TENT AND SADDLE LIFE

IN THE

HOLY LAND

REV. DAVID VAN HORNE, D.D,

AUTHOR OF

"THE MOUNTAIN BOY OF WILDHAUS; A LIFE OF ULRIC ZWINGLI," ETC.

SECOND EDITION.

----------------------------------

PHILADELPHIA:

THE AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION,

1122 CHESTNUT STREET.

1886

PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION.

The early call for a second edition indicates the favor with which this work has been received. It gives an opportunity to remove a few inaccuracies, which were overlooked in the first issue.

PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION.

OUR chief interest in the Holy Land arises from its association with the Bible. The country once trodden by the patriarchs, judges, kings and prophets, and by the Saviour himself and the apostles, cannot fail to attract the attention of travellers and readers in each generation. Besides this the face of the country is diversified, and the scenery of more than passing interest.

After our passage tickets had been purchased a rumor of the outbreak of the plague, on the shores of the Black Sea, threatened to interfere with our journey. The consequent falling off in the number of travellers eventually proved an advantage to our small party of three clergymen, since we enjoyed quite a monopoly of the arrangements made for a larger number, giving us a choice of guides, provisions and horses. We were also more free to make little excursions aside from the main lines of travel, and could obtain full replies to our questions from the dragomans. A kind Providence preserved us from the rumored pestilence. The results of our observations there are laid

iv PREFACE

before the reader in the following pages. Many travelers have gone over these pathways of the Holy Land, and have given valuable descriptions of the country and its inhabitants. Each observer gains new views, his descriptions shed fresh light upon the teachings of the Scripture, and thus, as by work on a grand mosaic, the picture of the land is to be gradually completed.

The incidents of tent and saddle life narrated here may serve to interest youthful readers, and are inserted in the hope of securing their attention. The experiences in camp, and the novelty of the sights by the wayside, the strange dress and manners of the people, and the old-fashioned methods of labor and travel, kept us constantly on the alert, and we trust that some of this interest will be shared by the reader.

The critical notes furnished by Rev. Edwin W. Rice, D.D., Editor of the American Sunday School Union, add largely to the value of the book for the advanced reader. In them will be found the results of the latest researches of the "Western Palestine Survey," "Condor’s Tent Work" and other fresh authorities. The excellent illustrations furnished by the publishers (many of them, by permission, from Schaff’s Dictionary of the Bible) will lend additional interest to the work.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

LANDING AT JAFFA, 9

CHAPTER II.

SHARON AND RAMLEH, 22

CHAPTER III.

GOING UP TO JERUSALEM, 37

CHAPTER IV.

SIGHTS ON MOUNT MORIAH, 54

CHAPTER V.

TOUR TO HEBRON, 78

CHAPTER VI.

FROM HEBRON TO BETHLEHEM, 104

CHAPTER VII.

WALKS ABOUT ZION, 116

CHAPTER VIII.

OLIVET AND BETHANY, 130

CHAPTER IX

TOUR TO MIZPEH AND GIBEON 143

CHAPTER X.

TOUR TO THE DEAD SEA AND THE JORDAN, 161

iv CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XI.

PAGE

FROM JERICHO TO THE VALLEY OF BACA, 183

CHAPTER XII.

FROM BACA TO THE VALE OF NABLUS, 201

CHAPTER XIII.

FROM NABLUS TO JENIN, 221

CHAPTER XIV.

AROUND THE GREAT PLAIN OF ESDRAELON, 236

CHAPTER XV.

NAZARETH, 255

CHAPTER XVI.

TABOR AND TIBERIAB, 271

CHAPTER XVII.

AROUND THE LAKE OF GALILEE-THE PLAIN OF GENNESARET, 285

CHAPTER XVIII.

ABOUND THE LAKE OF GALILEE-BETHSAIDA AND CAPERNAUM, 302

CHAPTER XIX

THE VALLEY OF THE HULEH, 319

CHAPTER XX.

DAN AND BANIAS, 332

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

American Consulate at Jerusalem, Frontispiece.

Yafa (Joppa) from the sea, 11

Exterior of the supposed House of Simon the Tanner, 14

Traditional Tomb of Dorcas at Jaffa, 25

Tower at Er-Ramleh, 32

Inn or Khan, 37

Kuryet el Enab (Kirjath-jearim) 44

The Interior of the Jaffa Gate, 53

Modern Jerusalem, 55

The Mosque of Omar and the Harem Area, 60

Eastern Wall of Jerusalem and Muslim Tombs, 67

Traditional Pool of Bethesda, 70

Ecce Homo Arch, Via Dolorosa, 75

The Wailing-place of the Jews, 77

Tomb of Rachel, near Bethlehem, 82

Eastern Mourners at the Grave, 83

Solomon’s Pools, 87

Eastern Sheepfold, 90

Eastern Plough, 93

View of Hebron from the South, 97

Mosque at Hebron, covering the Cave at Machpelah, 99

Vineyard in Syria, 105

Bethlehem, 109

View of Jerusalem from the South, 117

Tomb of David, 121

Pool of Hezekiah, inside the Jaffa Gate, 122

Interior of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, 125

Pool of Siloam, 131

Absalom’s Tomb, 132

Mount of Olives, 134

Bethany, 137

Tomb of the Judges, 144

viii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

El Jib (Gibeon), 150

Rolling Stone before Tomb, 157

Needle's Eye, 160

The Salt or Dead Sea, 169

Pilgrim's Bathing-place-The River Jordan, 173

Reeds, 175

Inhabitants and Dwellings at Eriha, 179

'Ain es Sultan, or Fountain of Elisha, 183

The Dead Sea from Jebel Usdum, south end, 188

Sycamore, 190

Mountains of Moab, 195

Seilun (ancient Shiloh), 204

Jacob's Well, 211

Nab1Qs (Shechem), 220

Ruins of the Colonnade of Samaria, 228

Zer'in (site of ancient Jezreel), 237

Date-palm, 239

Nazareth, 254

Place of Elijah's Sacrifice, 260

Lily, 265

Scarlet Lily, 265

Mount Tabor, 270

The Sea of Galilee from Tiberias 281

Sketch Map of the Sea of Galilee, 286

Gennesaret from Khan Minieh, 299

Tent Life, 301

Mill at Tabighah, 305

Fish of Galilee, 308

Ruins at Tell Hum, 310

Lake Huleh, or Waters of Merom, from the Southwest, 324

Yoke in Use in Palestine, 325

Women Grinding at the Mill in the East, 335

Sources of the Jordan, near Banias, 341

Banias, or Caesarea-Philippi, 345

TENT AND SADDLE LIFE

IN THE

HOLY LAND.

CHAPTER I.

LANDING AT JAFFA.

A LONG stretch of sandy coast overhung by a steel-gray sky, with glintings of the sunrise behind it; a town perched upon a rocky promontory, with houses reaching down to the water's edge,-this is what we beheld from the deck of the steamer off the port of Yafa or Jaffa. It was the morning of the last day of March, and, as is usual at that season, scuds of wind and rain were sweeping up and over the coast of Philistia. The sea was rough, and the prospect of getting safe to shore anything but assuring. Here was the entry port to the Holy Land, the very "gate" of the "gorgeous East," which, night and day, by sea and land, we had been seeking, and all the spice of adventure, the view of ancient sites and

10 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

holy places, the life of tent and saddle, which had been long in anticipation, lay beyond this gateway to Palestine.

