546

THE POOL OF BETHESDA.

the Bethlehem aqueduct. In the authorised translation of the Scriptures we read that this pool was "by the sheep-market," (John v. 2); but as the word market does not at all occur in the original, the greater number of commentators now consider that it was the sheep gate that is here understood; and to this locality it precisely corresponds; but, like most of the other places in the Holy City, its site has been disputed. Maundrell, who first questioned its identity, says, "at its west end it discovers some old arches now dammed up. These some will have to be the five porches in which sat the multitude of lame, halt, and blind (John v.); but the mischief is, instead of five there are but three of them."

This statement has been handed down and quoted by traveller after traveller as proof positive against its identity. But although only three of these porches had been discovered, might not the two remaining ones have lain hid beneath the rubbish that has nearly filled up one side; and, from their position with respect to the bottom of the pool, they must have been below the water level. Maundrell and others should, however, have recollected that it was not the pool, but the Bethesda or house of mercy beside it, that contained these porches, in which were seated the impotent folk who waited for the troubling of the water in the adjoining pool, or, to speak more correctly, bath.* Pococke speaks of another pool to the south of the temple court, which he supposes to be Bethesda, because St. Jerome stated that the water within it was tinged red, owing to the blood of the sacrifices running into it. The anachronism of making St. Jerome and the ancient Jewish offerings contemporaneous requires no refutation. Altogether I see no reason for disputing its identity; and the architecture discovered in the construction of its walls is really the most remarkable with which we are acquainted. Dr. Robinson has lately called in question the identity of this large pool or excavation, and considers it to have been "the ancient fosse which protected the fortress Antonia and the

*The bed which the impotent man, healed by our Saviour at this pool, carried, was in all probability the segaddah, or small prayer carpet, still used in the East.

A PRUSSIAN PRINCE.

547

temple on the north;" but adds, "that it was formerly filled with water is apparent from the lining of small stones and cement upon its sides." Had it been, however, a mere protective fosse, and not a reservoir, its builders would never have expended so much labour and ingenuity in rendering it waterproof.

To the north of this pool is an extensive ruin, the remains of the church of St. Anna; and one of the very few relics of the crusaders that now exist in Jerusalem.

That portion of the Mount of Sion which is outside the walls is crowned by the mosque which is said to be erected over the tomb of David and the chamber where our Lord and his disciples partook of the supper. A day or two after our arrival we walked out to it, and requested permission to visit either the tomb or the Conaculum. We had scarce set our foot upon the threshold of the outer enclosure, when an old grey-bearded Moullah rushed out of the mosque in a most furious passion to prevent our entrance, pouring forth a torrent of abuse, and crying out that "no other Christian dog should ever again pollute that sacred spot with his unhallowed foot." We naturally inquired into the cause of this conduct, so very unusual among the Mohammadan priests, and found that it arose from the very indecent and outrageous conduct of a certain Prussian prince, already known as a writer upon men and manners in England, who being employed, as report states, (and I believe it,) by the Egyptian viceroy, to write in favour of the government of Syria, was partly paid by getting a firman of admission to all the sacred places of the Mohammadans, and a carte blanche on every subject in the country to defray his expenses, and furnish him with all necessaries.

A scene occurred at Naplous that may serve to illustrate his excellency's mode of living and travelling in the country. Having had occasion for a bath, the keeper of it demanded the usual payment, which amounted to something less than sixpence of our money. The prince produced his firman, and refused to pay; but wrote an order on the neighbouring sheyk for the money to be paid out of the taxes to be collected for the Básha the following year!!! Next day the prince required horses, and desired the sheyk to procure some. The man stated his inability to comply with the demand; the prince produced his firman,

Mohammad Alee's signature had its effect; the sheyk seized the horse of a Bedawee who was passing by, and mounted the Prussian. The owner of the animal instantly and deliberately fired at the rider, who narrowly escaped with his life. This circumstance, however, quieted him for some days.

The tomb of David is situated in a vault beneath the surface, and is considered by the Mooslims as a place of very peculiar sanctity. That shown as the actual soros is railed off from the rest of the apartment by an open work or lattice, within which even the priests seldom enter. The week before our arrival the prince went to visit this tomb of David, having previously outraged the feelings of the Mooslim population, and roused them to a state of frenzy by various acts of indecency in Jerusalem and its neighbourhood. Not content with looking in at the soros, as other visitors had been in the habit of doing, he desired the attendant priest to open the door of the lattice and permit him to go in. The priest remonstrated, the prince was inexorable-he produced the firman; still the priest refused to open it, and besought him not to require it-all his entreaties were in vain-the hero of the firman drew his sword, caught the old Moullah by the beard-the very greatest indignity that could possibly be offered to a descendant of the prophet-kicked in the door, and entered, boasting that he had done what no other person would have dared to attempt. This requires no noté or comment, but it fully accounted for the conduct of the Moullah towards our party.

