Letter from Lieut. Lynch about mapping the Dead Sea, 1848

L-3 1848, July 12 Letter to E. R. from Lieut. W. Lynch in Beirut. He has been mapping the area and is to report his findings directly to the Dept. of the Navy. He mentions that E. R.'s "map was our best guide and proved singularly correct. Your supposition regarding Sebbah was fully sustained by our examination and at almost every step we had occasion to ntoe that a learned and accurate observer had preceded us." Lynch indicates the hardships of severe illnesses he and his crew have had to endure. He mentions that "only two Franks were upon the sea before us and they lost their lives in consequence." To honor the memory of these two men, Lynch decided to name a peninsula for them (since the Arabs had never named this piece of land): the northern extremity he named Point Costigan; the southern extremity, Point Molyneux.