And so the half mile of surf between us and the land must be crossed, however hazardous the experiment. It was somewhere here that the prophet Jonah was in deadly peril, and we had often read that this port was unsafe for landing passengers; but, despite all this, we must make the venture. The crew of our vessel had scarcely cast the anchor ere we beheld a number of clumsy boats, with four oars and a helm to each, putting out from the shore. By this time the sea was running high, and as the rollers swept over the jagged reef which fringes the coast, there was danger that the boats would be upset or dashed in pieces. One by one, however, they passed through the narrow opening in the reef, and, in a staggering way, came on to our vessel. After many of the boats filled with the pilgrim passengers from amidship had departed, ten cabin passengers, ourselves among the number, were handed rather unceremoniously into the craft awaiting us.

We were soon tossed up and down like an eggshell on the angry surf, which frequently dashed into the boat, and withal a heavy shower came on, and wet us through and through. At last we were driven through the narrow passage between

LANDING AT JAFFA. 13

the reefs, and by the mercy of a favoring providence reached the land in safety. Upon leaving the wharf, we were huddled together in a dark cellar, named by courtesy a custom-house, and, dripping wet as we were, waited until our luggage was examined with a "silver key." Through the one narrow, slippery street we next went to the "Mediterranean Hotel," far distant in the German suburb.

According to Josephus, Jaffa originally belonged to the Phoenicians. It has had a secular as well as a sacred history, and from remote times has been the sea-port of southern Palestine. Its name originally meant "delightful" or "beautiful," in the same sense conveyed by the Hebrew word used by Solomon in the "Canticles."* From this came the name "Japho," used in the days when Hiram landed here his rafts of cedar for Solomon's temple at Jerusalem. Still later, in the time of Jonah, it was known as Joppa, as it was also in the days of the apostle Peter.

As may be imagined, the sad plight we were in did not favor sight-seeing during this our first walk in Palestine. We hastened to the shelter awaiting us, thankful for the comfort of a fire and a change of garments. Luncheon was soon prepared and despatched, and, the storm

* Solomon's Song 6 : 4. + 2 Chronicles 2 : 16.

14 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

having now passed away, we sallied forth to examine the few points of interest in Jaffa. We found the streets still wet and slippery from the recent shower, and as they were paved for only part of the distance, and in that part only with cobble or field stones, we found the walking anything but pleasant.

Under the conduct of our guides we first visited the traditional site of the house of Simon the tanner, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles.* The house, in part at least, is a modern structure, built, like the surrounding dwellings, of stone, with a flat roof, having a little low dome in the centre. Upon entering it, we found a large stone trough in the lower story, at one end of which

* Acts 9 : 43 ; 10

LANDING AT JAFFA. 15

was a well, with an old axle having four arms by which it was turned in drawing water. This well, it is alleged, was anciently used by Simon in his trade, but now seems to be used only for the ordinary purposes of a household. The property is in the possession of the Mohammedans, who have set apart one room as a place of prayer. This room was small and poorly lighted, dingy and altogether uninviting.

From this point we ascended to the roof by an ancient flight of stone steps, which may indeed, with the foundations of the building, have come down from the times of the apostles. From the roof we enjoyed a very fine view of the surrounding buildings, and the yet turbulent sea breaking upon the ragged edges of the reef, where we had so lately made our dangerous passage.

We were reminded of the classical story of Andromeda, who has a constellation of stars named after her, who, according to the myth, was chained to these very rocks upon which we were gazing. The story runs that Neptune, being enraged because the mother of Andromeda had boasted that she was herself more beautiful than any of his nymphs, sent a frightful sea monster to ravage the country. The oracle of Jupiter Ammon had declared that the only way to ap-

I6 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

pease the anger of Neptune was to expose Andromeda to the devouring monster, which was accordingly done. At the critical moment Perseus appeared, and of course set the maiden free, and afterward married her. The lively imagination of the Greeks still impresses itself upon the world's attention, for we read this story in the constellations which adorn the northern heavens each clear November evening. Whether the old sea monster were still raging around Jaffa on the day of our visit or not, true it was that, like the fair Andromeda, we were in peril among these rocks, although we were not in chains as she is reputed to have been.

From the recollection of this ancient legend, or "fable" as Josephus calls it,* our minds reverted to the glorious fact recorded, in Scripture that Peter was praying here, near this very spot, when he had the vision in which he saw the heaven opened and a vessel descending upon the earth, wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts and creeping things and fowls of heaven. In this "vision of toleration," as it has well been named, Peter was instructed to hold fellowship with Gentile converts to Christianity in the words, "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common." + Here at Jaffa, where the Jewish

* Wars of Jews 3 : 9, & 3. + Acts 10 :11-15.

LANDING AT JAFFA. 17

nation came in contact with the outside world, it was fitting that this remarkable revelation should be made. The vast consequences which have flowed from that single event, and the bearing it has had upon us who are of Gentile extraction, must secure for Jaffa and the house of Simon the tanner a lasting place in the world's history.

The roof of this building afforded us a commanding view of the whole coastline north and south. A court or yard is attached to the house, with a low wall at its farther side, against which the waves dash in rough weather; and within the court is the well used, as is said, for a long time for the purposes of the tanner. We could see no good reason for doubting the tradition which locates Peter's vision at or near this place, though its identity has often been questioned.

On our way back to the hotel we passed a fine we npassed afine building, beautifully situated upon the high promontory, where the school of Miss Arnold, an English lady, maintains its well-earned reputation. Besides this institution Jaffa boasts of three convents, each of which represents one of the three Christian sects most numerous in Palestine-the Greek, the Latin and the Armenian; and in addition it has two or three Mohammedan mosques. The whole population probably does not exceed five thousand.

18 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

Near the city gate we found the bazaar, or market-place for the sale of breadstuffs and the fruits for which the place has ever been famous; and just beyond the city gate, where the road to the northeast diverges from the road to Ramleh, we found the horse-market. Here are the stables of the muleteers, where tourists, unless otherwise provided for, must pass the ordeal of obtaining escorts and animals to convey them to Jerusalem. The mixed multitude were bargaining in horses, camels and donkeys.

All traces of the late shower had now passed away, and the native dragomans, with gay tarbooshes on their heads, flaming sashes about their waists, booted and spurred like knights of errantry, were hurrying hither and thither in preparation for the departure of the caravans. At another point a lady tourist was mounted on a sorry-looking steed, testing the qualities of the animal, while the eloquent guide assured her of his entire trustworthiness, a fact which even the casual observer would not dispute. The scene was altogether novel; the peculiar costumes, mixed language and dashing horsemanship of the natives affording us an anticipation of rich experiences in this line yet in store for us.

Jaffa does not differ from other sea-ports in having people within its walls of different nation-

LANDING AT JAFFA. 19

alities, and unfortunately this leads to lawlessness and more or less disorder in society, which the Turkish authorities as usual are unable to control or suppress. Accordingly there is but slight security here for life and property, and but little inducement for strangers to take up their permanent abode either in the town or the fine country districts surrounding it.

The attempts at colonization here and at Jerusalem, made at different times since the days of the Crusades, have signally failed. In 1866 forty families came to Jaffa from the state of Maine, and formed what was known as the American colony. Their motive appears to have been partly religious and partly secular. They thought it the duty of Christians in other countries to occupy the Holy Land-not by conquest, as was the thought of the Crusaders, but by purchase and by careful tillage to restore the soil to its ancient fertility.

The chief drawback to this venture was not in any natural defect of the climate or soil, for both are most favorable to the purposes of immigration. The plain of Sharon evidently is an excellent soil for wheat, millet and other crops, and here as fine orange orchards are found as one can see in the state of Florida or elsewhere. But the sole obstacle to immigration and prosperity

20 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

here is the lack of good government. No farmer can live in a land where he has no protection for his family, his crops or his cattle.

