TheburningsunofSyriahadnotyetattaineditshighestpointinthehorizon，whenaknightoftheRed-cross，whohadlefthisdistantnorthernhome，andjoinedthehostoftheCrusadersinPalestine，waspacingslowlyalongthesandydesertswhichlieinthevicinityoftheDeadSea，or，asitiscalled，theLakeAsphaltites，wherethewavesoftheJordanpourthemselvesintoaninlandsea，fromwhichthereisnodischargeofwaters。
Thewarlikepilgrimhadtoiledamongcliffsandprecipicesduringtheearlierpartofthemorning；morelately，issuingfromthoserockyanddangerousdefiles，hehadentereduponthatgreatplain，wheretheaccursedcitiesprovoked，inancientdays，thedirectanddreadfulvengeanceoftheOmnipotent。
Thetoil，thethirst，thedangersoftheway，wereforgotten，asthetravellerrecalledthefearfulcatastrophe，whichhadconvertedintoanaridanddismalwildernessthefairandfertilevalleyofSiddim，oncewellwatered，evenastheGardenoftheLord，nowaparchedandblightedwaste，condemnedtoeternalsterility。
Crossinghimself，asheviewedthedarkmassofrollingwaters，incolourasinqualityunlikethoseofeveryotherlake，thetravellershudderedasheremembered，thatbeneaththesesluggishwaveslaytheonceproudcitiesoftheplain，whosegravewasdugbythethunderoftheheavens，ortheeruptionofsubterraneousfire，andwhoseremainswerehid，evenbythatseawhichholdsnolivingfishinitsbosom，bearsnoskiffonitssurface，and，asifitsowndreadfulbedweretheonlyfitreceptacleforitssullenwaters，sendsnot，likeotherlakes，atributetotheocean。Thewholelandaround，asinthedaysofMoses，wasbrimstoneandsalt；itisnotsown，norbeareth，noranygrassgroweththereon；’’thelandaswellasthelakemightbetermeddead，asproducingnothinghavingresemblancetovegetation，andeventheveryairwasentirelydevoidofitsordinarywingedinhabitants，deterredprobablybytheodourofbitumenandsulphur，whichtheburningsunexhaledfromthewatersofthelake，insteamingclouds，frequentlyassumingtheappearanceofwaterspouts。Massesoftheslimyandsulphuroussubstancecallednaphtha，whichfloatedidlyonthesluggishandsullenwaves，suppliedthoserollingcloudswithnewvapours，andaffordedawfultestimonytothetruthoftheMosaichistory。
Uponthissceneofdesolationthesunshonewithalmostintolerablesplendour，andalllivingnatureseemedtohavehiddenitselffromtherays，exceptingthesolitaryfigurewhichmovedthroughtheflittingsandatafoot’space，andappearedthesolebreathingthingonthewidesurfaceoftheplain。Thedressoftheriderandtheaccoutrementsofhishorse，werepeculiarlyunfitforthetravellerinsuchacountry。Acoatoflinkedmail，withlongsleeves，platedgauntlets，andasteelbreastplate，hadnotbeenesteemedasufficientweightofarmour；therewasalsohistriangularshieldsuspendedroundhisneck，andhisbarredhelmetofsteel，overwhichhehadahoodandcollarofmail，whichwasdrawnaroundthewarrior’sshouldersandthroat，andfilledupthevacancybetweenthehauberkandthehead-piece。Hislowerlimbsweresheathed，likehisbody，inflexiblemail，securingthelegsandthighs，whilethefeetrestedinplatedshoes，whichcorrespondedwiththegauntlets。Along，broad，straight-shaped，double-edgedfalchion，withahandleformedlikeacross，correspondedwithastoutponiard，ontheotherside。TheKnightalsobore，securedtohissaddle，withoneendrestingonhisstirrup，thelongsteel-headedlance，hisownproperweapon，which，asherode，projectedbackwards，anddisplayeditslittlepennoncelle，todallywiththefaintbreeze，ordropinthedeadcalm。Tothiscumbrousequipmentmustbeaddedasurcoatofembroideredcloth，muchfrayedandworn，whichwasthusfaruseful，thatitexcludedtheburningraysofthesunfromthearmour，whichtheywouldotherwisehaverenderedintolerabletothewearer。