The Washington critic., 1888-03-17
JOTTINGS IN JUDEA.
A Young American Seaman'S Pill.
grimagC to Palestine,
THE HOUSE OF CAIAPHAS.
An Eveutrul Experience at n Jcru-
salem Restaurant.
By R. W. STEPHENSON, U. s. N.

marking that tradition located the
"Coenaculum" and "David's Tomb
under the same roof. / now respect
fully rejoin them and ask their in
diligence whilst relating our further
experiences.
David's tomb is situated in cham
ber adjoining the coenaculum, and can
I've viewed through q grating let into
one of the walls. Whether its COM
ponents consisted of wood, stone,
ivory or metal | cannot relate, for the
simple reason that it was covered with
a material of various shades, resem-
bling bunting. The walls of the cham
her were quite bare, but the floor
boasted covering of straw mating,
such as is usually found on the floors
of mosques. This old building, Ma
homet informed us, is owned entirely
by the Mahometans, who prize and re-
we're it greatly on account of its ASSOC
citation with David, whose writings
they more or less regard in the light
of great prophecies. We were further
informed that once year the Mahom-
etan chief priest enters the chamber in
great state for the purpose of Offering
prayer. After leaving David's tomb
we made several tacks and brought up
alongside
DAvID's GATE,
1t would occupy too much space to
relate the history of this gate as given
by Mahomet, moreover it might not
prove interesting when related, as
founding as it is. Let it suffice, there
fore, to say that had it not been backed
mp by the traditions that it was built
on the ground where David defeated
the Jebusites, would, after viewing it,
have contented myself by observing
that it appeared just such another solid
mass of masony as one would expect
TO resist the repeated thumpings of
battering rams-which, as Jocephus
gives us to understand, the enemies
of Jerusalem were in the habit of
using-As il is / cannot 20 farther
without remarking that if any tradi.
ton in all Jerusalem be worthy of un-
adulterated belief, that connecting it.
self with this gate, must, to my fancy,
be the one, as it appears from the very
nature of its site-the beginning and
termination of natural stronghold
to be just the ground q warrior of
David's calibre and resources would
choose for operations, and that, once in
possession of the hill Mount Zion), the
Jebusites would receive their coup
te grace somewhere in its vicinity,
seems indisputable.
Perplexing as, indeed, the path was
by which we reached David Gate"
still more perplexing was the one by
which we returned to the Convent
grounds. declare we described
about fifty-nine polygrams, and
ax,.,gtn1 tprna1 la1 IN
and out around lanes enough to have
left behind us a trail shaped like the
hieroglyphics on the potsherd in
"She" Ten minutes, however,
brought us to
THE HOUSE OF CAIPHAs,"
a chapel built on the former situation
of Caiphas's palace. Outside this build
ing stands broken pillar, on which
tradition says the cock stood tha
crowed after Peter denied our Saviour
the third time. Passing inside the
chapel a similar spectacle to that we
had before witnessed presented itself
One shrine, however, occupied nearly
all our attention. This shrine, bull
over the supposed place of confinement
of our Saviour while waiting to b,
brought before Caiphas, is very
richly ornamented and contains, it il
said, the real stone which covered tn,
sepulchre. There appears to be not
little controversy regarding the ston,
which covered the sepulchre.
The authorities of "the Church o
the Holy Sepulchre" also possess
store which they equally and in a
decided terms affirm to be the rea
one. BY crawling through a hole il
- the side of the shrine we entered on,
by one into ''the prison of Christ, "anC
there by the light of taper behel'
the pillar to which it is alleged he wa
very fine oil painting representa-
though sorrowful expression depicte
on the Saviour's face, contrastin
strongly with the scowling, murderou
countenance of his punishers; tn
eager excitement of the seemingl,
approbative multitude; the efforts O
the mailed soldiers to keep them back
the irresolute look of Peter, his han,
on the hilt of his sword; all this, AM
more, is admirably portrayed, an
seems to be the production of mas
ter hand.
Before leaving the Convent ground
we took one last look around, an
were rewarded for so doing by Me-
homet pointing out two house
wherein he said lived the Virgi
Mary and st. John. They are small
plain-looking dwellings situated clos
10 each other, and not in very gres
state of decay. OF course they al
traditional.
An now must take leave of til
Armenian Convent, and with it Alour
Zion. Enough is cont lined in i
traditions to produce volumes. W
spent two hours there, altogether tc
little time; Dut then Uncle Sam limite
our stayin the city If, in this imperfe
description of such an important il
stitution, fault is found with me Il
having almost entirely ignored IL
architectural features of the city, III
only plea is that, although open to
charge of egotism in many other r
spects, have never yet advance
myself as u born Wren, and such,
think, would that man have to be
enable him to furnish a compile
architectural description of that en-
bodiment of almost every known an
think, some unknown styles
architecture rejoicing in that vel
simple appellatiye-The Armenii
Convent
4 JERUSALEM RESTAURANT
Instead of returning to the NJ ed
ieranean Hotel for luncheon, as III
been previously arranged, We 7
solved, after communing among on
selves, to sample restaurant high
recommended by Mahomet for IL
excellence of its cuisine and situate
in the Via Dolorosa