After a few years the American colony fell into great poverty, and its members would gladly have returned had they had the means. At last a wealthy traveller, who saw their pitiable condition, paid the passage homeward of many sick women and children, and sent them back to America. A few, however, remained, and their sons, who can speak both Arabic and English, are now serving as guides to travellers.

A German colony also came here in 1868 from Wurtemberg, which formed a sect known as the "German Temple." Their distinctive doctrine, founded on some of the prophecies, is that Christians are under an obligation to settle in Palestine. They number about two hundred and fifty souls, part of whom live at Sarona, two miles northeastward and not far from Sir M. Montefiore's garden.

There is another German colony at Jerusalem, founded by Rev. Christopher Hoffman, that came there some years since with the thought of preparing for the second coming of Christ, which they believed to be near at hand. There is also a colony of four hundred Germans near Haifa, under the shadow of Mount Carmel. They are

LANDING AT JAFFA. 21

said to cultivate about one thousand acres of fair land lying between the mountain and the sea, while up its steep slopes vineyards are terraced by their labor, as was the custom in Palestine years ago.

Besides these there are many other persons in the land who, like Lady Stanhope, hold extreme or fanciful views on religious topics. Many Jews also find their way thither from Russia and other lands, under the hope that the ancient people of God will soon be restored to their beloved country and capital city. To this end societies have been organized, periodicals issued and explorers sent forward to inspect the country; but as yet no assured progress has been made, nor does it seem that the way is open for successful colonization at the present time.

With our one day's experience and observation we were quite willing to bid farewell to the little city by the sea; and as we had planned to leave the country at a northern port, it was our final adieu to Jaffa.

CHAPTER II.

SHARON AND RAMLEH.

ALONG the narrow lane, bordered by a stone fence, which leads up to the Mediterranean Hotel at Jaffa, we found our horses ready saddled for our afternoon's ride toward Jerusalem. If we had cherished any anticipations that we were to be mounted on fiery Arabian steeds, on which to give the natives an idea of an American's skill in horsemanship while passing through their country, the idea was quickly dispelled when we saw these animals. Not that the horses were poor or unsightly, but evidently they were not thoroughbreds. We could not trace a single line in their build which bespoke the mettlesome charger. On the other hand, the whole group seemed very much at home in their present position, and as they stood along the sunny side of the wall, nodding sleepily, or resting their heads upon each other's haunches, we could not see that they differed much from the ordinary work-horses of America.

But, as has often been remarked, one cannot always trust to outward appearances; and some

SHARON AND RAMLEH. 23

of our party, not exactly certain of their equestrian skill, were already casting longing eyes upon the more sleepy-looking animals, wishing that one of these might fall to them in the allotment. A horse in repose is quite a different thing from a horse in action; and who could tell what one these peaceful-looking animals might do when he found a strange and an indifferent rider upon his back, as he snuffed his native mountain air on his way up to Jerusalem? All reflections upon the subject were cut short by the sudden appearance of the guide, who commanded all to mount and allotted the animal to be used by each rider. As it frequently turns out in human affairs, either the ambition to ride swiftly or the fear of falling off, on the part of the riders, was not fully realized that day, but each traveller found enough to do in urging his horse onward in order to keep up with the party.

Besides our party of three Americans, we now had an English gentleman, Mr. H-, and Mr. Lemaitre, a young gentleman from Paris, mounted in company with us. An assistant guide, named John (of whom more hereafter), went before us in dashing style through the crowded little bazaar and led us out by the highway eastward. On either side the road was bordered by hedges of cactus or thorn, of luxuriant growth, behind which

24 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

were the famous orange orchards. We could see the trees, now adorned with spring blossoms, while the green, the half-ripened and the great golden matured fruit hung upon the bending branches, or lay upon the ground ready for the hand of the gatherer. The oranges of Jaffa are the finest in Palestine and Syria. It is said that its pomegranates and watermelons are likewise in high repute, and its gardens and orange and citron groves are indeed fragrant at this season.

Having passed the orange groves, we soon came to the forks of the road, and just in the angle we found the structure which marks the supposed site of the tomb of Dorcas. According to tradition this is the place where the miracle was wrought by Peter restoring the good woman to life while the lamentations were in progress previous to her funeral.* The building is of fair size, one story in height, and is ornamented with three small domes and two small minarets. An arch, enclosing a sort of niche, adorns the otherwise solid masonry of the front, and is flanked by a twin window on either side. Tall and graceful cedar trees, on either side of the tomb, lend their solemn shade and heighten the beauty of the

*Acts 9 : 36-43.

SHARON AND RAM-LEH. 27

place. It seems fitting that this remarkably benevolent woman, whose good works were honored by her own people and have been commemorated by thousands of Christian societies in later ages, should thus have her tomb on this beautiful plain of Sharon. The fruits of holy living which she exemplified were grander, to be sure, than the grain and fruits of this fertile plain; yet the latter may be taken as a symbol of the former, so that there is a harmony between the tomb and its surroundings.

The very air was fragrant with the scent of orange and citron blossoms, wafted to us from the gardens we had just passed; and this we could not help regarding as illustrating in a certain sense the sweet memory of Dorcas.

Our guide now directed us to take the right-hand road, passing by the left which runs directly to Lydda, whence Peter came on his way to Joppa. We were now on the main thoroughfare to Jerusalem, a road broad and smooth, and evidently kept in repair for the accommodation of tourists and pilgrims. The fields on either side, while they were destitute of fences, appeared fresh and green, as might be expected at this season. The growing crops were chiefly wheat and barley, the former of a good healthful hue, but slow of development, and the latter "in

28 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

the head," lacking but few weeks of the harvest. The soil appeared fertile, but no great proportion of it was under tillage; and here and there herds of cattle and flocks of sheep could be seen in charge of their keepers.

The general aspect of the country was not unlike the appearance of some of our prairie lands west of the Mississippi. One exception, and only one, occurred to us in passing, and that was the contrast in the people and the arrangement of their dwellings. In the far West the traveller will notice the cabins of the settlers sprinkled about here and there upon their claims and sections; but along the highway in ancient Sharon no trace of farm buildings was visible. Where do these farmers and shepherds have their dwellings? The guide pointed to the hills of Philistia looming up on our right, and informed us that for the sake of security the people lived in little hamlets at a distance from the highway. We could now distinguish their dwellings in groups perched up against the distant hillsides.

As we moved forward at an easy pace the fragment of an old hymn, endeared to all from childhood's memory, spontaneously suggested itself—

"How sweet the breath beneath the hill

Of Sharon's dewy rose."

SHARON AND RAMLEH. 29

We were on the lookout for one of these roses, but found not a single specimen. Osborn says that from ancient times the rose has been the symbol of beauty and of loveliness, and nowhere is it valued more than in the East. Some of the most pleasing and charming varieties grow on the borders of the Mediterranean; but the double roses, or at least the varieties, are seldom or never seen wild. He thinks that the famous roses of Sharon and Jericho were developed by cultivation. Dr. Thomson suggests that the rose of Sharon was a species of the mallow, and others think it a narcissus. We saw a number of brilliant flowers on the plain, but they were mainly poppies and anemones; could either of them have been the successor of the famous rose of Sharon, to which our Lord is likened in the Canticle? (2.1).

