_Jerusalem,1836._
One of the first objects that we visited after our arrival was the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It so happened that the day after
our arrival was one of the many days, which for some reason I know
not what, is called a festa, and this church was opened. This was
what we desired, as it is not accessible at all times. This church
is said to be built over the place where our Lord was buried; and
it also includes the place where he was crucified--that is, it
includes that part of Calvary on which the crosses of our Lord and
the others who were crucified with him were fixed--and the garden
in which Joseph's tomb was placed. It ought, therefore, to have
been _without_ the city, as our Lord was crucified and interred
without the city. Heb. xiii. 12, and John xix. 41. The excuse for
its being in the city is, that the city does not now occupy the
same ground that it did at that time--its walls were farther west
and north--and the present walls take in what the old walls, when
those transactions took place, left out. It appears to me very
manifest, that the places now shown as the places of crucifixion and
interment, must have always been _within_ the city. A wall so run
as to leave it out, would be located in a way that no wise builder
would ever think of in running a wall to defend a city situated as
Jerusalem is. These places are not on a hill, but rather in a low
place or hollow, and the wall in passing to the east of it would
leave so much higher and better ground close to it on the west, and
would so straiten the space between it and the ground occupied by
the temple, and take so irregular and winding a route to enclose
sufficient ground to hold the city, that I must believe that a
wrong place has been fixed upon as the spot where those memorable
things transpired. It is, however, a matter of trifling importance;
we know they took place near Jerusalem. There is no virtue in the
spot where they took place more than in any other. But the poor,
blind, superstitious people believe, and are taught to believe, that
there is great, yea, saving virtue obtained in visiting these places.
The church of the Holy Sepulchre is a large, and in some respects a
good-looking building, especially the circular room with the large
dome over the holy sepulchre, as seen from the inside, for it is
surrounded with other buildings, and so connected with them without
that it makes but a feeble impression. It needs to be large, as it
contains a chapel for each of the Christian sects which prevail in
the East, as the Greeks, Latins, Armenians, Copts, Syrians.
We entered at the north side. There is a small open space before the
door, which once belonged to the church, but most of the pillars are
removed. The doors of the church are large, and there is usually
one or more Turks acting as door-keepers. As there are always
monks and priests in the church to take care of it, attend to the
lamps, perform the sacred offices, &c., there is a small opening
through the door, by means of which food and other necessaries are
passed to them at those times when the doors are shut. Some monks
and priests, it is said, spend weeks, and it may be months, in the
church, without once going out of it; they no doubt think this a
most meritorious act.
Immediately on passing the door of the church, we came to a large,
flat, marble stone, a little elevated from the floor, having small
marble pillars at the corners, and an ornamental covering above it.
This is called the "stone of unction." It is pretended that the body
of our Lord was laid on it while he was anointed, or rather when he
was taken from the cross, and rolled up in linen with the spices,
by Joseph and Nicodemus. East of the "stone of unction," and within
a few yards of it, there is an ascent of several steps, called
the ascent of Calvary; and on the top, which is called Calvary,
three holes were shown, said to be the holes of the three crosses,
on which our Lord and the two thieves were nailed. The middle
one stands rather in advance of the other two. Below this, in a
cave-like place under the spot where the crosses stood, is shown the
split in the rock caused by the earthquake, which took place at his
death. These places are, however, so fenced about with metal plates,
doors, bars of iron and wire network, that you can barely see and
touch them, and that with a poor light; all arranged to prevent too
close an examination--all adapted to increase the superstition and
blind credulity of the people.
The Empress Helena, Constantine's mother, was the great patron
of all the holy places, and built churches upon them. How she
ascertained for a certainty the precise spots is not so clear; but
that she selected certain spots and had churches erected on them is
admitted. So great an advocate for such matters, ought of right to
have some honour shown her. They have, therefore, east of Calvary,
and at a few yards' distance, prepared a chapel for her. It is
a low, damp place, quite under ground, and does not do her much
credit. It was down in this place, however, that she found the true
cross, it is said, and an odd thing is told about her identifying
it. Three crosses were found, and the question was, to which one
of the three was our Lord nailed, for it would have been a fatal
mistake to have selected for such deep veneration, amounting nearly
to worship, the one on which the thief was nailed, instead of the
one on which our Lord hung. Helena was not more zealous in hunting
for places and things, than fertile in expedients to identify them.
