Note 53 — II. HERE FOLLOWETH CONCERNING ARMENIA.

This Dead Sea is doubtless the Lake of Urumia, the waters of which are salter than sea water. It appears to be about ninety miles in length from north to south. There are no fish in it. It contains several islands, or peninsulas which are occasionally islands, two of which have been used as fortresses. In one of these Hulaku the Tartar conqueror of Baghdad was said to have stored his treasures. Another is said to be “as old as the days of Zoroaster,” who is believed to have been born in the vicinity. I do not find tombs mentioned. (Penny Cyc. in v. Azerbijan, also Monteith in Jour. Geog. Soc. iii. 55, and Smith and Dwight, 348.)