in measuring the Sacred Chamber, into which even Dr. Richardson* was not admitted; it is under the rock in the centre of the dome.

13th. A cold and rainy morning preventing us from going to the mosque, we called upon Mr. Nicolayson; but the weather clearing up a little towards the middle of the day, I left Jerusalem, accompanied by my two friends, Messrs. Catherwood and Bonomi, for Bethlehem.

* "

Into this excavation I never was admitted, although I was four times in the mosque, and went there twice with the express assurance that I should be shown into it. However, when I arrived, the key was always wanting; and when the keeper of it was sought he never could be found."-Richardson.

CHAPTER VI.

CONVENT OF ST. ELIAS-SEPULCHRE OF RACHEL-BETHLEHEM-CONVENT OF THE NATIVITY CHURCH OF THE EMPRESS HELENA CHAPEL OF ST. CATHARINE - GROTTO OF THE NATIVITY THE MANGER-CHOIR AND TRANSEPTS OF THE CHURCH -TOMB OF ST. JEROME -POPULATION, &c. oF BETHLEHEM GARDENS OF SOLOMON-POOLS-SOLOMON'S CASTLE -FOUNTAIN-AQUEDUCT-RETURN TO JERUSALEM MOSQUE THE FOOT OF MAHOMET— MAHOMET'S SHIELD - ARRIVAL OF THE MARQUIS OF WATERFORD COURT OF SAKHARA -DESERT OF THE TEMPTATION-QUARANTANIA-VIEW OF THE DEAD SEA - FOUNTAIN OF ELISHA JERICHO - HISTORY - HOUSE OF ZACCHEUS-DANGEROUS NEIGHBOURHOODPARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN - ARRIVAL AT THE JORDAN SIZE AND RAPIDITY DOUBLE BANK-DEAD SEA-SALT-BUOYANCY OF THE WATER-ANALYSIS-CONJECTURES RESPECTING ITS ORIGIN-VOLCANIC-BITUMINOUS-FETID LIMESTONE-NITRE-DESTRUCTION OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH RETURN TO JERUSALEM - GREEK MARRIAGE - THE MOSQUE EL AKSOOR-WOODEN PULPIT - SADHA AISA - RAINY SEASON COMMENCES DOME OF EL AKSOOR-PORTA AUREA-PREVENTED FROM GOING TO BETHLEHEM-RETURN TO BETHLEHEM-DISAPPOINTED IN GOING TO HEBRON-RETURN TO JERUSALEM-PREPARING FOR A JOURNEY TO NABLOUS-ARRANGEMENT WITH ARAB.

We had scarcely started before we encountered a heavy shower of rain ; but, continuing our journey across the Valley of Rephim, we arrived in about an hour and a quarter at the Convent of St. Elias, from whence there is a view both of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. A small building, crowned with a dome, is shown as the sepulchre of Rachel, and in about three quarters of an hour we reached the Convent of the Nativity, which occupies a considerable part of the village.* The place is situated on the

* The name Bethlehem, or, as written in Scripture, Beth-Lechem, was given by Abraham, and signifies "House of Bread;" also called Ephrata, or prolific. To this signification alludes St. Paul, who, on his arrival, cries, "Je te salue, Bothlèem, toi vraie maison de pain, où naquit le pain descendu du ciel; je te salue, Ephrata, feconde contrée où Dieu à pris naissance." There are two Bethlehems; this having the above titles to distinguish it from the other, or Bethlehem of Zabulon.

ridge of a hill which forms the southern side of a valley of considerable depth and extent, running from east to west.

A spot seen from the road is one of the many places which the monks affirm to be the scene of the angelic annunciation of our Lord's birth to the shepherds.

On first entering the town, I was much struck with the beauty of four rows of Corinthian columns,* the remains of the nave of the church built by the Empress Helena. The transept and choir are hidden by a wall, and are parted off for the use of the Greek and Armenian churches.

We were without delay presented to the Superior, a fat, jolly-looking monk, who showed us into our apartments, and soon provided us with an excellent supper, two of the monks being admitted to join in the agreeable conversation which ensued.

