owing to bad roads and difficult leveling it was a week before the level was planted on the margin of the Mediterranean about one and one-half miles south of Jaffa. They had “carried a line of levels, with the spirit level, from the chasm of the Dead Sea, through the Desert of Judea, over precipices and mountain ridges and down and across yawning ravines.”
A week was spent in Jaffa working up records and rebuilding the boats. An Arab brig was then chartered to convey boats and stores to Acre.
By his orders Lynch was still required to trace the Jordan River to its source, and the party left Acre on June 10, proceeding via Nazareth and Damascus, with Beirut as the ultimate destination. This involved a journey of about 200 miles and included the crossing of several mountain ranges, but no unusual difficulties were encountered and the source of the river was located on the t6th about forty miles north of the Sea of Galilee.
They arrived in Damascus on the 20th. The weather was oppressively hot and many of the party were complaining of ill health when, on the 25th, Lynch started to lead them across the mountains to Beirut. In a few days one man was very sick and the entire party “seemed to have imbibed the disease which has heretofore prostrated all who have ventured upon the Dead Sea.” In their weak condition they traveled slowly, the sick being scarcely able to keep their saddles when they reached Beirut on the last day of June.
All hands were seriously ill for some time but, with the exception of Lieutenant Dale, improved somewhat while in Beirut. That officer was sent to the mountains on August 10 and improved for a time, but soon grew much worse, and died on the 24th.
After waiting in vain for the Supply until the 30th and, having been advised by physicians that there could be no hope for the recovery of the sick at Beirut, a small French brig was chartered. After a tedious voyage of thirty-eight days, Malta was reached. The Supply arrived on September 12 and sailed with the party shortly thereafter, reaching home early in December. Thus was completed an expedition which deserves more notice than it has received at the hands of historians.