when the meat-offering
was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the
country was filled with water."

On the spot, as well as at the present time, I remembered with pain the
deplorable weakness and wickedness of the remarks on this event contained
in Paine's "Age of Reason," and which I do not choose to repeat. The
most charitable opinion that one can entertain of such writers is that
they know nothing of the nature of the country under consideration.
Thank God that the world at large, and that land in particular, is now
better known than formerly, and, as a consequence, our evidences of the
truth of the blessed Bible are daily the more confirmed.

We then proceeded northwards along the bed of that stream; but in a few
minutes its water was lost in the sand. In another hour we entered the
dry bed of the _Wadi el Jaib_, and continued along its course in the
direction of the Dead Sea.

The hills were misty on both sides, and the ground hot beneath, as we
tramped along, all our voices hushed during the "strength of the heat,"
(according to Arab expression,) and the footfall of the camels entirely
without noise.

Who can sufficiently admire the adaptation of this creature to the
desert, in which the Maker and Ruler of all has placed him? No heat
exceeds the power of his endurance; steadily, patiently, silently he
stalks his long strides over the yellow ground--one animal following
another in regular military step. And during our travels at least he
never flagged--the large eyes never lost their brightness; and who ever
saw a camel, even though his master may seek rest or shade as he finds
opportunity, shrink from the blazing brightness of the sun?

Halted for the night shortly before five P.M., the journey having been
one of eleven hours. But the Arabs insisted on our being placed behind
the corner of a re-entering valley, in order that our fire and smoke
might not be seen during the night by hostile people from a distance.

Thermometer at sunset, 81.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

We found footprints of gazelles, storks, and hyenas.

Mount Hor at that distance, and in that direction, very much resembles
the Salisbury Crags of Edinburgh.

_April_ 9_th_--Sunrise, Fahrenheit 63.5 degrees. Tents struck, and all
on the march by half-past five. Losing sight of Mount Hor.

At a quarter to eight a breeze sprung up from the north, so refreshing in
that hot and dry wilderness as to merit the prais