Page:Palestine Exploration Fund - Quarterly Statement for 1894.djvu/341

Rh lodged and cared for. The other building is called Templum Salamonis, which is the palace built by Solomon, the King of Israel. Three hundred knights issue forth therefrom every day for military exercise, besides the knights who come from the land of the Franks and other parts of Christendom, having taken upon themselves to serve there a year or two until their vow is fulfilled. In the great church called the Sepulchre is the burial place of Jesus, unto which the Christians make pilgrimages.

"Jerusalem has four gates, namely, the Gate of Abraham, the Gate of David, the Gate of Zion, and the Gate Gushpat which is the Gate of Jehosaphat, in front of our ancient sanctuary called Templum Domini. Upon this site Omar-ben-Al-Khataab erected a very large and magnificent cupola, into which none of the Gentiles brings any image or effigy, merely coming there to pray. In front of this place is the western wall, which is one of the walls of the Holy of Holies. This is called the Gate of Mercy, and thither come all the Jews to pray before the wall of the court. There are also in Jerusalem, in the house which belonged to Solomon, the stables built by him, forming a very substantial structure composed of large stones, the like of which is not to be seen anywhere in the land. There is also visible there up to this day the pool where the priests used to slaughter the sacrifices, and people coming thither from Juda write their names upon the wall. The Gate of Jehosaphat leads to the valley of Jehosaphat, which is the gathering-place of nations {cf. Ezekiel xx, 35), the site of the pillar called Absalom's Monument and of the grave of Uzziah, the king. In the neighbourhood is also the great spring known as the Pool of Siloam, which runs into the brook of Kidron. Above the fountain is a large structure, dating from the time of our ancestors; but little water is found at the spring, and most of the people of Jerusalem drink the rain-water, which they collect in cisterns in their houses. From the valley of Jehosaphat one ascends the Mount of Olives, whence one can see the sea of Sodom, and two parasangs from the sea of Sodom is the Pillar of salt into which Lot's wife was turned; the sheep lick it continually, but afterwards it regains its original shape. The whole land of the round plain and the valley of Shittim as far as Mount Nebo are visible.

"In front of Jerusalem is Mount Zion on which there is no building except a place of worship belonging to the Christians. Fronting Jerusalem there are three sepulchres belonging to the Israelites (for in the days of old they buried their dead in caves) and upon each of these sepulchres there is a façade, but the Christians destroy them, employing the stones thereof in building their houses. Towards Zelzach is the boundary of Benjamin. Surrounding Jerusalem are high mountains.

"On Mount Zion are the graves of the House of David and of the kings that came after him. The site cannot, however, be identified, inasmuch as 15 years ago a wall of the church on Mount Zion fell in and the patriarch commanded the superintendent to restore the church, saying to him: 'Use the stones of the old wall of Zion for the building of the church '; and he did so. He hired about 20 workmen at fixed