The clatter of a horse's hoofs upon the smooth, hard roadbed behind us put our musings suddenly to flight. The rider, whoever he might be, was coming on at a furious pace. Even our sleepy and steady-going animals were thrown out of their sedateness somewhat, and began shying and prancing in a manner quite terrifying to the uninitiated among us. So many stories have been related by travellers of the raids of the Bedawin upon tourists in the Holy Land that we might

30 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

have been excusable for thinking that they were even now upon us. The fears of the timid, if any were in fear, were quickly dispelled by the sudden appearance of our guide in chief, whom we had left behind in Jaffa, mounted upon a coal black charger and spurring past us, almost with the fleetness of the wind, and with a shout challenging us for a race. This was the custom of the land, we learned subsequently. Sheikhs, herdsmen, guides and muleteers are all fond of this exercise, and even the donkey boy, when allowed to hold a horse for a half hour, is quite certain to vault into the saddle and set off on a canter.

After this incident the whole party moved forward at a quickened pace, and at five o'clock we reached the village of Ramleh. We had now made twelve miles of our journey, averaging four miles to the hour, and this was considered a quick trip in this country. As we were to pass the night at this place in order that we might start at an early hour on the morrow for Jerusalem, we were taken at once to the ancient tower, which is regarded as the object of greatest interest. Dismounting at the foot of the tower, we gave our horses in charge of the attendants and began to inspect the ruins. We found ourselves in the midst of a large quadrangular enclosure, in every part of which were to be seen the fragments of

SHARON AND RAMLEH 33

what was once solid masonry. Here we saw the traces of former arches and walls braced by crumbling buttresses, while underneath were extensive subterranean vaults, still resting secure on their former foundations. It is supposed that these are the remains of what was once a splendid khan, where travellers halted on their journeys. Opinion is divided as to who were the original builders of all this masonry. Dr. Robinson, who investigated the historic evidences very fully, inclines to the view that the ruin is wholly Saracenic. This is in opposition to the traditional view which has always regarded this place as a relic of the former building of the Crusaders.

The tower; a great column of masonry, which stands like a grim sentinel keeping watch over the ruins at its base, is over one hundred feet in height, and is still in a fair state of preservation. It is evidently of Saracenic architecture, and stands towards the northwest part of the enclosure. It is square in structure, built of well-hewn stones, and its corners are supported by tall, slender buttresses. The walls taper upward by several stories to the top; and while the windows are of various forms, they all have pointed arches. The tower, Dr. Robinson thinks, was originally a minaret--a lofty structure used by the Mohammedans at the present day in many cities, from

34 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

the top of which a sentinel calls out the hour when the faithful are to pray. He finds that it was erected by an Egyptian khalif named Muhammed Ibn Kalawun, about 1310 A.D., and required eight years for its completion.

We found the ascent of the tower quite fatiguing. Passing through the arched portal we began our task of climbing up the spiral stone staircase, in which we counted one hundred and twenty steps, each nearly a foot in height. As we reached each successive landing we caught, through the open windows, glimpses of the beautiful landscape around.

A charming view greeted our sight when we had reached the summit. To the northwest we had the extensive plain of Sharon stretched out before us. The surface of the plain was undulating, and the promising fields of wheat and barley, with here and there green meadows and pasture-land interspersed, gave abundant evidence of rich fertility. We noticed the minarets and domes of the large village of Lydda, about three miles distant, surrounded with its olive orchards and cactus hedges. Turning to the westward we traced the road by which we had approached the place, and in the distance caught sight of the bright waters of the Mediterranean. To the southward lay the hills of Philistia, already mentioned,

SHARON AND RAMLEH. 35

studded with the little hamlets of the farmers, thus affording the choice feature of every beautiful landscape, the evidence of human habitation. To the eastward were the lofty hills of Judea, over which we were to make our way on the morrow. The rays of the declining sun lighted up the clearly-defined summits, while the narrow valleys were wrapt in the sombre shadows of the coming darkness; and at our feet, nestled against the base of this ancient and beautiful tower, lay the modern village of Ramleh, with its groves of olive trees and its luxuriant hedges of cactus.

Enjoyable as was this scene, the lateness of the hour warned us that it was time for us to descend, and cautiously feeling our way down the broken stone steps we soon emerged into the quadrangle and mounted our horses for the ride to our quarters in the village. This part of the day's journey was quickly accomplished; for in a few minutes we turned up one of the little streets and came upon a house with a flag floating from a staff planted on the roof, on which were the welcome words "Frank Hotel." The building had evidently been used formerly as a dwelling, but was now improvised for a lodging place for travellers. Its former owner was a Mohammedan, and here it was said he kept his harem. The lower story was now used as a dining-room

36. TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

and kitchen, while above were our lodging-rooms, opening out upon a broad stone terrace. Our evening meal was soon prepared, and served upon a very primitive table constructed of benches and heavy deal plank, while sacks of barley and other grain were piled in heaps against the heavy stone walls and in the gloomy corners of the basement room which served as our dining apartment. At an early hour we retired to our sleeping-rooms, nothing daunted by the thought that this was once occupied by the aforesaid harem; and, weary with the novel experiences of the day, we fell into our first sleep in Palestine.

CHAPTER III.

GOING UP TO JERUSALEM.

"GARCON! Garcon!! Garcon!!!" These were the words which rang through our ears like the blare of a trumpet, at daybreak on the following morning at Ramleh. We recognized the voice as that of our English fellow-traveller. With a feeling of alarm we hastily made our toilet and opened the door, fearing that mischief might be brewing.

We found our friend Mr. H standing in his open doorway, clad only as if he had just arisen from sleep, shivering in the crisp morning

38 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

air, attempting to arouse the attendants in the basement. "Garcon" is the French name for waiter, and we concluded that Mr. H-- had adopted it, because we were now at the Frank Hotel, where French would seem to be most appropriate. We found out afterwards, however, that it was our friend's habit, when travelling in any foreign country, to make a dash at French, even if the people understood English perfectly well. "Garcon" seemed more polite and courteous than "waiter," hence, no doubt, its frequent use.

At last one of the guides appeared, whereupon a colloquy took place of a most animated description. It seems that Mr. H-- had determined that his luggage, consisting of several heavy trunks; should be kept with us during our month's journey. On this point a long debate had taken place at Jaffa, the guide wishing the trunks sent by steamer to Beirut, to await our arrival. A compromise had been effected by hiring an extra mule to transport the effects, and now Mr. H-- had awakened, in fear, lest his bundle of twelve canes and nearly as many umbrellas had been forgotten at Jaffa. Hence the alarm;-and what, with the mixture of fair English, bad French, and barbarous Arabic; the opening of the heavy mule packs, the braying of the animals, and the presence of wondering

GOING UP TO JERUSALEM. 39

natives;--there was commotion like that in the baggage train of a great army. At last the particular package was found, just where it had been safely stowed away at Jaffa. Peace and order having been restored, the cook welcomed us to the breakfast table.

The sun was fairly above the high Judean hills when we mounted our horses to go up to Jerusalem. We wound around the cactus hedges, and high plastered walls enclosing the fine gardens of Ramleh, until, presently, we emerged into the open country. The soil here is of a sandy nature, yet very fertile; the village is surrounded by olive groves, while here and there an occasional carob, sycamore, or palm tree might be seen along the wayside.

A city was founded here by the Mohammedans in the early part of the eighth century, under the name which it now bears, Ramleh--"The Sandy." When the crusaders came, they captured it and made it one of their strongholds, in connection with Lydda and Jaffa. Here they celebrated a festival to St. George upon the abundance of provisions left behind by the fleeing inhabitants, and made the hero, who slew the dragon, their patron saint. To this day, England acknowledges St. George, and still raises the white banner with the red cross.