A child, either sick or dead, was brought and laid on the crosses,
and strange to tell! it was made well when it touched a certain one.
This was ample proof that it was the true cross.
Another thing was found in this place, now set apart as the chapel
of Helena. She found _Adam's skull_, which came out of the rent made
in the rock caused by the earthquake. How she identified it, the
account, as I received it, did not relate. No doubt she contrived
some way to do it. Many such things are gravely told to the poor
deluded pilgrims that resort here, and many believe them. And to
tell all such folly and nonsense, and to fill their minds with them,
is the business of the monks and priests, instead of teaching them
the great leading truths of the word of God, and urging the nature
and necessity of personal holiness and practical religion.
We returned from the chapel of Helena to the stone of unction. A
wall is run up between this and the main body of the church, forming
the place in which it lies into a kind of entry or antechamber.
Passing a few steps to the west, we turned short to the north,
and found ourselves in the body of the church, which is large and
nearly circular, with a large dome over it, and lighted chiefly from
above. In the middle of this large room stands a small building
called the holy sepulchre. It may be sixteen feet by ten, and ten
or twelve feet high. It is divided into two rooms. The first, which
is to the east, forms a kind of entry, and is entered at the east
side. In the middle of this first room is a place or seat, not
unlike a little table or stool. This stands on the place where the
stone lay, after the angel had rolled it from the door and sat on
it. There are twelve or fifteen lamps burning in this room; and
through the walls are several holes, out of which the light or holy
fire comes, while the bishop plays off that lying miracle to the
poor deluded pilgrims. This miracle is performed at Easter. The
second room is the sepulchre. On the north side of it lies a large
marble tombstone, about as high from the floor as a common tombstone
would be. The remainder of the room is not much larger or wider
than will allow two persons to pass each other with ease. In this
room are about forty lamps, which, with those in the outer rooms,
are the property of different leading sects, as the Greeks, Latins,
and Armenians. For much as they hate and quarrel with each other,
matters are so arranged that each shall have a chapel in the church
and lamps in the holy sepulchre.
East of the holy sepulchre and separated by a slight partition, is
the Greek chapel. This is the best chapel of the establishment--is
neatly fitted up, and has some pretty good paintings. In the middle
there is a kind of pillar, and on the top of that is marked the
_centre of the world_. How they found out the precise spot my guide
did not tell me, nor who was the happy finder. Possibly the good
Helena who found so many things, for she had a wonderful talent for
such matters.
To the north of the holy sepulchre lies the Latin chapel. It is
richly furnished, and possesses some antiques that are among the
curious, such as the sword and spurs of Godfrey of Bouillon. This
chapel has also a pretty good organ, and the organist was so polite
as to play us several tunes.
At the west end of the holy sepulchre, and in contact with it, is a
small chapel for the Copts. It is but a few feet square, and is like
a shed or tent-like place, put up against the end of the sepulchre.
This chapel stands, of course, within the large circular room in
the middle of which the holy sepulchre is placed. To the west, and
only separated by a slight wall, is a small chapel for the Syrian
Christians. It is a small dark place, seldom if ever used. Adjoining
it is the tomb of Nicodemus, a little dark hole quite in keeping
with his fear of the day when he came to Jesus by night; but as he
afterwards came out openly in favour of his lord, he deserved a
better tomb than they have allowed him.
To the south of the holy sepulchre, but raised so as to permit
the entrance to pass under it, is the chapel of the Armenians. It
does not equal that of the Greeks or Latins, but far exceeds the
Copts and Syrians'. Thus the large and nearly circular area with a
dome over it, in the middle of which the holy sepulchre is placed,
is surrounded with chapels, separated from it by single walls,
through which they are entered from the large area. All this mass
of building is called the church of the holy sepulchre. There are a
number of other places pointed out, in and about it, as places at
which some of the facts recorded are said to have taken place--as
where the centurion stood, who declared his belief that Jesus was
the Son of God. But I have said enough about these places. My memory
was so burdened with these things, it would not be strange if I
should have lost some on the way, and possibly I may have misplaced
some of them, not designedly however, in giving this brief detail.
