aroundworldortra00peebiala-1

342 AEOUND THE WORLD.
The two pillars, the arch, the breastplate, the trowel, and
the star inclosed in the circle, are plainly visible. The construction
of these three gigantic pools, or cisterns, is ascribed
to Solomon. If he was not the builder, who was ? The
one farthest east is six hundred feet in length, two hundred
in width, and fifty feet deep. The proudest man-of-war
that ever plowed the ocean might float thereon. The first
of these pools is fed from a living fountain. During the
rainy season the upper pool, overflowing, fills the others.
The water from these immense reservoirs, carried through
an underground aqueduct around the hills a little to the
east of Bethlehem to Jerusalem, and used originally in the
various services of the sanctuary, is at present used by
the Mohammedans about the Mosque of Omar, who bathe
their hands and faces before worshiping.
FROM JERUSALEM TO THE JORDAN.
Rising early from a good night's rest upon Mount Zion,
breakfasting upon eggs, bread, grapes, figs, and honey, —
minus the locusts, — and finding our sheik, and guide Selim,
well armed, the muleteers and tenting apparatus in readiness,
we were speedily in the saddle, wending our way
through the vale of Kedron, by the tomb of Zechariah, the
tomb of St. James, and the battered tomb of Absalom,
which to this day, when the Jew, passing, especially upon
a funeral occasion, picks up and hurls a stone thereat,
exclaiming, " Cursed be the son who disobeys the father's
commands !
" The hills in this vicinity are literally honeycombed
with graves and old tombs.
Reaching a rugged eminence a little distance from the
city, Mr. Knight, a spirit-friend, sp6ke to Dr. Dunn's clairaudient
ear, saying, " Along that valley to the right, Jesus
and his disciples used to come into the city from Bethlehem ;
. . . and farther, on that palm-crowned hill, lived a warm
personal friend of Jjesus, with whom he frequently tarried
over night." Spirits of the apostolic age, accompanying,