Protected as this party was by an escort, and a large company, they were in considerable danger, from falling into the hands of an Arab tribe, who scoured the plains of Jericho, and had even recently committed robberies between Bethlehem and Jerusalem, close to the walls of the latter. The chief, to whom they were conducted, declared himself independent both of the sultan and all his pashas, and boasted that they spared no Christians who fell into their hands. He consented, however, to protect Mr. Bankes during his stay in the desert, and to return him in safety to Jerusalem, on condition of his interceding for the release of a boy of their tribe, who was now imprisoned at the latter place for a robbery of some camels committed by the tribe itself. Mr. Bankes engaged to use his utmost influence, and on that promise they were all released, while the father of the boy had accompanied them here to await the issue of the negociation.

We were scarcely met, before a visit was paid to us by an Abyssinian prince, named Moosa, who had left Gondar about two years since, with the sister of the Ras Welleta, on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. His female charge had died here only a few months since, and he had subsequently by some means become acquainted with the amiable and excellent Lady Hester Stanhope, with whom he had remained some time at her residence near Seyda.

Of this Abyssinian, who was not more than forty years of age, we could learn nothing of Bruce, of whom he had not even heard the name, as "Yakoube el Hakeem." He had seen Mr. Salt, however, at Antalow, and said that he passed in the country for the son of the king of England. He knew also Mr. Coffin, and Mr. Pearce, who were still in Abyssinia. These, he assured us, were admitted to the table and confidence of the Ras, and were looked up to as prodigies of excellence in understanding; although one was a man from the lowest walks of life, and the other a common sailor, who could scarcely read. So much for Abyssinian discernment of character!

This prince, soon after leaving us, returned again, bringing with him a large white glass bottle of rakee, and about a pound of tobacco, as presents, and in return he received a piece of white linen, large enough for a turban, and a pair of English scissars, with which he was pleased.

JANUARY 21. WE set out from the convent on an excursion round the city, taking with us a Christian guide, and the Janisary of the friars as an escort; and commenced our perambulation at nine o'clock.

After passing through some small and winding streets, we approached the castle, near which we were shown the house of Uriah; and in a piece of ground near it, an old tank, said to be that in which Bathsheba his wife was washing herself, when David

BB

saw and became enamoured of her. In the castle was pointed out to us the very window from which this monarch is said to have been looking out at the time; but when I remarked to our guide that the Scriptures stated it to have been from the roof of the king's house that this woman was beheld *, as well as that the whole of the present building was of modern work, he replied, that he considered the authority of the friars, who had lived here many years, to be of greater weight than any Scriptures, and that if I began to start doubts of this nature in the beginning of our visit to the holy places, there would be an end to all pleasure in the excursion. I therefore bowed assent, and remained silent.

We came next to the castle itself, called by some the Castle of the Pisans, which D'Anville thinks was built on the ruins of the ancient palace of David. It is at present a large fortress, surrounded by a ditch, crowned by battlements, and occupying a considerable space of ground. We could not obtain admission into the interior; but as far as we could perceive, from the outer walls, the whole was comparatively a modern work, of Saracen execution; nothing remaining but some masses of strong masonry in large rough blocks near the foundation, which bore the appearance of higher antiquity, and which seemed like the rustic masonry of the Romans.

Leaving this on the left, we went out of the Bethlehem gate, in the south-west quarter of the city; and going down the hill toward the south-east along the foot of Mount Sion, we had on our right a deep valley, in which were several olive-trees, and on our left the celebrated holy hill on which the walls of the city now stand, although Sion is said to have been nearly in the centre of the ancient Jerusalem. In this valley a large reservoir was seen, which some maintained to be Bathsheba's pool, so that disputes ran high thereon. It was at this moment in a ruinous state, and perfectly dry.

* 2 Samuel, xi. 2.

From the foot of Sion we crossed over the valley of Hinnom, a little beyond this tank, and, turning eastward over the side of the opposite hills, we passed, on our right, a number of caverns and grottoes cut out of the rock. These were all small, and, from their situation, must have been originally within the site of the ancient city, if it is satisfactorily proved to have contracted its limits from the southward. This it is said to have done so much, as to exclude all the southern side of Mount Sion which was in its centre, as well as to have extended its limits to the northward, so as to bring the sepulchre of Jesus and Mount Calvary, which were without the ancient walls, into the centre of the modern city.

Near these grottoes we were shown an old vaulted building in ruins, erected on the spot supposed to have been purchased by the thirty pieces of silver for which Jesus was betrayed. It was formerly so venerated as to change its name from the "Field of Blood," to that of Campo Sancto;" and the Armenians paid to the Turks a rent of one sequin a-day for the privilege of burying their dead there. Close by this we were shown also a small grotto, descended to by steps, and entered by a rude door-way: it was once used by the Greeks for the purpose of interring those of their church who might die here on their pilgrimage. Either from the expence of the heavy rents demanded, or from some change in their opinions as to the propriety of venerating the spot, both parties have discontinued the practice of burying their dead there for the last thirty or forty years.

Still descending to the eastward, we passed a number of small grottoes excavated in the rock, and similar to those before described. In some there were appearances of benches, fire-places, ovens, &c., and, though small and confined, their whole character seemed rather that of humble dwellings than of tombs. We observed some fragments of sculptured ornaments on one of these only, where a frieze of flowers ran along its front, but all the others were plain.

Leaving these grottoes, we descended into the valley of Siloa, by