There are nearly twenty convents in and about Jerusalem. The Greeks
have, if I recollect aright, thirteen. Most of them are, however,
very small. Their large one is directly adjoining the church of the
Holy Sepulchre; and the top of the church (not the dome) may be used
as a terrace for its inmates. From the top of the convent I passed
over most of the top of the church, or of the chapels contained
within its walls. This large monastery is able to receive and
entertain many pilgrims--this is one design of those establishments.
The Latins have a very large monastic establishment. It covers
several acres of ground; is so constructed as to be capable of
making a good defence; is a strong fort. It is a community of
itself, and has within it provision for carrying on all kinds of
work. It has smiths, carpenters, shoemakers, tailors, millers,
bakers, chandlers, and I know not how many other artisans within
it. The Armenians have a large establishment of a similar kind,
which is said to be equally capacious, and in good condition. While
these establishments no doubt are of use in the way of entertaining
pilgrims, they are most corrupting; as it is their interest to
promote superstition among the people. From their number, wealth,
and influence, they are able to effect almost any object they
please, and defeat any one that falls under their displeasure.
They will, humanly speaking, be one of the greatest obstacles to
all missionary efforts to spread the light of truth in Jerusalem,
and dispel those dark and foul superstitions that have long been
gathering over these, so called, holy places.
A few days after our arrival, we set out one morning to make a
tour of the city. We went out at the Jaffa gate, which is situate
at the south side of the southern corner, and near the edge of
the valley of Gihon. Up this ravine, a mile or more, is the upper
pool of the fuller's field, mentioned in 2 Kings, xviii. 17. It is
made by running a strong wall across the ravine, walling the sides
and covering them with a water-proof cement. There was no running
water in this ravine at present, nor is there often except in the
rainy season. A little east of the Jaffa gate is the lower pool. It
is made in the same way as the upper pool. The wall is used as a
bridge--the road passing the ravine on it. There is no water in this
pool.
The valley of the Gihon becomes deeper as it passes eastward to
where it meets the Kedron. Below the second pool it takes the name
of the Valley of the Son of Hinnom or Tophet. It was formerly used
for many unclean purposes--some of the most abhorrent kinds of
idolatrous worship was once practised here--the burning of children
to Moloch, Jer. vii. 31. The valley appears to have been much
contracted by the great quantity of rubbish of all kinds which has
been thrown into it from the city. A road from the Jaffa gate passes
down the valley, dividing at the lower pool. One part passes to the
south side, and winding along the top of the bank for some distance,
crosses the plain southward to Bethlehem. The other winds down the
valley until it reaches the bottom--then along the valley until it
meets the one from the valley of Kedron, following the course of the
united valleys towards the Dead Sea. On the south side of the valley
of Hinnom, and near its junction with Kedron, is the potter's field.
It is a small parcel of ground near the top of the bank with an old
ruined house on it. There was a small level spot thirty feet below
the top of the bank, at the bottom of a thick stratum of horizontal
rock. Walls have been made enclosing a part of this--the face of
the rock forming the south wall of the building. The roof, which
is flat, is on a level with the top of the bank; and in it are a
number of holes, through which they used to throw the dead bodies.
It is not used now as a place of interment, and is fast going to
ruin, part of the walls having fallen in. All along the south side
of the valley are to be seen old tombs cut in the rock--some are of
considerable size, having several rooms--some are so large as to be
used by mules, donkeys, and other animals, as places of refuge from
the noonday heat of the sun.
At the junction of the valley of Hinnom with that of the Kedron,
which is nearly at right angles--the Hinnom running nearly east and
the Kedron nearly west--there is a level space of several acres,
laid out in gardens, and well set with trees. These gardens and
trees continue up the valley of the Kedron, which is wider than that
of the Hinnom, for some distance; this rich and beautiful-looking
spot, watered by the fountain of Siloam, is called the _King's
Dale_. These valleys have all steep, high banks. To the east of
the Kedron lies Mount Olivet, which runs north and south, and is
separated from the hill on which the city stands only by the deep,
narrow valley of the Kedron.
Mount Olivet terminates abruptly, or rather a break is made through
it nearly in a line with the valley of Hinnom, bearing a little to
the south of east. At the mouth of this new valley, which lets off
the water (when there is any) to the eastward, is a small pool,
and adjoining it is a kind of resting or lounging-place, now much
neglected--and close by is the well of Nehemiah, which is very deep,
and we infer from indications about it, that formerly it was much
used; but it is now almost entirely neglected. This is supposed by
some to be the En-rogel in 2 Sam. xvii. 17. Down this valley there
are a number of gardens, and fig and olive trees.