40 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

As we emerged from the narrow streets, and our little party straggled along the highway eastward, we thought of the contrast between our own appearance and that of the royal knights of ancient times. Richard Coeur de Lion may have swept along this road, with his magnificent army of crusaders, mounted on war-horses, their lances, shields, and battle-axes glistening, like mirrors, in the sun. Our steeds seemed entirely oblivious of the fact that they were on ground distinguished by such grand equine exploits. The only ambition they manifested was, a seeming desire, that each one should be last in the train, and we had much ado to urge them forward at a gentle trot.

In two hours we ascended the first foot-hill of the Judean range, and reached a miserable hamlet named El-kubab, situated on a rise of ground to our right. The guide informed us that the town formerly bore a very bad reputation; for not many years ago, a few gentlemen having some valuable goods in charge, while passing it in the night, were set upon and robbed by the inhabitants. When complaint was made to the Turkish officials they, in contrast with their usual indifference, placed the whole population under arrest, and confiscated all their cattle, sheep and grain, and by their severity taught the Kubabians such

GOING UP TO JERUSALEM 41

a lesson that they no longer seek for plunder, and are almost afraid even to ask for backshish.*

An hour later we reached the Bab el Wady, "gate of the glen," which from ancient times has been the chief entrance to the Judean range from the west. The descent into the valley of Ajalon is here quite steep, and thus nature has made it a place of defence. From this point we had a fine view of the valley and heights beyond. The vale of Ajalon is wide and fertile, and runs from northeast to southwest, having a stream-bed in its centre, through which the heights around Gibeon are drained. To the southward, in Philistia, David probably selected his pebbles from the bed of this water-course, when he fought his famous battle with Goliath.+ Far toward the northeast, the guide pointed out. the pass of Beth-horon, from which Joshua commanded the sun and the moon to stand still. With the aid of the glass we were enabled to distinguish the town of upper Beth-boron, as the sun shone upon it through a rift in the clouds. It lay high up among the mountains, beyond the pass through which the discomfited Amorites must have fled

* This is the Arabia word for "present." Dr. Robinson spells it "bakhshish," Dr. Thomson has "baksheesh," and Canon Tristram, "backshish"

+ 1 Samuel 17:40.

+ + Joshua 10:12.

42 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

away in terror into this valley of Ajalon, on the day of their utter defeat.

Near our point of observation is the village of Latrun, named thus from the tradition that Disma, the penitent thief, formerly was a bandit at this place. Lying in wait behind these high rocks on either side of the "gate of the glen," he would fall upon some hapless traveller and despoil him of his goods. Here also, it is said, is the native place of the famous Maccabees, who maintained a long and successful struggle with the Syrian kings, and finally succeeded in establishing, for a period, the independence of the Jews. About the year 175 B.C., on this very hill-top, Apelles, one of the Greek commissioners sent by Epiphanes, set up an altar for idol-worship, and commanded the people to offer sacrifices upon it. Only one poor Jew obeyed; when Mattathias, the priest, with his five sons appeared on the scene, putting Apelles and the Jew to the sword, and scattered the crowd of idolaters. One of the old priest's sons, named Judas--who is sometimes called the Washington of Judea--became the leader of the Jewish forces, and from these rocky hills, by sorties, and night attacks, and deeds of desperate daring, drove off the Syrians from the land.

At this point we began the toilsome ascent of

GOING UP TO JERUSALEM. 45

the Judean mountains,--for mountains they are, though we are not accustomed to speak of them by this title. They are composed of a limestone of yellowish color. No forest trees, and but little grass or shrubbery, are found upon their rounded sides or lofty summits. Following the tortuous track of the highway, and gradually attaining higher and yet higher elevations, we came, near midday, to Kirjath-jearim. It was here that the sacred ark of the covenant abode for twenty years, after it was restored to the Jews. It had been taken to the battle-field by Hophni and Phinehas, the two ingrate sons of good old Eli, that it might be a charm to discomfit the Philistines; but, alas! the Philistines triumphed, and took the ark, with all the spoil, to their own land; whence by a providence they returned it, drawn in a rude cart by two new milk cows, to its proper owners.*

Few of the touching stories of Old-Testament history have a pathos equal to the story of that sacred ark. It came from the foot of Sinai, with the tables of the law. The history of God's dealings with his ancient people, the incidents in the lives of Moses, Joshua, Eli and Samuel, were bound up with it; and here on this sunny mountain slope, after it came from the great temple of

*1 Samuel 6:7-12.

46 TEXT AND SADDLE LIFE.

Dagon at Ashdod-after it was sent away from Gath, Ekron and Beth-shemesh--came this holy ark to the house of Eleazar the son of Amminadab, and here it rested until King David, with great pomp and a royal procession, took it up to Mount Zion.*

As we approached Kirjath-jearim, a cloud which had been hanging over the horizon in the southwest for some time, suddenly assumed a very dark and threatening aspect. A coming storm, the proverb says, hastens the traveller on his way; and our party, following the example of the guide, urged the horses into a quick pace down the hill, toward the little khan where we were to partake of luncheon. As I could not leave that place with only a passing glance, I rode under a fine olive tree by the wayside, just opposite the village, and waited till the storm should be over. I did not have long to wait: a gust of wind, a dash of rain, and the rattle of a brief hail-storm was upon me, and was soon past me, driving over the hills around Jerusalem. It was the last touch of the rainy season, and we did not see another drop of rain fall during the four weeks which we spent in Palestine and Syria.

The little village now looked quite cleanly and

* 2 Samuel 6.

GOING TO JERUSALEM. 47

inviting, as it had been washed by the passing shower. It lies on the eastern side of one of the high Judean hills, and not far from the summit which we had crossed only a few moments before. Its situation is at the edge of one of the peculiar bowl-shaped depressions which form such a characteristic feature of this mountain landscape. But while most of these upland vales have bare rock for their sides, this one is a terrace of fertile soil, occupied with fruit trees, vineyards and gardens; hence its modern name, Kuryet el Enab—"village of vines." It was suitable place for the repose of the sacred ark, half hidden as it is in the shadow of the mountain, and surrounded with abundance of vines, olive and fig trees. The single-story stone houses with twin windows, with a fine old gothic ruin in front said to have been erected by the Crusaders and dedicated to the Knights of St. John; a mosque, a fountain, and the remains of an ancient khan enshrine this smiling hamlet as a pleasing picture in the memory. The extended prospect in front,-- reaching quite across the vale of Hanina to the high hills before Jerusalem, with a variety of mountains peaks guarding the deep wadies between, with here and there an orchard of olive or of fig trees set in the terraced hillsides,-- affords the village of vines a suitable environment. Kirjath-jearim, the name

48 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

by which we know this place in Old-Testament history, is truly one of nature's sanctuaries, and well deserves the honor of keeping, for twenty years, the sacred ark of the covenant.*

The traces of the shower had nearly disappeared when, a few minutes later, I joined the party at the khan in the valley, where we were to partake of luncheon. The khan of Palestine is neither a hotel nor a private dwelling. It is simply a shelter by the wayside where the traveller may rest, while he entertains himself with his own provisions, and, if he remain over night, may lie down upon his own bedding. The khans vary in size and in finish according to the location. On the long routes from Cairo to Damascus, or from either of these cities to Mecca, the buildings are of large size; but in the present instance the place was small and used as a dwelling, and the accommodations were very meagre. The structure was made of common field stone, plastered with clay, and the roof was made of sticks covered with brush and turf. An old man seemed to have the place in charge, and opened

*Robinson's map, "Environs of Jerusalem," locates Kirjathjearim at Kuryet el Enab, but Conder and Dr. Chaplin propose Soba as its site, and the Palestine Memoirs suggest Khurbet 'Erma. The first two places are within sight of each other, so that the above description will afford the reader a view of the general surroundings in either case.

