Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-07


The massive and lofty walls that surround
and support 1t; the green grass of the in
closure, dotted with expresses and olives
and ornamented by marble fountains and
Mihrabs; the broad, elevated platform, en-
circled by graceful arches and diversified
by carved pulpits, prayer-niches and cupo-
las; and the great mosque ITSELF with its
noble dome rising in the center of all,
bright and gorgeous as a vision of fairy
land; its enameled tiles glittering in the
sunbeams and exhibiting all the hues of
the rainbow wrought into patterns of Won
drous intricacy and grace. These together
form a picture such as is scarcely surpassed
IN the world"
In the center of the mosque is the sacred
rock, feet 81 inches above the marble
pavement at its highest point, and one foot
at the lowest. 1t has dip of twelve de-
grees in direction of eighty-fve degrees
east of north. The Footprint of Mo-
manned was shown Just as made when he
last touched it on his way to heaven, and
the "fnger-prints" of Gabriel when he
took hold of and kept it from following
Mohammed by main force. We were per-
mitted to pass under the rock, where we
added to our unbelief the story that it
was suspended in the air.
Modern Jerusalem has poor attractions
for the Western visitor. It's streets are so
narrow and crooked that it requires resi-
dent familiarity to learn to find places.
Should camel meet you by the way. you
have to step aside and let him pass. Next
comes donkey with his burden built out
on either side, and of course YOU
yield the way again. By this time the
pause of the throng has caused a
jam and the pedestrians each insist on
right Of way. | did not understand their
assertions, but from their enterprise | sup
posed it was something like tFrei Balm,
and so | crowded through and came out
well pressed and highly favored with orr
entail lack of toilet.
The bazars are little coops. The mer-
chant sits tailor-fashion in the center of
his stock. 1t is amusing to see his rapid
movements when searching around for his
goods. 1t is stored closely about him, and
so expert is he that you have scarce named
an article until it is before him. He has
three rules of selling: The first, elbow
much? So much you like" The second,
81 tell you how much, p an enormous
sunni. The third, Glow much you give?'
These rules are subject to changes only eff
fecting the order in which they are asked.
It is never 4 direct contract unless your
question is so asked and the money SO GER
tain on a great bargain that they are the
winners
But while the abomination of desola-
ton" is everywhere in the city to be seen,
view from the Mount of Olives is grand
beyond comparison. 1t is still thickly
covered with olive trees and we'll bedded
with sod From it the superb landscape is
rapturously enhancing. At the foot west
ward Is Gethsemane, and a little beyond,
the Valleys of Jehosaphat and kidron in
tersect, while to the southwest the Valley
of Ilinnom winds its dark course around
the walls from the pools of Gihon TO Acel-
dana. Northeast is seen the elevation
where Titus gathered his armies for the
siege of the city Northwards are the
Grotto of jeremiah, the tomb of the Kings
and the famous ash hills. Due west
appear the splendid Russian buildings,
consisting of three hospices, for male
and female pilgrims, hospital, house of
consulate and cathedral. South, the Chill
of Evil Counsel" and the road to Bethle-
hem. The beholder then glances into the
distance and feasts on panorama that calls
out his powers of admiration beyond OK
preston.
Excavations will later lay Jerusalem as
bare as Pompeii and Herculaneum A
railroad is in contemplation from Jaffa
here. The first survey was made by DIR.
zimpel in 1870. 1t was by the way of
Elah and Rephaim. The second, via
Bethoron, by a French company, in 1886.
There are three in the company, viz,
Joseph Neon, a Jew; John Frutiger, a
German banker, and Musa Efendy, who is
a Mahommedan. They have formed a
fund of 81 100000, and are awaiting fir
man from the Turkish Government at
Constantinople. Their survey crosses the
valleys of Sharon and Ajalon, via both
the lower and upper Bethoron. The en-
tire distance will be about thirty miles.
When this road is completed it will not
be long until Hebron, Nazareth, Tiberias,
Huleh and Damascus will be connected
with Jatfa and Beyroot.
H J BECKER