Turning up the valley of the Kedron, we passed some pretty gardens
and lots of ground well set with the fig and other fruit trees. A
few hundred yards brought us to the pool of Siloam. It lies in the
mouth of that little ravine I mentioned as separating Mount Zion
from Mount Moriah, and is now much filled up within the walls,
which cross it at some distance from its mouth. It has, no doubt,
been much filled without the walls, still it is very manifest on
the outside, and near its mouth. There is quite a high bluff on the
Moriah side, near the pool. This valley was formerly called the
valley of the Cheesemongers. It was over this valley that Solomon
is said to have made that splendid ascent to the house of God from
Mount Zion, where his palace stood, that struck the Queen of Sheba
with so much astonishment. 1 Kings, x. 5. The pool of Siloam is
small, not more than twenty or twenty-five feet long, and ten or
twelve wide. It may be eight feet deep, with only eighteen or twenty
inches of water in it. It is fed by the fountain of Siloam, which
rises about three hundred yards farther up the valley, and is taken
under ground through the point of the hill which projects into the
valley from Mount Moriah, and comes out at this place. The water
passes through the pool, and is conveyed by a channel to the edge of
the valley of the Kedron, (for the pool is a little up the valley of
the Cheesemongers, say twenty-five or thirty yards,) then it passes
through a set of troughs, where the people come to obtain water for
themselves and their cattle.
A considerable part of Mount Zion, the part which forms the point of
the angle between the valley of Hinnom and that of Kedron, is not
now included in the city. The wall no doubt formerly ran down the
valley of the Gihon to the point keeping close on the edge of the
precipice, up the valley of the Kedron, crossing the valley of the
Cheesemongers at the mouth, and keeping on the precipice, passed
Mount Moriah. The remains of the basement of the wall that crossed
the mouth of the valley of the Cheesemongers may yet be seen, south
of the pool of Siloam, near the large trough into which the water
flows from that pool. The present wall of the city leaves the edge
of the bank of the valley a little east of the Jaffa gate, and
traversing for a little space the higher part of the hill of Zion,
but leaving a large part of it to the right, takes nearly a straight
course across the upper part of the valley of the Cheesemongers to
Mount Moriah, leaving out most of this valley, and also the angle
of Mount Moriah, which is between the valley of the Kedron and the
valley of the Cheesemongers. Much of this space is now made the
depository of rubbish and filth of all sorts. The whole face of
the hill, both on the Gihon and the Kedron side, is evidently much
enlarged, and made to project into the valley, from the quantity of
rubbish thrown over it. Once it must have been a high and almost, if
not altogether, a perpendicular bank, but now the rubbish has almost
wholly hidden the face of the rock, being visible only in one or two
spots; thus forming a steep but sloping bank of rich, soft earth.
Some parts of it are planted with trees, and portions are used for
cultivating vegetables of various kinds. The present walls were, if
I mistake not, built by Caliph Omar, the successor of the celebrated
Saladin, who warred so bravely against the Crusaders, and wrested
Jerusalem and most of their possessions in Palestine from them. We
saw in the lower part of the wall on Mount Moriah, many rocks of a
very large size; but none that equalled those at Baalbec. The style
of building in the walls at Jerusalem reminded me of those parts of
the walls of Baalbec of a more recent erection, especially that on
the east side and adjoining the great temple.
A few hundred yards north of the pool of Siloam, we came to the
fountain of Siloam. This is a small spring on the city side of the
valley, and nearly opposite the corner of the city wall, where it
meets the precipice, and includes the space occupied by the temple.
Milton therefore was nearly right when he spoke of
"Siloah's stream, that flowed
Fast by the oracle of God."
This fountain is in a place like a cave, artificial, however, as
all the appearances indicate. You descend eight or ten steps which
lead down into the side of Mount Moriah--there you find a stream
of indifferent water. The quantity of water is not large, and it
is said that it has more water in it one part of the day than in
the other, more, for example, in the morning than in the afternoon.
What is the cause of this is not certainly known. Possibly it may
be the syphon form of the passage through which the water flows.