On rising early the following morning, (the 14th), I was presented with the delightful prospect of a fine day, the rain appearing to have exhausted itself. After taking some bread and coffee, and completing our meal with the indispensable pipe, we proceeded to view the curiosities of this interesting place.

The Latin church, called the chapel of St. Catharine, is a miserable building, from whence I descended some steps into the holy spot celebrated as the birth-place of our Saviour. It is a small grotto in the rock, brilliantly illuminated: a silver star, with a Latin inscription: "Hic de Virgine Maria, Jesus Christus natus est," marks the spot where this great event actually occurred; not many feet from this, and down two or three steps, is the manger," a block of marble raised a little from the floor, and hollowed

66

* There are forty-eight of these columns, ranged in four rows, each column being two feet six inches in diameter, and eighteen in height.

"As the roof of the nave is wanting, the columns support nothing but a wooden frieze. Open timberwork rests on the walls, rising into the form of a dome to support a roof which no longer exists, and most probably was never finished."-Chateaubriand's Travels, Vol. i., p. 393.

L

out into something of the form of a manger; before it is the altar of the Magi. The whole of this singular scene is invested in a perpetual blaze of light, poured from thirty-two lamps, presented by various Christian potentates Over the altars I observed two good paintings, of the Spanish school.

"The usual ornaments of the manger," says Chateaubriand, “are of blue satin, embroidered with silver."

The Sanctuary of the Nativity belongs to the Greeks; the cradle and the place of adoration of the Magi to the Catholics. In the bottom of the cradle is a picture in a silver frame, representing the Adoration of the Shepherds. The rock is generally covered; but on Christmas day it is exposed to the veneration of the Faithful.

From this place a flight of steps led me into the choir and transepts of the ancient church, now occupied by the Greeks and Armenians. I was also shown the sepulchre and school of St. Jerome, and the cave which received the bodies of the murdered Innocents.

The remains, however, of the Saint were transported to Rome. He is reported to have passed a great part of his life here, and to have here translated that version of the Bible now recognised by the church of Rome, under the title of the Vulgate. He died A. D. 422, aged about 91.*

The number of inhabitants in Bethlehem is fixed at about three hundred, nearly all of whom are supported by the manufacture of beads, crucifixes, and other consecrated toys, for which there is a great demand among the pilgrims.

The monks claim the privilege of marking the limbs or bodies of the pilgrims with crosses, stars, and other devices, by stamping them, pricking the outline with a needle, and then rubbing the punctures with gunpowder

* The tomb also of Eusebius is shown here, as well as those of St. Paula and her son Eustachius. The lady founded or endowed several monasteries in the neighbourhood, all of which are, however,

in ruins.

and wine; a custom undoubtedly extremely ancient, and still kept up in barbarous perfection among sailors of all countries. Being anxious to visit the Pools of Solomon, we quitted the convent a little before 10 A. M., and, descending a hill by a very indifferent road, we soon entered a fertile valley, which is said to have been part of the far-famed garden, or Paradise, as the Persians call it, of that monarch. It is watered in various directions by a great number of rivulets, and one of its sides is formed by the ruins of a village. In about an hour and twenty minutes, we reached the lowest cistern, which was filled with water, and of great extent, but bearing no marks of fine workmanship in the masonry; even the side of the hill not being cut away square to give it a regular form. I found, on measurement, its length to be five hundred and ninety-six feet, its breadth two hundred and ten feet, and its present depth thirty feet. At about one hundred feet from this, and perhaps forty feet higher, is another pool, and at nearly the same distance and height is a third. These pools are placed at the end of a small valley to the south, and, as is evident from their construction, were thus situated that each might receive the superfluous waters of the one next above it.

"They are," says Dr. Richardson, "like most Jewish works, remarkable rather for solidity than beauty."

They are all, as Maundrell reports, "lined with wall, and plastered, and contain a great depth of water."

Near the highest pool is a square building, called Solomon's Castle, but undoubtedly of much later construction; this Maundrell calls a "pleasant castle," which would lead us to suspect that it was in his time in better repair than at present. We next visited the springs which supply these magnificent reservoirs. They are under vaulted chambers.

"At about the distance of one hundred and forty paces from them, ('the Pools,') is the fountain from which principally they derive their waters." These the monks will have to be that "Sealed Fountain" to which the