GOING UP TO JERUSALEM 49

the door of welcome to us, upon the payment of a few piastres.

The guide, with his assistants, spread the cloths upon the ground floor, and brought forth the store of provisions; and as our appetites were good, after the morning's ride, we were anticipating a pleasant repast in this primitive hostelry. But scarcely were we seated around the edges of the cloth, after the Turkish fashion, before our troubles commenced. First came the chickens, half running, half flying across the place occupied by the dishes, picking at the bread, eggs, and meat as if they intended to make the most of this their golden opportunity. Following them came the cats, scarcely less persistent yet far more stealthy, and they nearly completed the work of destruction. It was indeed an embarrassing situation, and we soon despatched what provision each one had been fortunate enough to secure at the beginning, and prepared to retreat into the highway. Our hasty exit surprised a half-grown girl who had been watching us, with great black, greedy eyes, from the corner of the doorway. She would have made a good subject for any artist who could paint well from memory. She disappeared quickly around the corner of the building, her coarse black hear, and tattered tunic, streaming

50 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE .

out behind her in the wind. We were unable to catch a glimpse of her afterward.

The khan had an elevated portion in the interior which extended over nearly one-half of the floor space. This raised portion was about two feet above the general level, and was composed of stone masonry, within which was a broad, shallow oven, securely arched at the top and covered with a coat of plaster. Upon this the bedding is usually placed during winter, so that, with a brisk fire of brushwood and dried grass kept up during the day, the people sleep in tolerable comfort at night, enjoying the heat retained in the stonework. In some cases the donkeys are kept upon the ground-floor, and the manger is placed along the front of the raised portion. Thus the ancient khan at Bethlehem must have been constructed with the cave in the rear, where, because there was no room for them at the inn, Mary wrapped the infant Jesus in swaddling-clothes and laid him in the manger.

Our route from the khan led over another hill of Judea, on the summit of which is a ruin named Kustul, an ancient fort of either the Romans or the Crusaders. High on the crest of the range to the northward we saw Mizpeh, the former tomb of Samuel, now named Nebi-Samwil; while, at an almost equal height and

GOING UP TO JERUSALEM. 51

like situation, to the southward we saw a conical peak named Soba. As we advanced, these two summits were almost constantly in sight, and each seemed the more majestic and impressive the nearer we approached them.

From Kustul we descended to Kulonieh, lies just on the border of the great valley Hanipaty. It is undoubtedly the site of an old Roman town, for near by it is a fine bridge of stone over the bed of the little brook, which showed the trace of Roman architecture. It is of interest to note that the little place named Kulonieh, which is an attractive village, with gardens and vineyards surrounding it, is one of the supposed sites of Emmaus,* where the Saviour and the two disciples came on the evening of the day of his resurrection.+ Could it be certainly proved that this is the very spot where that ever-memorable scene occurred, few places even in this most interesting land would be of greater interest to us. It is distant from Jerusalem just about the required sixty furlongs; and it is situated at the side of the ancient road leading westward to Kirjath-jearim and Ramleh, supposed by many to be ancient Arimathea. From Kulonieh the

* Some authors locate Emmaus at Kubeibeh, farther to the north and west.

+ Luke 24 :13.

52 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

disciples could easily have returned the same evening, with their joyful tidings, to the holy city; and thus nearly all the conditions of the sacred narrative are met by this location.

From this point we crossed the arch of stonework already mentioned, and soon came to a high hill, which we climbed in a zigzag fashion by some eight diagonals, all included within a space of about one-fourth of a mile. It was in reality climbing up the face of a steep, and in places almost perpendicular cliff, and thus it formed a fitting climax to the fatigue of the day's travel. We were able from the top to gain a view along the winding track which we had followed from. Kirjath-jearim, and also to take in the general appearance of the Judean hillsides. As a rule they are quite barren of vegetation. Slabs of limestone are seen all along their sides, glistening in the sunlight. The layers of rock are mainly horizontal, and swell in and out in curved lines around the projections and recesses, thus affording natural terraces, which once were under cultivation no doubt, but now are in a state of nature. In the beds of the deep, narrow valleys olive trees, and little gardens under cultivation, may be noticed; and higher up, in a few places, the natural terraces are occupied with vineyards.

GOING UP TO JERUSALEM 53

While we were still among the mountains, as we supposed, we were almost at the gates of Jerusalem. Having gone a few yards from the summit of the cliff with the diagonals, we were already in the suburbs which lie without the city walls. We saw the upper and lower pools of Gihon, in the valley of Hinnom, on our right; and ere we could fairly realize it we were within the Jaffa Gate and dismounting in David Street, in front of the Mediterranean Hotel.

CHAPTER IV.

SIGHTS ON MOUNT MORIAA.

ALL readers of the Bible have, at least, a general conception of the surroundings of Jerusalem. And, in the main, the general view is quite correct, though the details will greatly vary from our ideal of the holy city. All have heard of the mountains round about Jerusalem, to which the Psalmist compares the watchfulness and care of Jehovah over his people. Even the stranger can find them at once, and without hesitation. Scopus, the Mount of Olives, the Mount of Offence, and the Hill of Evil Counsel are all in plain sight, and are easily identified. So also the two noted elevations within the city walls, Zion and Moriah, can be recognized at a glance; and even the valleys of Hinnom and Jehoshaphat have, at the very first sight, a familiar aspect.

If we were to remain without the walls we would not need a guide, except for his protection. We can walk entirely around the city walls within an hour,--only two and one-half miles in length,--and at first we feel disappointed that Jerusalem has only about twenty-five thousand inhabitants.

SIGHTS' ON MOUNT MORIAH. 57

When we compare it with the cities of other countries, we at once discover that its greatness is not due to its size, nor to the magnificence of its buildings. There are at least one hundred cities in the United States larger, in population, than this famous city of the Jews. Yet we do not estimate the value of precious things according to bulk but according to quality, or to affection. Hence we must look at Jerusalem, not as a rival of other cities in population or wealth, but we must prize it for its memorable history and sacred associations.

It was with no ordinary interest that two members of our party took our first walk in Jerusalem, on the evening of the day of our arrival. As was most natural, our steps were directed towards the place where we could see the Mount of Olives and the Kedron Valley. With our guide we set out from near the Jaffa Gate, who led us down David Street, through the busy little marketplace or bazaar. We found the streets not only narrow, but also very uneven and almost impassable, on account of the slippery condition of the surface. The pavement, in fact, was nothing more than a bed of field-stone of uneven surfaces, roughly laid down. Added to this was the difficulty, occasioned by the fact that the streets follow the natural slopes in crossing the Tyropoeon

58 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE

Valley, and therefore are without anything like a smooth grade. The recent rains had covered the surface with a slippery coating of clay, and the little torrents were still at work carrying the mud, and debris, down the slopes in the middle of the streets. We had to use the greatest precaution, therefore, lest from an unguarded footstep we should find ourselves prostrate in some filthy puddle. At last, after turning this way and that, and by great care avoiding the loaded camels, mules, donkeys and high-stepping men, we arrived at St. Stephen's Gate. Passing through the gate we advanced a few paces, and stood upon the brink of the valley of Jehoshaphat. And now the view which we had so long desired to see was spread out to our anxious and scrutinizing gaze. At last we were permitted to see that of which we had read so often; of which we had studied, and thought, and dreamed.