There are many cases of syphon springs. It may, however, arise from
some connexion which this fountain has with the water, brought by an
aqueduct to the mosque of St. Omar, on Mount Moriah. The quantity
of water brought is too great to be all used in the service of the
mosque, and as none flows from the platform, it has most likely some
passage under ground, and may possibly find its way to the fountain
of Siloam. The depth of the fountain below the surface of the ground
does not allow the water to flow off. A passage is cut on a level
with the fountain, large enough to admit a man to walk erect for
some distance. It passes into the hill, and under that high point of
Mount Moriah which lies between the valley of the Kedron and that of
the Cheesemongers, and comes out at the pool of Siloam. When this
work was done is not known.
The part of Mount Olivet near and opposite Mount Moriah, is very
much covered with Jewish graves. It is the favourite Jewish place
of interment. The rock is horizontal, and in many spots next the
valley, much of the face of the rock is bare. Parts of the stratum
are sufficiently thick to allow tombs to be cut in the face of it,
and by hollowing the softer stratum, caves have been formed for
the deposite of the dead. There is at one place a little village
almost entirely made up of old tombs that have been altered more or
less. Near the fountain of Siloam, are several sepulchral monuments
of more distinction than the mixed multitude that cover the side
of the mountains. The most remarkable are, the tomb or pillar of
Absalom, as it is called in 2 Sam. xviii. 18, that of Zechariah, and
Jehoshaphat. The tomb of Absalom is in the form of a house about
twelve feet square, hewn out of a solid rock, except the top, which
has a round cover of stones, neatly put together, and rising like a
short cone. It is hollow, and appears originally to have had but one
small entrance, high up in front, which was probably stopped with a
stone made to fit it. Several large holes have been broken through
the sides. The side walls appear to have been from eighteen inches
to two feet thick, leaving within quite a neat little room. It was
probably designed as a place of interment for himself. He found
one, however, in a very different place,--in a pit, and, instead
of resting in the neat stone chamber he had prepared with so much
care, he had a great pile of stones thrown on him. We saw here a
striking sample of the Arab custom of throwing stones at the graves
of persons whom they abhor for their crimes. There are large piles
of stones in and about this monument, which persons in passing have
thrown at it, to express their hatred of Absalom for his unnatural
rebellion against his father. The stratum of rock at this place
is much more thick and compact than is usually met with in these
regions.
The tomb of Zechariah is much like that of Absalom, and stands
but a short distance south of it. The style of architecture is not
precisely the same--there is no door to it that I could find, and of
course could not ascertain whether it was hollow. There is behind
it, in the open space that has been cut between it and the rock from
which it is separated, a hole, which descends, but so winding that
it is soon lost. It was so filled up that we could not descend it.
It may have some connexion with the inside of this building, and
have been intended for a secure place of interment.
About half way between the pillar of Absalom and the tomb of
Zechariah, is the tomb of Jehoshaphat. The same compact rock is made
use of, but it is of a different order of building. In this case,
several large rooms are hewn out of rock connected with each other.
A large front door or opening separated by pillars, and enriched
with carved work, is cut in the face of the rock, eight or ten feet
from the ground. The way of access is through a small, low hole,
_at the outside_, near the tomb of Zechariah. After entering a few
feet the space becomes larger, soon you can walk erect. The passage
ascends a little, and opens into a fine large room, in the front
of which is the large door that I have described. This room is of
course well lighted, and would make no uncomfortable habitation.
From this front room, doors and passages lead to others that lie
farther in the hill, and of course are dark, except the little light
they may receive from the antechamber. I wonder that this place is
not occupied as a residence, as it must, I think, be much better
than any of the tombs a little to the south, that are thus occupied.
Three or four hundred yards north of Absalom's pillar we came to
the place pointed out as the "Garden of Gethsemane." It lies on
the Mount Olivet side of the valley, not far from the bottom.
There are four or five acres at this place, partly in the valley
and partly on the foot of Mount Olivet, that have been laid out in
gardens, and some of them are still cultivated. There are a number
of olive-trees, some of them old and large. They point to one of
the enclosures, as the Garden of Gethsemane, where our Lord was in
agony, and where Judas led the band who took him. As is customary,
the priest will tell you the precise spot where the disciples
slept--where our Lord withdrew--and where Judas betrayed him. That
somewhere here was the place where those transactions took place,
is not unlikely, but it is all idle folly to pretend to be able to
designate the precise spots.
