destruction; for it would not have been possible to extricate either
from such a place, had there even been more persons at hand to
attempt it: the ground continued to crack and break away for
some distance farther, as the horse galloped on from the hole, and
a large aperture was soon formed in the crusted surface of the
marsh as the pieces fell in one after another. The whole extent of
the danger was not at first perceived by the rider who had so
narrowly escaped; but the person who was following saw the chasm
which had been made, and wheeling his horse round in another
direction was just in time to avoid plunging into it. As this accident
occurred near the middle of the marsh, it was difficult to decide
upon the best path to be pursued, the surface being everywhere in
appearance the same; but, in order that the weight might be more
equally divided, both riders dismounted, and continued to lead their
horses till they reached a firmer place. This was however no easy
matter; as the poor animals were so terrified with their repeated
stumbles, that they could with difficulty be pulled along, and they
trembled so violently as to be almost incapable of keeping their legs,
for the surface frequently cracked and partially gave way in places
which appeared to be secure, and the parties were so often obliged
to alter their direction, that they almost despaired of being able to
bring off their horses. After much winding and turning, this was,
however, at length effected, and both horses and riders were heartily
glad to find themselves once more on firm ground. Nothing was
said to our guides of this accident, but it served to convince us that
their apprehensions of the marsh were not groundless, and we afterwards
took the precaution of dismounting when we had occasion to
cross any,part which was considered to be dangerous.- We found on
examination that many hollow spaces of considerable depth and
extent existed in various parts of the marsh ; and that the crust of
salt and mud which covered them was sometimes no more than two
inches, and an inch and a half, in thickness.
These usually occurred in the most level parts, but as the crust
was everywhere in appearance the same, there were no means of
ascertaining where they existed, but by breaking the surface which
concealed them. ...
The water contained in these hollows was invariably salt, or very
brackish; it was usually clear, and was in some places deep: the
depth of mud below the water must also have been sometimes considerable,
and the vacant space contained between the outer surface
of the marsh and the water was in various instances observed to be
as much as twelve and fifteen feet in depth. We had no means of
ascertaining the depth of the water in the hollow, alluded to above;
but the space between its surface and that of the marsh appeared
to be more than twelve feet, and, from the sound occasioned by
the fall of the pieces into it, its depth could scarcely have been less
than six or eight feet. In that part of the marsh which surrounds
the Gusser el Jebha the nature .of .these pits is very apparent; for
the ground being unequal, and overgrown with reeds and brushwood,
no crust has been formed over them, and their dimensions are
therefore easily ascertained. They are here very numerous, and it
would be scarcely possible to escape falling into them after dark, as