The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-07-04

! 10 inc west ot the city, and extends
rather beyond the north wall here
the plain of Jeremiah commences,
and is the best wooden tract in the
whole neighbourhood. In this di-
rectIon, but farther on, the histori
an OF the siege speaks :. of tower,
that afforded a prospect of Arabia ut
sunrlsing. and OF the utmost limits
OF the Hebrew possessions at the sea
westward" The former is still en-
Joyed from the city; but the latter
could only be had at a much greater
| distance north, where there is no hill
in front. Above half mile from
the wall. arc the tombs of the ings.
I'm the midst of Il hollow, rocky and
adorned with few trees. is the en.
trance; you then find "a large apart
ment, above fifty feet long, at the
side of which low door, over which
is beautiful frieze, leading into a
series OF small chambers, in the walls
of which are several deep recesses.
hewn out of the rock. Of the size Of
the human body. There are six or
seven Of these low and dark apart
ments, one or two Of which are a.
dOrned with vine leaves aud clus-
ters of grapes. Many parts of the
stone Cohins, beautifully ornament
ed in the Saraccnic manner, are
strewed on The floor; it should seem
that some hand of ravage had bro
ken them to pieces, with the view Of
finding something valuable within.
The scpulChres Of the Judges, so call.
ed, are situated in wild spot about
two miles from the city. They bear
much resemblance to those Of the
kings, but are not SO handsome or
spacious.
Returning to the foot ofthc Mount
of Olivct, You proceed mp the vale
Jenoshaphat on line with the plain !:
it widens az you advance, and is
more thickIy sprinkled with olives.
When arrived at the hill in which it
terminates, the appearance of the CT
ty and its enNirons is rich and mag
nfficent and you cannot help think
ing, were an English party sudden
ly transported here. they would not
believe it was tho sad and dreary
Jerusalem they were gazing on.
This is the finest point to view il
from, for its numerous mlnarets and
sIperb mosque are seen TO great id
vantage over the trees Of the plain
and valley, aud the foreground is
vcrdant aud 'uitivatcd.-Oneo or two
houses of the Turks stood in this
spot, and we had trespa ssed on the
rude garden Of one OF them, where
the shade Of a spreading tree invited
us to linger over the prospect. For
some days there had been heavy falls
Of rain. yet the bed Of the kedron
was still dry, and has been SO most
probably for many centuries. The
climate Of the city and country Is IN
general very healthy. The elevated
position of the former, and the nn-
merous hills which cover the great
CT part Of Palestine, must conduce
greatly to the purity Of the AIR. One
seldom secs a country OVcrrnn with
hills in the manner this is in gene
raj they arc not in ranges, but IN re
or less isolated, aud of picturesque
form. Few Of them ap. roach to
the character Of mountains, save
Carmel, the Quarantine, the shores
Of the lakes, and those which bound
the valley of the Jordan. To ac-
count for the existence of SO large
a population in the promised lands,
the numerous hills must have been
cntireIy cultivated: at present their
appearance on the sides and sum
mjts, is, for the most part, bare and
rocky. In old time, they were pro-
badly formed into terraces, as Is
now seen on the few cultivated ones,
where the vine, olive, and fig tree
/ flourish. On delightful evening,
VIC rode to the wilderness OF st.
John. The monastery OF that name
stands at the entrance ; it is a good
and spacious building, and its ter
race enjoys fine prospect, in which
is the lofty hill of Modin, with the
ruins ofthe palace of the Macca-
bees on it's summit. A small village
adioins the convent, in which are
shewn the remains of the house OF
/ Elizabeth, where the meeting with
Mary took place. But few monks
reside in the convent, which affords
excellent accommodations for ira
weller. A German pilgrim had found