The scene was as we had imagined, only the proportions were much enlarged. The valley before St. Stephen's Gate is broad and deep. In the bed of the valley there is room for extensive gardens at this point, and the space is enclosed and under cultivation. Gethsemane is also in plain sight, but it is quite a distance away, and, as now enclosed by a substantial wall, and well stocked with ancient olive and young cypress.

SIGHTS ON MOUNT MORIAH. 61

trees, it forms an attractive feature of this otherwise somewhat barren view. The Mount of Olives is high and broad; exceeding my anticipations in both particulars. The buildings on the summit, at this distance, appear to be quite new and large; but the broad face of the mount, lying between, looks bare and uninviting, save as relieved by the clumps of almond, fig, end orange trees which are scattered along the chancels of the water-courses, and are already in the bud and leaf of the early spring. The feelings awakened by the sight were simply inexpressible, and for the most part we gazed upon it in silence; and, thoughtfully turning away, retraced our steps waiting for views from other standpoints to give us a more accurate conception of the place as a whole.

On the morning following our arrival at Jerusalem we were taken to see the Mosque of Omar, which occupies very nearly the site of Solomon's temple, on Mount Moriah. The guide was anxious that this visit should be made at once, for the coming festivals, of both Christians and Mohammedans, would close the gates of the temple area against all sight-seeing tourists for many weeks to come. The Haram esh-Sherif, or Noble

Sanctuary, is an elevated area five hundred and ten yards in length from north to south and

62 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

three hundred and eighteen yards wide from east to west.* It is bounded by immense walls, the substructions of which are supposed to have been laid in the times of Solomon. The wall on the east side runs parallel with the valley of Jehoshaphat, and for a considerable part of the whole distance stands upon its very brink. On the west side the great wall runs along the narrow and now very shallow valley of the Tyropoeon, in quite a similar manner; at the north end is the bed of an ancient cross-valley now known as the pool of Bethesda, and at the south the ground falls away rapidly over the rounded knoll formerly known as Ophel. The surface in the interior of this enclosed place, thus surrounded by valleys, has been levelled up by filling earth along the walls, until it now appears like a public square or park, shaded by cypress, olive and plane trees, with the celebrated Mosque of Omar situated well toward the western side.

This elevated section includes the entire summit of ancient Moriah, which David purchased from Araunah the Jebusite, and where, tradition asserts, Abraham offered Isaac for the sacrifice. And here Solomon erected his temple, which was

*The latest measurements are: west side, 536 yards; east side, 512 yards ; north aide, 348 yards; south aide, 309 yards. This shows that the area is not an exact parallelogram.

SIGHTS ON MOUNT MORIAH. 63

afterwards restored by Zerubbabel, and finally enlarged and rebuilt in a more magnificent manner by Herod the Great. This spot, thus distinguished in sacred history, after the wars with the Romans finally fell into the possession of the Mohammedans; and here, it is said, the khalif Omar built the mosque (which still bears his name), in A.D. 686, occupying seven full years in its construction.

As our party approached this famous structure, our guide pointed out to us a smaller building at its side, not unlike an elegant summer-house in appearance, which was named Solomon's Tribunal or place of judgment. At the door of the great mosque we were required to remove our boots, but no restrictions are made respecting the wearing of hats, the Mohammedans themselves always entering their places of worship with the feet bare and the head covered. We found ourselves within an octagonal structure of elegant workmanship, fitly crowned by a graceful dome located exactly over the great rock which gives the Mohammedan name to the place-"The Dome of the Rock." Two rows of columns running quite around the interior of the building, of ancient appearance and finely polished, divided the area into two nearly equal parts. As usual, we found no pews within, for the Mohammedans either

64 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

prostrate themselves, or sit upon the floor during their worship, and but few of the faithful were present at the time of our visit.

The sacred rock was the object of greatest interest to us. I had always formed the idea that it must be an immense boulder; but in this conception I soon found that I had been mistaken, for the sacred stone is simply a spur of the native limestone of Moriah, in situ, protruding above the floor of the sanctuary. It is in shape a sort of parallelogram, and is about sixty feet in length by twenty in width.* It appears to have been worked down with drill and chisel, the whole surface having thus been chipped away, leaving a slight comb or ridge its entire length from north to south. The guide pointed out to us the giant finger-marks made by the angel Gabriel when he grasped the sacred relic to prevent its following Mohammed up to Paradise. These were plainly nothing but drill-marks left in a convenient form to suit the legend.

Under the southern end of this rock there is the entrance to the cave or shallow recess beneath it. This portion of the sacred relic was

* Other writers give its length 57 feet, width 43 feet, height above pavement 6½ feet. The Mohammedans believe that at the last day the Ka'ba of Mecca will come to this rock, the blast of the trumpet will announce the judgment, and God's throne will then be placed upon this rock.

SIGHTS ON MOUNT MORIAH. 65

undoubtedly the projecting ledge of the original formation, under cover of which Araunah the Jebusite may have stored the wheat obtained from his threshing-floor near by.* Upon entering this cave, in which a dozen persons can gather and stand upright, we were shown the praying places of David and Mohammed; and on stamping upon the floor, we found that it was hollow beneath. A large hole pierces through the projecting portion of the rock overhead, corresponding very nearly with the hollow place beneath, indicating that at some time there must have been some connection between them. The Mohammedans, however, will not allow any one to open the floor over the hollow-sounding place, alleging that the well of spirits lies below it, into which no mortal must penetrate.

Despite the usual shabby surroundings of all Mohammedan buildings, to which this is no exception, the Mosque of Omar is certainly a fine piece of architecture. The windows, located well up toward the eaves, are set in stained glass, without emblems, and are chaste and elegant in coloring and design. The capitals of the columns are finished in gold, and the walls are covered with mosaic work of an arabesque pattern. The mosque is not large, but is tastefully built, and

*2 Samuel 24 : 21.

66 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

the dome is graceful, symmetrical and a fitting, crown to the whole structure.

We left the building by the southern portal, and noticed that the surface dropped down to a lower level, to which we descended by, a broad flight of stone steps, and crossing a lawn of green sward, beneath which lie the numberless cisterns of the old temple area, we approached the second mosque, known as el-Aksa. We found that this was a larger building than the one we had just left, but it was not nearly as beautiful. Its southern end rests upon the great wall of the temple area, and from the windows on this side extensive views are enjoyed of the deep valley of Hinnom and its junction with the valley of Jehoshaphat at En Rogel.

Our guide next led us down a narrow and dangerous stone staircase into the vaults known as Solomon's Stables. There we found ourselves in a large subterranean apartment, filled with solid. arches of masonry which evidently supported the floor and walls of the mosque above. At the same time we noted the immense stones imbedded in the foundation of the great wall at the southeast corner of the temple area. It was on the exterior side of this southeast corner of the ancient wall that Captain Warren sunk a shaft in 1868, and finally, after great labor and peril,

SIGHTS ON MOUNT MORIAH. 67

found the corner-stone laid by Solomon's masons 2880 years before. "The corner-stone," he writes, "is let into the native rock apparently about two feet: it is well dressed, and has an ordinary marginal draft of about four inches at the top. It shows above the rock about two feet." On a stone in the fifth course, and the second one from the angle, he found some characters marked with red paint, of which he writes "The general impression resulting from the examination of these marks is that they are the quarry-marks, and were made before the stones

68 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

were placed in situ. If this be the case, then the stones must have been dressed previously to their having been brought from the quarries:" Thus the Scripture statement is confirmed "And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building."*

After ascending the stone steps which lead to the present surface of the temple area, we climbed to the top of the heavy wall which overhangs the valley of Jehoshaphat, and peered down into its awful depth. Captain Warren states that there is now about forty feet of soil in the bed of the Kedron at this point; so that originally the depth of the valley must have been increased to this extent. Solomon's Porch was built on the southern wall, of which Josephus says: "A broad portico ran along the wall, supported by four rows of columns, which divided it into three parts, thus forming a triple colonnade or portico. The height of the two external porticos was more than fifty feet, while that of the middle one was double, or more than a hundred feet. Such was the elevation of the middle portico above the adjacent valley that if from its roof one attempted

*1 Kings 6: 7.

