The Washington critic., 1888-04-14

situated a well, which is supplied
with water from "Solomon's Pool"
by an aqueduct leading underground.
This well, built in the fashion Of
Eastern wells, is very ancient and is
quite feature, carrying us back as
It does, to the days of Solomon.
The Mosque of I'll Aska is the
worst apology for famous sacred
edifice l have ever cast eyes on,
sadder looking even than Jerusalem's
chief synagogue. Mahomet at
tempted to palm us off with the ex-
planation that it was built by the
Crusaders. But l would have none
Of il. / held the designers of the
fortifcations of Rhodes and Cyprus
which | had seen about week before
lin too much respect TO believe
them capable Of making the mistake
of designing a barn for q church,
Notwithstanding II was set off with
n dome at one end and q row of
pillars and arches at the other. We
didn't take off our shoes on entering,
although it contained features of
greater interest for lis than did
the Mosque Of Omar. Making our
way down the main aisle, which was
covered with straw mating and sep
arated from the others by two
rows of Saracen arches and pill
lars, we halted in front of the
pulpit of Zachariah' S and after mount.
ing several steps, laid our hands
on the desk Zachariab was wont to
bang in his discourses. Then adj
vancing to the other side we assembled
the pulpit of Omar" which was
there also, and paid the same tribute
to his. Omar was Caliph, but still
he was not too big to preach, an ex-
ample which might well have been
followed by many kings ] wot of.
Prospecting around and admiring,
from time to time, the arabesque and
gliding with which some of the
arches were decorated, we at length
came to the spot on which it is al
legged Our Saviour left his footprint,
just before running away from his
mother to debate with the doctors in
the temple. / may take occasion 10
observe here that
THESE FOOTPRINT STORIES
display more chronic "rot' than any
others told you in Jerusalem. AL
though respect for tradition prompted
me to acquiesce in great many So
called wonders, 1 had to draw the
line at footprints. My stomach was
not capacious enough to digest them.
Not one of them bore the slightest re-
semblance to foot and they were
forever being pointed out to us.
'Dis ees de dent weech Krice made
wiss He. allybo" (elbow); "Dis ees de
| footprin of de Virgin" rang in
cessantly on our ears, until it became
absolutely sickening.
Leaving the Mosque of FL Aska, and
descending some steps, we were led
into u dark chamber, and by the light
of taper beheld small stone trough,
which Mahomet alleged was the
"Cradle of Jesus" Leaving here we
descended several more steps, and
finally found ourselves within what
appeared
A PERFECT UNDERGROUND CITY.
as we advanced, and the blocks of
stone which formed the columns were
enormous. Mahomet informed Ills
that there were no less than 5000
arches, and that the whole of this vast
area was used as stable in the reign
of Solomon. The light from our
tapers being very dim, our taste for
exploration was soon satiated; not,
however, before we had taken es-
pecial notice of a part of the wall
through which it is said our Saviour
once passed, in order to escape from
the fury Of the Jews.
THE GOLDEN GATE.
Emerging into daylight again, we
walked along the city wall toward
what is termed the Golden Gate"
The wall at this part is seven or eight
feet in width and ninety feet high,
and from it an excellent view of the
Mount of 0ffense, the Village OF
Sloan, and, in fact, the whole Valley
of Jehosaphat is obtainable. The
Golden Gate, through which, accord
ing to Mahometan tradition, the Great
King will pass when the millennium
arrives, is walled up and does not
strike one as being at all worthy Of
its title. 1t was walled up by the
Caliph Omar, and will probably re-
main so in the hands of its present
possessors. 1t does not seem in the
least shaky, Notwithstanding it has
stood for nearly ! 300 years. On the
contrary, it looks as if it had been
lately renewed. Mahomet, however
averred it had not. To one of its
stones is fastened small ringbolt
the identical ringbolt, it is said, tc
which NIahomet tied the celestia
jackass, Borak, before ascending tC
| l. III 20
that Borak, like all other jack
asses was given to stray
ing. The right bastion o
the gate is termed "The Cours
Suliman." One would imagine tn,
term "Coursi Suliman" indicates
"The Gate of Solomon but, accord
ing to Mahomet, it does not. "My
frens," said he, "dis ees de Golei
Gate; dis ees de 'Coursi Suliman,
and look !" pointing to an iron grating
imbedded in the wall, "dis ees d
Trone of Solomon" :" Such evidenc,
could not fail to strike us as conclu
sive; we therefore swallowed it. 9Th
Throne of Solomon" was, like 9Th,
Tomb of David" covered with SOM
sort of bunting 1t is situated in tn
: centre of the lower chamber of TIN
bastion, whose walls, draped will
, folds of dark-blue cloth = almos
J heightened into black by the darkness
which pervades-gives it the air of
! chamber of death. Leaving the in
} closure of the mosque, we visite(
, '"The Church of st. Ann, built owe
; the reputed birthplace Of the Virgil
J Mary. The church is capaciou
and beautifully decorated with pres
ents, which, from time to time, hay
} | bpen received from yarious parts O