We entered a vaulted subterranean passage, and descended a stair-case cut out of the rock. After a descent of sixteen steps we arrived at a small ledge or platform, and then entered a large arched grotto or cavern, pierced through the limestone rock: through this we descended, with the assistance of lights, fourteen steps more, and then came to a reservoir of clear limpid water, which fills up the entire cavity of the grotto. Several persons, both Moslems and Christians, accompanied me down the steps, and they all positively affirmed that the water rises and falls at stated periods similar to the flux and reflux of the sea! edAccording to all accounts, there are sub- They seemed to regard the sacred element structions of a building of very great anti. as very precious, soaked and soused their quity under this mosque, consisting of vast beards in it, and drank it with great avidiranges of pillars and arches, and of huge ty. The water is brought into the grotto blocks of stone. The materials with which from the city above by an artificial channel this edifice and the Mosque of Omar were cut through the rock, and it is said to make erected appear evidently to have belonged its escape in the same manner into the valto a more ancient structure, and are doubt-ley below, where it serves to water a few less portions of the idolatrous temples of miserable gardens.

We passed again by the large well-shap- of the fortifications of Hadrian's Elia Caped stones and the ancient gateway in the itolina. Some have even ventured to affirm city wall, near Saint Stephen's Gate, which that it is a fragment of the ancient Jerusalem, I have before mentioned as a remnant of and the name Castel Pisano, by which it is Hadrian's colony of Elia Capitolina. This, known among the Christians, they gravely I find, is called the Golden Gateway; and assure us is a corruption of Psephinus, the as it is altogether of a different architec- name of one of the towers of the outer wall ture, and evidently much more ancient than of the ancient city mentioned by Josephus! any of the Saracenic or Turkish structures Unhappily, however, for the enthusiastic about Jerusalem, it has been wisely affirm- relic-hunters, a much more probable origin ed by the monks and priests to be the iden- for the name Pisano can be found in the fact tical gate by which our Saviour entered Je- that Paolo Tronci, in his " Annals of Pisa," rusalem from Bethphage, riding on an ass, claims for two of his countrymen, two Piwhen "the multitude spread their garments sani, the honour of having been the first to in the way, and cut down the branches scale the walls of Jerusalem, when the city from the trees, and strewed them in the was taken by Godfrey of Bouillon. The way!" And all this do these pilgrim-hunt- fact is, the Pisani, or Pisans, distinguished ing, alms-seeking ministers of the Gospel themselves in the siege, and had this part maintain before the ignorant, superstitions of the fortification committed to their charge wanderers from distant parts, in the very after the garrison had been driven out. teeth of the undoubted evidence which we As, however, there are marks of some have of the complete and utter destruction antiquity about the place, the story-tellers of the ancient city by Titus, "so that not and the relic-hunters have seized hold of it, one stone was left standing upon another." and called it "the Castle of King David," As we passed on to St. Stephen's Gate, my and they positively declare that the old maguide pointed to a part of the city wall, which sonry is a remnant of the palace of that here forms the boundary of the sacred en- monarch on Mount Zion; and, not content closure of the Haram Schereef; and he in- with this, they pretend to show the identiformed me, that on the opposite side of the wall cal window from which David saw Baththere was a small building within which the sheba bathing-the very bath in which the Moslems affirm they possess safely secured, young lady was disporting at the time, and "the throne of Solomon !" After getting the marks of king David's elbows on the through the gate, we passed over some va- stone window-sill, left imprinted there on cant spaces of ground covered with rubbish, the hard stone by the Jewish monarch, and entered the street called Harat el Allam. when, resting his hand on his chin, he reAs we passed by the large gateway opening mained gazing with admiration on the disupon the Haram Schereef, my guide stop-closed charms of the young Jewish matron ped to draw my attention to the Mekheme (they were sad fellows those old Jewish Sidina Daoud, the judgment-seat of David, kings!) But here again, most unfortunatewhich had escaped us during our rapid and ly for the ignorant, besotted story-tellers, hurried visit to the mosques in the morning. the whole narrative about the window, It is a small building, surmounted by a cu- which is detailed to each wondering, adpola, and stands in front of the Bab Daoud. miring, and reverencing pilgrim as he arThe inside is adorned, my guide tells me, rives, is directly at variance with the scripwith an exterior circle of eleven very an- ture narrative, which says that "it came to tique columns of a beautiful species of stone pass in an evening-tide, that David rose which support the ceiling, and with an in- from his bed and walked upon the roof of ner circle of six similar columns which sup- the king's house: and from the roof he port the cupola. This is positively affirmed saw a woman washing herself; and the to be" the tribunal of king David!" woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and inquired after the woman: and one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" To make the ridiculous nar. rative complete, they have dubbed some stones and rubbish below the castle, "the house of Uriah, and an old tank in the court-yard of a private house is affirmed to be the bath which was attached to it!!

Nov. 23.-We proceeded at an early hour into the narrow, winding, gloomy street, called el Harat Bab el Hamond, "the street of the gate of the column." It is the principal street of Jerusalem, leading from the Damascus gate, and crosses the city from north to south. We then traversed some narrow lanes, amidst stone walls and gloomy houses, until we reached the street called Souk el Kebir, or "the street of the great bazaar." This street runs from east to west, and leads toward the gate called the Bethlehem Gate.

Just before arriving at this gateway, we turned to the left to visit an old fortress, forming part of the city walls, called the Castle of the Pisans, and also "the Castle of King David." The upper part is of Saracenic architecture, but the lower is evidently more ancient, and probably formed part

From this place we passed along a narrow dirty lane, called harat el Arman, or the street of the Armenians, and crossing over all that part of Mount Zion which is within the walls, we went out of the gate, called Zion's Gate, and traversed all that portion of Mount Zion which extends beyond the modern wall.

Here they would needs take me to see some other holy curiosities. Accordingly we entered a small Armenian church, deco