The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-10-01
JERUSALEM.
From Trdrois IN he Holy land, by For.
ben, M The ycar ig2o.

LYDIA. The rising sun illuminated our
| route, and, we reached the hills of Latronn.
This" said the Drosomun To me, is the
birthplace Of Barabbas the murderer and
thief; those who back into this well for
considerable Time are sure to see the figure
Of tins man Of blood
We next entered deep valleys, the ,egc-
tation gradually becoming weaker & more
scanty, until II ceased altogether. From
these valleys to Jerusalem, the soil is bro
ken, reddish, and ungraiefnl, while in the
distance the only oh iects which meet the
view are immense mounds of ruins, the
beds of dried up torrents, aud winding
roads, covered with flints. Dccayed els
terms, at the bottom of which is a grecnish
waste steep and naked mountains in The
contour such agreeable To the Lamenla-
tons Of jeremiah, is the terebinthine vale
which prepares the mind for the strong
and terrible impression made on il BY the
sight Of Jerusalem.
The sun was about To set, when from
the summit ola mountain, IN passing iu-
y road, separated by Two walls from fields
which were also covered with flmts, per-
eeiycd at length long ramparts, towers
and vast cdllices, surrounded by IA barren
soil, and blackencd points of rocks which
seemed 10 have felt the lightalng's stroke
| this was Jerusalem. A Few Chapcls, (alIen
lu9 RUNS, We're here and there To be seen,
with Mount Zion, aud in the back ground,
the naked chaim of the Mountain of the A.
rabia Deserts. Appalled, and seized with
an involuntary terror, we salutpd the Holy
tity, the first sight of which has as power
| fd AZ. effect on the senses, and the existence
| aad downfall oi the Jewish nation can pro-
duce on the mind
The Gate of Bethlehem or Ephraigm by
which our caravan made its entry, is not far
distant from the Convent of the Reverend
| Fathers, Missionaries of the Holy Land,
by whose exemplary display Of charity our
reception was markcd.-4They inhabt an
immense house, the gate oil which, while il
Is constantly open to pilgrims, and to all
who suffer- Is constantly exposed 10 the
| insults ol the Musselman IL il low aud
decayed, with iron fastening. Having en-
tered II, yaultcd passage terminates in an
inner court, with dark and winding stairca-
SEES, which lead Ia several cloisters, and 10
the Church. II is there that these coura-
| geOus monks lead a secluded life, having to
struggle daily against the persecution ofthe
Turks, the hatred of the Greeks, aud ford
yealnng for their native home. Although
belonging 10 so many different nations, |
heard them blend their sweet voices in
sweet accordance, with that of the native
inhabitants Of Israel. A monk, whose
skill in the arts bad once acquired him &C.
lebrity in Europe, played on the organ ;
incense smoked in the sacntuary, where
words of the God of Horcb aud of Sinai
| still rcsounded.
Around The city all is mute aud silent /:
the last exclamation of the Son Of God,
seems 10 have been the latest sound repea-
ted by the echoes of Siloe aud Gehcnnon.
From the summits Of Abraham, Of Phasga,
and Ahor, desolated nature presents herself
10 the view, like II witness strill struck with
terror by the scene which has iust passed.
! The imagination portrays the sangulnary
wars of the Crusaders, ike those aerial
comhats which forebode great disasters TO
the children of the earth
On the day of my arrival, saw the
| whole u the Hebrew population Of Jernsa-
! lean, collected in the valley of Jcosaphat
The Mostallam had sold the Jews the per-
mission 10 celebrate there the festival ol the
| ''Ihbo' vi a'f.tiS NoPbfto H'"i'Ai ~ 81
lenCe on tie tomb-stones Of their anccs-
tors, one might have said That the Glamour
of the last trumpet was heard, that genera
tlous we're crOwding TO the Ccdron, and
that the words of Joy and of tribulation had
already burst from the cloud.
The quarter Of the Jews was what at
tractcd my earliest attention. Eight or
nine thousand of the children Of the mas
ters of Jerusalem still inhabit the this capt
tai Of the past. A narrow cqaggy space
covered with filth, which can scarcely be
called street, divides the houses of this
quarter, which are falling in ruins
Pale and siekly beings with strongly
marked physiognony, there engage in
warm diaputes about few medms. Having
descended. bya flight Of broken steps, into
cellars, the falling roofs Of which were prop
ped by pillars, once sculptnred W gilt, !
learned with surprise thai this was the great
synagogue; children IN tatters there learned
from IN Old blind man the history this city,
where their ancestors adored the God Of Is
rdel and Of Judah, beneath marble porticos,
and roofs supported by the cedars Of Leb-
anDn.-'fhey counted over again the mira
cles OF Inn whom they also expected, Of
him who lad guided the footsteps of their
ancestors in the Deserts of INDIAN, and
who 50 often brought them back trium-
phantly into this land Of Canaan, where
were to iow mouniains of milk and no
uey.
Such are the remains Of This nation, Whose
captivity left on every side such great re-
membranes, and who raised with then
hands, and bathed with the sweat of ihci
t brows, the proudest monuments of Mem
phis and Rome.
f The streets Of jerusalem are crooked ant
! badly paved aud the houses which are TO
t the greater part built Of free stone, are IN
, debtcd for scanfy portion of light, to I
| .lnall lnnr and nnn Or two MinIOMS nrONI