A little north of this is a chapel under ground, said to be the
tomb of the Virgin Mary. It is near the valley, a little on the
Mount Olivet side. A small part of the top of the building is above
ground, but the great body is below. We descended a wide, noble
flight of steps for ten or fifteen feet, and then we had a great
display of lamps and other rich ornaments, with a large altar in
front. At our right was a recess or little room, shown as the tomb
of Mary; and about half way up the steps were recesses on both
sides, said to be tombs of--I forget whom--Anna, perhaps, and other
females mentioned in the Gospels. When this place was made, or by
whom, I am not able to say. It is, however, one of the best pieces
of under-ground building that I have seen, and is in good keeping.
But how all these good people were found, after centuries had passed
away, is not for me to tell.
The gate of St. Stephen is nearly opposite the tomb of Mary, and
a road leads up from near the tomb to the gate. About two-thirds
of the way from the gate to the bottom of the valley, they point
out the place where Stephen, the first martyr, was stoned. It is
rather singular that they have erected no monument over it. It is
designated by a ledge of rocks, which projects from the ground.
Mount Olivet is higher than most of the ground on which the city
stands--higher than Mount Moriah, and about as high as the ground
above the Jaffa gate on the top of the ridge. There are a few
olive-trees scattered over the mount, but not as many as I had
been led to suppose. There is a mosque near the top of it, nearly
opposite Mount Moriah, and what is singular, there is a small church
_in the inside of the mosque_. The mosque is not used at present,
and was probably a part of the church formerly. The church is said
to be built on the spot from which our Lord ascended; and they
gravely showed us what they said was his track, or the print of his
foot. We know, however, that the ascent was nearer Bethany, which
lies on the east side of the mount. Luke xxiv. 38.
While the Jews chose Mount Olivet as their burying-ground, the
Mohammedans love to inter their dead on Mount Moriah, outside the
wall, and as near as they can to the mosque of St. Omar. They extend
these interments beyond the gate of St. Stephen, as there is more
room outside the walls, north of this place, for this purpose. Thus
the Jews bury on Mount Olivet, the Mohammedans on Mount Moriah, and
north of it along the outside of the city walls, and the Christians
on Mount Zion. There may be other burying-grounds occupied by each
of these classes of persons; but these appear to be the ones most in
use at present.
The north and west sides are the most assailable parts of the city.
The wall there runs on ground nearly level; it is, however, high
and strong. The rock for making it appears to have been raised from
a space twenty or thirty feet outside the wall, and thus a pretty
deep ditch has been formed, which gives much strength to the wall as
a means of defence. There is north of the city an extensive grove of
olives, and a few other trees. It seems to me almost certain, that
the city must once have extended farther north and north-west. The
old ruins and cisterns indicate that buildings have extended in that
direction.
I had often heard of the Sepulchres of the Kings, and took this
occasion to visit them. They are about a mile north-west of the
city wall. Instead of being on the side of a hill as I expected, I
found them on a level part of the plain. That part of the plain,
as indeed is usual, is based on a horizontal stratum of rock. At
this place the rock is more firm and compact than usual. A space,
perhaps forty feet square, has been cut down fifteen or twenty feet,
perhaps originally twenty-five or thirty feet, and the whole of the
rock removed, leaving the sides regular and smooth, like the walls
of a house. Parallel to the south side, and at the distance of
eight or ten feet, a graduated road has been made fifteen or twenty
feet wide, on a moderate descent, which brings it down near the
south-east corner, to nearly the same level with the floor within. A
noble archway is hewn through this wall, wide enough to admit three
or four men abreast. The whole is evidently much filled up--enough
remains to show that it was well planned and well executed.
Within this house-like place that I have described, and at the
western side, about eight feet of the upper part is covered with
sculpture of various kinds, wrought on the face of the rock. It
is rich, and of admirable execution. The part under this is hewn
away, and a kind of portico made, twenty feet long, ten or twelve
feet wide, and twelve feet high. I give these as the probable
dimensions, as I did not measure them. At the south end of this
portico, the rubbish, which had accumulated several feet, has been
removed, and an opening was found cut through the solid rock. Only
so much of the rubbish was removed as would enable a person, by
creeping, to enter. After creeping a few feet, we entered a room of
considerable size, say twelve feet square. From this room doorways
opened to another room, and from this to others; most of them on the
same level, but some of the passages lead to rooms below, and, in
one place, the hollow sound which the floor gave clearly showed that
there were yet other excavations beneath. These rooms had niches all
around for receiving the dead.
