Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-08-14
Architecture and Engineering among the AneIsntr.

Architecture and Engineering among the AReIents'
Amongst all the wonders that arrest the attention
and claim the admiration of the pilgrim 10 Jerusa
lem, the Cyelopean architecture of the S. E. and s.
W. corners of the Temple Enclosure, and the remains
of Soomon's B'idge are perhaps the most astound
log. No wonder that " there was no more spirit" IN
the good Queen of Sheba, az evidenced by the de-
claratOn that the half had not been told her when
she saw bis acts, and especially his chef douUrs-
the assent by which he went up into the 1ouse OF
the Lord" by the wonderful Bridge spanning the
Tyropean Valley and thus affording access to the
Temple Mount from the Hill Zion. Over this i'm.
mense structure ran the aqueduct conveying the Wa
Ter from bis magnificent reservoirs stil bearing his
name) through firmly cemented stone work sir miles
long, traceabe at the present time through the vii
lage of Bethlehem to Mount Moriah, where it empteS
itself into an immense subterranean pool for the
use of the Priests in their ablutions. The Temple,
and IN some measure the city supplied from Its
inexhaustable source" The Fountain Sealed"
The subterranean rooms beneath these pools, with
the keystone arches identify its construction with
the reign of Solomon-thus destroying the general
belief that it is of Roman origin.
Whence came these immense masses of rock in
the Temple wall, and how were they raised to their
present position Some of the stones measured
eighty feet in length and may now be seen more than
fifty feet above the surface Of the ground.
However parodoxicaI this Solomonic work maybe
to the coDjecturing traveller, and until now to the
solved by most interesting and important discovery
made by d.. Barclay, for some years American
missionary at Jerusalem, and author Of a forhcom'
ing work, entitled " The City of the G. eat King"
While a resi'ent of the holy city, having neaEu
vague accounts of an immenee cavern beneath tn'
city, be constantly on the alert to gain any To-
formation that might lead 10 the precise locality o.
this interesting place. On walking around the nofs'
ern wall, Immediately opposite the cave OF Jeremiah
Gas long as the jealous eye of the Turk would anGJ,
in the immediate vicinity of the Damascus gate' wuu
is kept under constant guard) his attention was a.
tracted by bis dog apparently on the scent Tor gams
or food, for which be forthwith commenced aou.'
mining operations with his fore paws, and soon eheer
ed an entrance. No time was lost in crawling ln'
feet foremost through narrow hole barely aiSs
enough to admit the body. A complete exPlorauoaua
of this gigantic artificial quarry occupied the enI'
night. The plot shows it to be more than InOu.
sand feet in circumference, with immense laoa :y'.
THAN halls. having their roofs supported 6y pl%S
apparently left for that purpose, and galleries
crypts, in the end of which visible the MAJ
blocks to be cut as well several large masses P
pared but never removed. Above, beautiful psrSS.
cid little pool of blackish and hitter wafer may
petrifed stadottes that sparkle like chanaeIt n
in brilliantly lighted ball room, when exposgha
the light OF the fambeaux Small pieces OF crocA
were also observed beautifully encrusted 10 Spa.
deposits. In the southern end of the quarry w
found most singular skull. now in she Aca0sAD'