But with these few exceptions (if they are exceptions), the Dead Sea water must be pronounced to be the heaviest and saltest water known to us.
More than one fourth of its weight is solid matter held in solution.

Of this solid matter nearly one third is common salt, which is more than twice as much as is contained in the waters of the ocean.
Of the fresh-water lakes the largest and most important is the Sea of Tiberias.

This sheet of water is of an oval shape, with an axis, like that of the Dead Sea, very nearly due north and south.

Its greatest length is about thirteen and its greatest width about six miles.

Its extreme depth, so far as has been ascertained, is 27 fathoms, or 165 feet.