Originally these doorways had stone doors, with stone hinges. The
place for hanging the doors was obvious, and we saw several of the
broken doors made of a single stone slab. In one of the inner rooms
we saw some richly carved covers of a sarcophagus; the sarcophagus
itself was gone. The door of this room was lying there nearly
entire; it was richly carved, and wrought in a kind of panel-work.
The stone hinges were like those wooden hinges which we often meet
with in cabins, stables, &c. On one side of the stone a piece is
left at both ends to project out a few inches; holes are cut in
the doorway of such a size as will receive these projections, the
upper one made deep, the door put in, and made to turn on these
points. These tombs, although called the Tombs of the Kings, are
not believed to have been the place where the kings of Judah were
interred. We are told that they were usually buried in the city of
David,--that is, on Mount Zion. 2 Chron. xxiv. 16. We know not why
they are so called; possibly because they are the most remarkable
sepulchres that are known in the vicinity.
Learning that at the distance of a mile or two to the north-west, on
the same plain, there was a remarkable set of sepulchres, called the
Sepulchre of the Judges, we concluded to visit them also. There are
extensive beds of rock in this part of the plain, and in many places
its upper surface is six, eight, and ten feet above the level of the
soil. The rock is softer than that at the sepulchre of the kings,
being of that soft, friable limestone, which, from the ease with
which it is worked, is so much used in building. I could see that in
all directions it had been quarried and removed.
Advantage was taken of a place where the rock rose eight or ten
feet above the ground. It was cut so as to make a plain, smooth
front. Then a little porch-like place is hewn out, not unlike that
described at the sepulchre of the kings, the rock being left above
for a cover. A door was then cut in, with some rich carving over it.
This led into a large room, around which were a number of niches for
depositing the dead. Doorways opened at the three sides to other
rooms, and around these were niches--from these again to others.
Passing down through a hole in the corner of the first large room,
we found that there was one under it of nearly the same size. It
was in a less finished state than any of the others. It is usually
said, that there are seventy or seventy-two of those niches for
corpses--the number of judges in the Jewish sanhedrim. We could not
make out that number. We found sixty-eight or sixty-nine, if my
memory be correct.
Many ruins are to be seen on this plain to the north and north-west
of the city. There are many olive-trees scattered over it; and
wherever the massy, compact limestone rises to a height and size
that will admit of it, you are almost sure to see tombs cut in it.
There are several pools in the city. About half way from the Jaffa
gate to the church of the Holy Sepulchre there is one of large
dimensions; it is surrounded by houses, and is, I think, called the
pool of Hezekiah.
An aqueduct can in part be traced from the upper Gihon to the city
in the direction of this pool, and possibly it may be the work of
Hezekiah, mentioned in 2 Chron. xxxii. 30. "He stopped the upper
water-course of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side
of the city of David."
The pool of Bethesda lies near the gate of St. Stephen, and almost
adjoining the large open square, on which the mosque of St. Omar now
stands. It is now dry, and has not the appearance of often having
water in it. It is a small place. Several arched places are shown at
one end, as a part of the five porches mentioned in the Gospel.
In truth, Jerusalem is badly, very badly supplied with water.
Most of the houses have cisterns for rain water, but there is but
little of good spring or running water. The fountain of Siloam,
which is small and not good, is the only spring I have seen in the
neighbourhood of Jerusalem. Water is brought in for the use of the
mosque of St. Omar in pipes from the pools of Solomon, not I think
for general use.
The streets of Jerusalem are narrow and filthy; the houses have an
old and weather-beaten appearance. There is one peculiarity about
them which is rather singular. I saw something of it at Jaffa and at
Rumla. The _dome roof_ is almost universal. To me it has a pretty
appearance, and is a much better defence against rain than the flat
roofs which are so universal at Beyroot, and all the towns and
villages in the northern part of Syria.
This mission find their chief employment in distributing books
and conversing with the people, and find a good deal to encourage
them in their work. There is an increasing disposition among the
Mohammedans to have intercourse with them, and to converse with them
on the subject of religion. This is a promising circumstance.