The native American., 1839-07-20

water that falls upon the higher levels.
From the point of junction OF these floods, they
seem to ha e ploughed out for themselves deep
valley, which descends rapidly until it reaches the
Dead Sea some miles below It's northern extremity.
The Brook Gihon" and the Brook Kedron" are
things which only exist during the rainy season,
whatever may have been their character in ancient
tunes. Thus you will perceive that the area be-
tween the lines | have here laid down is in shape
a sort OF irregular triangle, the long convergent
lines meeting at the deep ravine south Of the pool
OF Sloan. From the latter point, Jerusalem ap-
pears 10 be situated on a kH, or, perhaps should
say h'HS for from this lowest point there is another
short valley or gulley running between the others
directly towards the centre OF the city, dividing
that part OF It's southern extremity called .Hounf
Morlah, from the other called .Hcunt Zion. This
was aacieutlv called the street of the cheesemon-
gers. In the northwest angle lof the triangular
diagram which have described TO you) Is situated
the very slight elevation OF the phace called Calra-
IrH" formerly without the walls. The area of
Mount Morlah is perfect level and that OF Zion
paltakcs much Of the same character, while the
northern par, Of the city once probably an uneven
plain, similar 10 the outside of the present northern
WALL has now much more irregular surface, ow-
ing probably to the Arab custom of building over
the heaps of rubbish Of prevouSy dllapdated
buildings, which here and there upon this area
were OF greater magnitude than on the intervening
spaces. The depression of surface in the centre
OF the area of the present city, (anclcnty called
the street OF the cheesemongers) commences not
great distance from the present north wall and
though nearly filled up at its northern extremity,
retains its ancient depth, where it leaves the city
at the pool OF Sloan. The part of the city called
Zion inclines towards this guley along the eastern
line Of said quarter. ..
60 f,r 7 be, b. ~ - ~
the present surface of the city site corresponds with
the account given Of it BY Josephus. Although
he, as well as the sacred historians, SO frequently
make use of the word hills, yet could not per-
|celve that there is any part of the site Of the city
which rises in any sensible degree above the level
OF the great plain on the north of it, and of which
it is in fact but part, ending abruptly in the fork
ed promontory have described to you as frown-
ing over the deep valley of Sloan, and the
. Kings Garden at the southern extremity.
AS to the "mountains' "round about Jerusalem" ;"
the only one deserving the name of hill even is
that OF Ohvet, on the East. On the West side Of
the valley of Gihon the ground is much higher
than that of the site of the city, hence its name of
Of the great plain which here begins to break into
greater undulatons which gradually roll up into
Fhills towards Bethlehem in the South.
have before said to you that the present city
is an irregular squire. How this form is obtained
from the triangular figure | have laid before you,
will cndeavor to explain.
The northern line of the wall reaches to the
verge Of each valley on its eastern and western
extremities. The East walls pursue almost a
stragh course, while that on the West is very ir-
regular, though nearly parallel with the other for
the greater part of It's length In order to do this
they encroached little upon the valley at their
nrIa {bot,4 hoco {,
build them up here from lower level conse-
quently the exterior Of this part Of the walls is
much higher than the other part. Besides, the wall
on the West does not extend to the extremity of
Mount Zion, but turns at right. angle towards
the East, leaving part of said mount without the
walls on the South. Mount Moriah is one-third
shorter than the opposite twin h of Zion, and
the wall at the southeast angle is of enormous
height above the pool of Sloan and the site of
the kings Garden
There are eight gates in these walls, two in the
north wall, two in the east, three in the irregular
south wall, and one in the long crooked wall of
the west OF these: one or two arc closed up with
stone.
The whole circumference Of the present city is,
according to the best authorities not over two and
Il half miles. Although we have not taken the
trouble to measure it, | think the estimate is not
far from the truth. ..:'.
I How far will have succeeded, by the assist
ancc of few of my husbands notes, and my
'wn clumsy engineering, in giving you right un-
derstandng of the Typographical features of the
site OF jerusalem, it remains for you to say have,
however, lately here understood that very scien-
tihc English gentleman, by the name Of Cothe,uood
about year since made a complete surrey Of the
whole plot Of the city, including every street and
lane, with the exact position of every monument
and celebrated spot within and without the city.
He has besides taken pictorial views of every thing
of the least consequence II is very probable that
the result of his indefatgable exerons and patient
investigations, will be laid before the public, in
some shape other; you will then be enabled to
form a better estimate of the Holy City than any
of my imperfect sketches can possibly impar to
you.
The present city is supplied with water from
two sources one is the great number of private
and public cisterns beneath the houses; the other
lsan aqueduct which comes from beyond Bethle-
hem. This interesting feature will describe to
YOU at another time.