SIGHTS ON MOUNT MORIAH 69

to look down into the gulf below, his eyes became dark and dizzy before they could penetrate to the immense depth." Dr. Robinson estimates the depth of the valley at present as 150 feet, but thinks that from the middle portico it must have been 310 feet. At all events the depth is very great, and the visitor sees at once the force of the language in the Gospel which fixes a portion of the Saviour's temptation at this point, when "the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down."* Going on northward along the eastern wall, we soon came to the Golden Gate, which is now walled up with solid masonry. The double arch, with ornamental finish, may yet be seen, with the ancient lintel pierced for the reception of the standards belonging to the absent gates or doors. The Mohammedans have a tradition that when the Saviour's second advent takes place this gate will be reopened for the grand procession, and that then they will lose their possession of the holy city.

As we reached the northern wall of the temple enclosure we came to Birket-Israil, the traditional Pool of Bethesda.+ It is an unsightly place, being

* Matthew 4 : 5.

+ The Pool of Bethesda, near the sheep market or place, John 5: 1-9, was identified with the modern pool Birket-Israil by Capt. Wilson (see Recovery of Jerusalem, pp. 148-156). This

70 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE

was regarded as untenable by Barclay, as was also the so-called "Virgin, Fount" (see City of the Great King, pp. 321, 325). He would identify Bethesda with one of the "two pools" named in the Bordeaux Pilgrim, one on the right and the other on the left of the temple. But Dr. Barclay supplies a supposed omission in the text of John 5 : 2, and confesses " there are no special vestiges of the pool to be seen at this time." Dr. Robinson proposed to identify Bethesda with the Virgin's Fount ('Ain IJmm ed Deraj), above the Pool of Siloam (Silwan), and the Palestine Fund Exploration Report, just issued, adopts it, saying, "The modern Jews believe the waters of this pool to be a sure cure for rheumatic complaints. They often go in numbers, men and women together, and stand in their clothes in the pool, waiting for the water to rise. This fact, together with the meaning of the name Bethesda (house of the stream), renders it very probable that the Virgin's Fountain is the pool mentioned in John 5 : 2, which was near the 'sheep place,' possibly therefore outside Jerusalem." See Survey of Western Palestine, Jerusalem, p. 366; also Schaff’s Bible Dictionary, arts. Bethesda and Jerusalem.-Ed. Am. S. S. Union.

SIGHTS ON MOUNT MORIAH 71

partially filled with ashes and other rubbish, and without water. Captain Warren excavated this pool also, and found it to be the bed of an ancient valley, eighty feet in depth and running out into the Kedron. The pool was formed by constructing a wall along the sides and across this rock channel, and supplying it with water by a conduit. He found the depression to be thirty-five feet in depth, and thus was compelled to dig forty-five feet in order to reach the native rock at the bottom. This bottom he estimates to be 165 feet lower than the top of the platform around the Dome of the Rock.

In leaving this interesting enclosure we passed the site of the ancient tower of Antonia, which was located at its northwest angle. From Josephus we learn that around this tower the Jews rallied in their final conflict with the Romans under Titus, A.D. 70, for the possession of their sacred temple. The Romans were strongly entrenched in this massive tower, and the Jews, stationed on the temple platform, fought with the utmost desperation in their attempts to dislodge them. All their love and reverence for their sanctuary inspired the poor Jews, now reduced to the last extremity by famine and sword, with an almost superhuman heroism. It was their dying struggle for national existence; and the

72 TENT AND SADDLE LIFE.

description of their historian is simply appalling, with its details of suffering, butchery, and frightful death. It was at this time, he alleges, that a poor Jewess slew her son, and was eating his flesh, to satisfy the pangs of hunger, when the Romans finally accomplished their overwhelming defeat, and broke into the portions of the city so long under siege. From this historical description we infer that Solomon's temple was situated toward the western side of the enclosure, and was connected with Antonia by a row of cloisters, which, being set on fire by the Romans, finally reached the temple and destroyed it.* Somewhere on the Noble Platform, as it is called, is the ancient temple site. The sacred rock must have been covered by it, and most likely was enclosed within the Holy of Holies, where the ark was kept. "In that dark receptacle," Dean Stanley writes, "two gigantic guardians were waiting to receive the ark, on the great day of dedication under Solomon. The two golden cherubs were spreading forth their wings to take the place of the diminutive figures which had crouched over it up to this time. On a rough unhewn projection of the rock, under this covering, the ark was thrust in, and placed lengthways on what is called the place of its

*Josephus; Wars, vi. 4,

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rest."* The temple fronted the east, and in entering it by the Golden Gate, the worshipper came first into the Court of the Gentiles; thence by a flight of steps to that of the Jews, with the great altar of burnt offering and the brazen layer; and then, before him arose the beautiful sanctuary itself, constructed of marble and cedar-wood and ornamented with gold, having first the sanctuary with the altar of incense, table of show-bread and golden candlestick, and back of all, as we have seen, the Holy of Holies, which no man must enter but the high priest, and he only once in each year.

The ark had not reached its final rest, as the Jews fondly hoped, when it was thrust upon the projecting ledge of the sacred rock. Indeed this spot is as much a place of warfare as of worship. Four hundred years after the dedication of Solomon's temple, Nebuchadnezzar came,+ "and burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof." What scenes of strife and carnage have happened around the sacred rock, from that time onward! The revolutions among the Jews themselves, the sieges of the Egyptians

* History of Jewish Church, vol. 2, p. 238.

+ 2 Chronicles 36 :19.

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and Syrians, that of the Romans, the Mohammedans and the Crusaders, combine to make this one of the most bloody sites of human history, as it has for centuries been regarded as the most sacred.

Near the site of ancient Antonia runs the Via Dolorosa--Sorrowful Way--along which, tradition affirms, Jesus bore his cross to Calvary. This tradition is doubtless founded on the idea that the "common hall of the soldiers,"* mentioned by the evangelist, was located in this tower. This narrow street, beginning at St. Stephen's Gate, passes near the site of Antonia, and continues on a westward course until it reaches the bed of the Tyropoeon Valley, when it turns southward along a street leading from the Damascus Gate for a short distance, when it again turns westward, and ends on the ridge behind the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

On the Friday afternoon during our stay in Jerusalem we went to what is known as the "Wailing-place of the Jews." This place is on the west side of Mount Moriah, in the Tyropoeon Valley, where the large bevelled-edge stones in the ancient wall indicate the substructions of the temple of Solomon. Thirty men and twenty women were present on that occasion to lament

*Matthew 27 : 27.

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over the loss of their temple and kiss the stones in the wall. The men read aloud in Hebrew from a service-book, in a kind of chanting tone, while waving the body to and fro, and indulging in loud lamentations.