Mount of Olives we had a very extensive view of the coun try which surrounds Jerusalem, and the latter appeared like a map spread beneath our feet, whereon we could trace every spot now become so familiar to us. It is this elevated spot which tradition points out as the place where our Saviour stood when he uttered his lamentation over the city, saying, "Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate."

Another day, accompanied by Mr. Lanneau, we made an excursion to Bethlehem. We rode over a very rough country, the path being covered with stones. There was scarcely any cultivation to be seen. It appears to me that the very worst land in all Palestine is that in the immediate vicinity of Jerusalem. The time required for the ride from one place to the other was about two hours. One mile to the north of Bethlehem a small Moslem chapel was pointed out to us, which the natives believe covers the tomb of Rachel. The tradition, they say, came from the Jews and early Christians. The town of Bethlehem stands on a hill and is seen at a considerable distance; and, when so seen, has a fine and prepossessing appearance; but, on entering it, it sinks to the level of all the other wretched Arab towns I have visited.

We rode directly to the the "Cave of the Nativity."

monastery which is built over The church has attached to it some beautiful remains of the Greek temple built on the same spot by Helena.

Neither the monastery nor the church having any interest for us, we entered the holy place where our Saviour was born. It is one of those small cavities so frequently met with in all limestone mountains. We descended a few steps, and then proceeded a short distance through a nar.

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row passage to the cave, which is about forty feet long, ten or twelve broad, and eight to ten high on an average, the upper part being very irregular. The rock is supported in some places by columns and masonry, to prevent the falling of some of its fractured portions. No daylight can enter the cave, which is lighted by thirty lamps, presented by as many Christian kings and princes. The floor is paved with marble, and a number of altars are placed on each side. There appear to be some artificial excavations, made to enlarge the natural grotto. These are the principal features of this sacred place. On a farther inspection, I observed various ornaments and arrangements, intended by the monks to commemorate the precise spot where every incident connected with the birth of our Saviour occurred. I would not permit such puerilities to disturb the current of my thoughts; but, fixing my gaze on the bare native rock, I was absent to all the monkish mummery going on around me. Without desiring to recognise in the artificial stone trough of modern workmanship the very manger in which the babe was laid, my thoughts wandered back to those scenes which were enacted in this cave, when the holy family occupied this place for cattle "because there was no room for them in the inn."

While in this state of abstraction from the reality of the active scene around me, I converted the present impressions on my senses into a pleasing picture of the past. In one corner a beautiful young peasant woman, clothed in the simple blue cotton tunic whose cut and fashion were coeval with the days of the earliest inhabitants of these countries, was kneeling on the ground, with a young infant in her arms; beside her stood an old man, with gray hair and long flowing beard, leaning on a staff. These I fancied to personify the patriarch Joseph, with Mary and her infant.

The priests in their robes of office before this group were to me the Magi of the East, doing homage to him that was

"born King of the Jews." In the censers which the priests were swinging by their silver chains, and the odours which emanated therefrom, I fancied I could recognise the presents of "gold, and frankincense, and myrrh" which the "wise men" had brought as peace-offerings to the new-born King.

While indulging in these agreeable day-dreams, I was aroused from my revery by the gentlemen, who desired me to accompany them to another interesting spot. We were conducted to another grotto, which St. Jerome is said to have occupied as a residence while he was engaged in translating the Scriptures from the Greek into Latin. Another under-ground chapel was shown to us by the monks as the place where "the innocents" were buried. The latter is very apocryphal.

We returned again into the church, where we saw several rows of fine Corinthian columns which support the roof. These columns, judging from their beautiful proportions, were no doubt taken from the heathen temple erected on this spot by the Romans, in order to scandalize the place held so dear by the early Christians.

I am aware that a few cavillers dispute the fact of any known site for the place of the nativity; but if no other proof could be adduced in favour of its identity than the fact of the heathen temple having been built here for the purpose alleged, it would be a sufficient confirmation.

Suppose we were to waive for a moment the very gener. ally received opinion that the cave itself was the actual place of the nativity, no person has yet been found sufficient. ly strong in proofs or argument to venture to dispute that the church and monastery cover the site of the actual locality where that great event took place.

The "inn" mentioned in Scripture could have been none other than one of those caravansaries so common at this day all over the East.

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The great concourse of persons assembled here on the occasion of the taxing had so completely occupied every place, that the humble carpenter from Nazareth, with his wife, was obliged to seek shelter in the stable. Now, if all the upper apartments of the khan were so entirely occupied by previous arrivals, the court below may have been so filled with their animals and domestics, that Joseph chose rather to take refuge from the chills and damp of the night in a more retired place, and may have selected the cave now shown, which was close to the walls of the khan. I have seen such caves used for this purpose all over the East for night shelter, as well as for a refuge from the midday sun, and have gone into them myself for the latter purpose.

It would require stronger arguments than any I have yet heard, to shake my faith in the cave as the actual place of the nativity; yet, should this be disproved, I can fall back upon the khan, and there intrench myself behind its walls, in safety from the guerilla attacks of the light-armed troop of skeptics. That the khan occupied the spot where the church now stands cannot be doubted, from the pains taken by pagan as well as Christian to preserve its memory. sides, the nature of the ground (being a sort of bluff, overlooking the valley below) is the best adapted of any in the town for such a building, which, like the old feudal castles, was intended for a temporary place of refuge and defence in times of trouble.

Be.

I would not have been thus prolix in my endeavours to impart to you my convictions of the identity of the site of this spot, so interesting to all Christians, but I do not wish you to adopt my opinions without connaissance de cause for the effect produced on my mind by actual appearances, which come to the aid of history and tradition.

Before we left the town we made some purchases of pearl shells, engraved with scriptural subjects, which all pilgrims are expected to provide themselves with.

Remounting our horses, we rode for about an hour in a southerly direction to the far-famed "Pools of Solomon." These we found to be artificial reservoirs of stone, cemented on the inside. They are formed on the inclined surface of a narrow valley, and rise one above the other. They are three in number, one touching the other, the lowest receiving the surplus waters of the second, and that from the first; this being supplied by a fountain which I will notice. These pools are five, six, and seven hundred feet long (in round numbers), and two hundred and fifty to three hundred feet wide. They may be about twenty feet deep. They are undoubtedly the work of Solomon. About one hundred yards above the upper pool is a fountain, from which these pools are supplied. This is the "sealed fountain" of Solomon, and springs from the bottom of a large vaulted chamber sunk far below the surface of the ground. The entrance to this chamber is by a small perpendicular shaft, down which, of course, neither of us ventured; we were content with the description of the subterranean construc. tion which we obtained from others. The springs, rising in this secure place, were susceptible of being easily protected from pollution by a heavy stone being placed over the top of the shaft, which being there secured and "sealed,” the water flowing out of the side of the vault could thus be drunk with impunity by the most fearful tyrant, without the least danger of being poisoned. A part of this water flows into the pools, while another portion of it is carried by an underground aqueduct to the summit of the temple mount at Jerusalem. This aqueduct appears above ground in many places, by which we could detect its serpentine track along the sides and around the points of the hills, quite to the valley of Gihon. There is a very copious stream of pure delicious water running through it. There was no need of pools here to collect a head of water for the supply of the city, as the springs are never-failing. Besides, I doubt if