The Washington union., 1858-03-21

with red eaiidstons u feet tbih height l3} feet third
story walls las are all dbote) of brick feet thick, IL
leet high fourth story walls AZ feet thick and Including
the gable about "a feet high total height, 7s feet
Only in this topmost roof s there particle of furniture,
that furniture being eight idols In in the centre
of the norhep. wf Over this recess, which nias he
taiied CELESTIAL deoniaeai aleave is the following In
strption "Shiqg tah gai gnO ssnfying magnificent
is theif holy virtue " .
The floors of thick, hard rood) are thick also with
dirt and psmire bocks The staircase is at the north
east corner and is wde coarse, deep stepped ladder
oply The roof is supportedh by four stout teak columns,
running up from the basement, about six feet inside the
north wall similar now of columns going up on the
south front This front is closed by hard wood ungazed
Venitans opening to the verandsh before mentioned
(On the lower story there is double of columns,
two feet in diameter the south front Before the
building Is spacious paved court and on each side 81
the steps lending up TO tho terrace of the bement ae
two large stone lions l.aiped red The French small
arm mep have been living here up to the present time,
but are now yaoating it for the royal artillery
RECENT EXPLORATIONS IN JERUSALEM
Ancient Jerusalem is for the most part buried city.
It's ruins lie in places from twenty o forty feet be
low the level of the present streets and buildings Ac
cordng to Joscphus IL perforated with passages in
various direcions and marvellous stories still current
among the inhabitants in respect to subteancan galleries
and halls beneath their feet That such passages exist
there be doubt, and when the time for making
cayations without danger from the Mosem authorities
shall arrive, shall probably have light shed upon
the topography of the Holy City Meantime must be
content with such contributions eager explorers, under
the present unfvoable circumstances able to make
The most recent of these and in respects the most
remarkable, are by DR. Barclay missionary physician,
resident between three and four years in the city Of Jeru
salem In his beautifully printed volume, entitled ''Ihe
City of the Great King recently issued he has
ncatcd amount of accurate information which can
hardly be too highly valued.
Ever since the Crusaders lost possession of Palestine,
finn .l Tho
temple stood has been forbidden TO Christians. Re
garded by the Mahommedans the most sacred spot in
the whole world next to Mecca II Is jcalosy guarded
against the intrusion of Europeans, and Christian,
cep by stealth special favor, has been allowed TO
plant his foot within the enclosure where the Saviour OF
the world stood and taught Some years since, Mr.
Cahcrwood, at the hazard of his life, succeeded in cu
ding the vigilance of the guards, and gave par
tcular description of the and the building than
possessed before. few others, Also by special favor
have been admitted, but their opportunities for obserya
ton were extremely limited.
1t the good fortune of Dr. Barclay in return for
medical services To the architect of the Sultan, appointed
make certain repairs within the enclosure to bc invited
to accompany him assistant In this capacity he
examined every part of the area and took accurate meas
uremen and the result Is account of this interesting
part of the Holy City full and reliable than any
previous description.
The enclosure itself is platform containing thirty six
acres which stand Mosques and other buildings while
mnarcts trees, and fountains diversity the The
most beautiful of these buildings is the Mosque Of Omar
with its graceful dome beneath which, rising five
feet above the marble floor is the remarkable rock sixty
feet long by fifty five feet broad, which is supposed by
many to mark the site of the Holy of Holes in the Jewish
temple II Is doubt portion of the original surface
of the hill But the most important of DIR. Barclays
observations relate to the suructions under the south
east corner Of this enclosure. Centuries since far back
probably as when the Jewish temple built the
of Mount Moriah was enlarged by running up it's
southeastern side high wall from the valley of Jchosa
phat To secure the needed level by filling up the space
would have required immense quantity of earth. In
stead of taking this course the supertructre above
supported by lofty pillars, between which, running from
east to west and from north to south galleries.
of which are than three hundred feet long, Of
these DR.. Barclay has give full and accurate
ments.
1t has been long suspected that quarry exists beneath
tcmpts TO discover an entrance have failed About n
couple of years since dog attracted by the smell Of
some animal scratched open hole beneath the wall just
outside of the Damascus gate, which proved to be the
long sought entrance. Dr. Barclay and his party, with
some difficulty succeeded in crawling through and
to Immense cave upwards of three thousand feet
in circumference the vautcd roof of which is supported
by great numbers of rude natural pillars Here it was
no doubt that the huge stones which formed the temple
wall were quarred Being dressed the spot the
heaps of clippings which lie about SHOW the temple
might be easily built the account in the Scriptures
states that it was with noise of hammer, axe any
tool of iron.
Other suberrancan passages known to exist, some
of which described in Dr. Barclays book but several
remain vet to be explored But the work has been be-
gun and will no doubt be followed up opportunity
permits. ..