aroundworldortra00peebiala-1

352 AEODND THE WORLD.
EXPLORING PALESTINE.
Why not, in a broad cosmopolitan spirit, explore Palestine,
Tyre, Troy, and the once peopled isles of the ocean ?
In 1848 Lieut. Lynch was sent out by the English Government
to go down the Jordan from Galilee, through the
windings of that river to the Dead Sea. Capt. Warren's
excavations in Jerusalem, and discoveries relating to ancient
localities, entrances to
Solomon's Temple, subterranean passages,
winding aqueducts, wells, tanks, canals cut in solid
rock, pottery, weights, seals, gems, and inscriptions in the
Phoenician characters, and historical sites mentioned by Josephus,
are exceedingly valuable to archaeologists.
Prof. Palmer of Cambridge, and Mr. Drake, have recently
explored the country lying between the peninsula of Sinai
and Palestine,— desert of the Exodus,—in which the " Israelites
wandered forty years." The country was covered
with a brown, parched herbage. The route was interesting
from the discovery of ruins, mounds, fortresses, and localities
retaining the names they had in the days of David.
The American Steever's Expedition reached Beirut in
1873. Mr. Paine there discovered important Greek inscriptions.
In March they went to Edom and Moab. Here was
found the celebrated Moabite stone, shedding more light upon
the invention of our alphabet than any thing yet discovered.
The learned Dr. Deutsh said, " It illustrates to a hitherto
unheard-of degree the origin and history of the art of
alphabetic and syllabic writing as we possess that priceless
inheritance." The purpose of this company is to determine
traditionary places, discover inscriptions, secure relics, and
make an accurate map of this whole Syrian country. Besides
the usual surveys, they also take astronomical observations.
They have already discovered the famous Mount Nebo
and Mount Pisgah. Those who have read " The Book of
Moab " will be deeply interested to know what they say
about Zoa of Pentapolis memory. It is to be hoped that