I was quietly admitted to visit the chamber of the last supper next morning, which being a place to whose identity there is not the slightest shade of probability attached, I need not describe. But this edifice was mentioned by Cyril in the fourth century as the "Church of the Apostles." It is undoubtedly a building of considerable antiquity, and appears to be that alluded to by several of the older writers, as Epiphanius and Adamnanus.

In the vicinity of the mosque is the general burial-ground for Christians of all denominations; some of the gravestones in which must be ever interesing to an Irishman. My young guide having pointed out those of several foreigners who had died at Jerusalem, led me up to a plain, unadorned slab: "and here, sir," said he, "is the grave of my papa." We sat down beside it; it was that of Dr. Dalton, the first Jewish missionary who

THE GRAVE OF DALTON.

549 visited Jerusalem, where he died of fatigue, fever, and want of medical aid, for at that time there was not a properly educated physician in the whole of Syria.* The relinquishment of worldly prospects, the patient endurance of hardship and fatigue, the untiring perseverance, the enthusiasm, Christian devotedness, and holy zeal of this good man in the promotion of Judah's welfare, for which he laboured, and in the cause of which he died, will make his memory long revered at home, and his grave upon Mount Sion be sought out by all who visit Jerusalem. There is now another grave that also claims our sympathy-that of the daring but ill-fated Costigan, the first circumnavigator of the Dead Sea, whose sad tale has already been given to the world by Mr. Stephens.†

On the bright sunny morning of the 23rd we procured horses, and leaving the city by the Bethlehem or Sion gate, set forward

In the first edition of this work I wrote " I trust, the day is not far distant, when some young and enterprising medical man will be induced to reside in Jerusalem. The value of such a person would soon become known to the Mohammadans, and no doubt but in a short time he would be amply remunerated. Our consul and the three resident families of the missionaries would afford him society, independent of the daily increasing influx of travellers. Science would be benefitted to a degree that cannot be limited. His influence over his Turkish patients would give him immense advantage in prosecuting his researches among the antique remains in that interesting neighbourhood, and the observations and collections in natural history that he might make, would be of great importance to that branch of science, which as yet has been too much neglected in Palestine."

I rejoice to add that since the above was written, a medical gentleman, Dr. M'Gowen, has become a resident in the Holy City, and with his indefatigable zeal, spiritually as well as professionally, the public have been made acquainted through the medium of the "Jewish Intelligence."

+ Although I made many inquiries about the papers and journals of our enterprising and talented fellow-citizen, I am unable to add any thing of consequence to the simple statement of the American traveller, (for which science in general, and our own country in particular, are much indebted,) except to correct a slight error in the information, which Mr. Stephens procured; and this I do for the benefit of future explorers. I am informed by Lieutenant Webber Smith, the friend and companion of Mr. Costigan till he left Beyrout, where he first conceived the idea of this voyage, that the boat was not purchased there and carried across to the Jordan, which would have been a labour in itself; but that it was built

550

VISIT TO BETHLEHEM.

to visit the place of our Lord's nativity. We crossed over the valley of Gihon, above the large cistern or enclosure in this ravine called the lower pool of Gihon, and proceeded along the verge of the long irregular hill from which the valley derives its name. Some chambers and excavations, probably tombs, and seats or resting places, and also steps, are seen in the western side of this deep fosse. The pathway is partly cut out of the rock, and bears the marks of great age and constant use. The distance from Jerusalem to Bethlehem is about six miles, or not two hours' ride, and Father Benjamin kindly furnished us with a letter of introduction to a brother friar of the convent there. For the first mile and a half the road passed over a tolerably level surface, the plain of Rephaim, interspersed with vegetation and several cultivated patches.

Shortly after leaving the city we met several flocks of sheep,

at Tiberias-launched upon that lake, and floated down the Jordan to the Dead Sea. Great, indeed, has been the loss of the valuable information which that voyage would have given to the world, had its enterprising navigator been spared, for it would have set at rest the conflicting opinions of Strabo, Julius, Pausanias, Josephus, Pliny, and Diodorus Siculus; and the many theories of modern writers as to its supposed geography, and the cities said to be submerged beneath its dark waters. Now that the way has been opened, it is to be hoped, that some of our English institutions (say the Geographical Society) will take up the matter, and send out some scientific person, with adequate means to complete what has been so advantageously begun. A firman and a guard of soldiers from Ibrahim Basha, would prevent the attacks of the hostile Arabs, who wander along its banks.

Besides the names I have mentioned, two other Irishmen have connected their history with Jerusalem. Some fifty years ago, an eccentric gentleman, a native of Dublin, laid a wager, that he would proceed to Jerusalem, (at that time a great undertaking,) play ball against its walls, and return within a given time. He performed the task within the allotted period, and won the wager. And, though last not least, a feat unparalleled in the annals of travelling has been lately performed by the Rev. Dr. Burton, who journeyed to the Holy City to inquire into the state of the Jews, in whom, few feel a livelier interest. This kind-hearted, amiable man, whom to know is to esteem, found himself in Jerusalem with but five guineas in his pocket, and upon that small sum he actually walked, except where water intervened, from Syria to Dublin.-See "Burton's Narrative."-Dublin, 1838.