were generally excluded. We have a description of the interior by Ali Bey, a Spanish renegade, who, about sixty years ago, made his entrance into the sanctum under the disguise of a Mohammedan pilgrim. Having described the mosque itself, he says: "All the sepulchres of the patriarchs are covered with carpets of green silk, magnificently embroidered with gold: those of their wives are red, embroidered in like manner. The Sultans of Constantinople furnish these carpets, which are renewed from time to time. I counted nine, one over the other, upon the tomb of Abraham. The rooms also which contain the tombs are covered with rich carpets: the entrance to them is guarded by iron gates and wooden doors plated with silver, with bolts and padlocks of the same metal. There are reckoned more than s hundred persons employed in the service of the temple: it is consequently easy to imagine how many alms must be made." In the account of the tomb by Benjamin of Tudela, A.D. 1163, it is said that "all the tombs bear inscriptions; there being engraved upon the tomb of Abraham, ‘This is the tomb of our father Abraham, (upon whom be peace,)' and so upon that of Isaac and all the other tombs. A lamp burns in the cave and upon the tombs constantly, both day and night." The only European who has lately been admitted to the sacred precincts, before the Prince of Wales and his suite, is Signor Pierotti, who visited it in company with Sooraya Pasha, and was allowed to make a careful survey of the mosque, and to descend toward the sacred cave as far as the Pasha himself is permitted to go.*

The following description of his visit to the mosque at Machpelah, at Hebron, was published at the time of the tour of the Prince of Wales :—

* Signor Pierotti, who has been employed for some years as the Pasha's engineer, has added many valuable facts to our knowledge of the topography of the Holy Land. His account of the subterranean exploration in Jerusalem has been already brought before the public. In the course of his excavations he discovered that the modern city of Jerusalem stands on several layers of ruined masonry, the undermost of which, composed of deeply-bevelled and enormous stones, he attributes to the age of Solomon, the next to that of Zerubbabel, the next to that of Herod, the next to that of Justinian, and so on till the times of the Saracens and Crusaders. He has traced a series of conduits and sewers leading from the "dome of the rock," a mosque standing on the very site of the altar of sacrifice in the temple, to the valley of Jehoshaphat, by means of which the priests were enabled to flush the whole temple area with water, and thus to carry off the blood and offal of the sacrifices to the brook Kedron. The manner of his explorations was very interesting: he got an Arab to walk up through these immense sewers, ringing a bell and blowing a trumpet; while he himself, by following the sound above ground, was able to trace the exact course they took. Between three and four years ago, he accidentally discovered a fountain at the pool of Bethesda, and, on his opening it, a copious stream of water immediately began to flow, and has flowed, it seems, ever since; no one knows from whence it comes or whither it goes. This caused the greatest excitement among the Jews, who flocked in crowds to drink and bathe themselves in it. This fountain is identified by Signor Pierotti with the fountain which Hezekiah built, and which is described by Josephus. The measurement and position of most of these remains accord with the Jewish historian's description.

"The mosque of Abraham (Mesdjid el Khalil) occupies the highest part of the town, on the east, and is sunk in the mountain on the east and north sides. Its external wall forms a parallelogram, the two sides of which, on the north and south, have a length of one hundred and ninety-eight and a half feet; the east and west sides, one hundred and thirteen and a half feet. The height of the ancient wall is forty-eight feet..........The whole of this enclosure-wall consists of regular courses of magnificent blocks, perfectly squared and slightly rusticated, of a projection of half an inch, and all admirably joined together. In the lower courses the stones are much larger than in the upper, and there are to be seen stones sixteen feet long and five feet high. As the courses rise higher, the dimensions of the blocks diminish..........] ..........The wall is six and a half feet thick; and, as far as I was able to examine, the whole thickness is formed of two stones. On ascending the stairs which skirt the west side and part of the south side, and consist of steps of four or five inches in height, I came to the gate which is found in the ancient south wall. The inside of the enclosure is divided into two parts, namely, the mosque on the west, and a court on the south, where the Arabs have made small chapels, in which they have placed sarcophagi, to represent the monuments of the patriarchs who (they say) lie beneath them. The mosque is the very church which the Crusaders rebuilt. Inside it has nothing remarkable. It is divided into three naves of equal length, which end against the west wall of the enclosure. Two piers on each side separate the central from the lateral naves. These latter are

thirty feet in height, the former forty-eight feet.......The pavement of the mosque rests on the rock, as I could easily determine..........The true entrance to the patriarch's tomb is to be seen close to the western wall of the enclosure, and near the north-west corner. It is guarded by a very thick iron railing; and I was not allowed to go near it. I observed that the Mussulmans themselves did not go very near it. In the court opposite the entrance-gate of the mosque there is an opening, through which I was allowed to go down for three steps; and I was able to ascertain, by sight and touch, that the rock exists there, and to conclude it to be about five feet thick. From the short observations I could make during my brief descent, as also from the consideration of the east wall of the mosque, and the little information I extracted from the chief santon, who jealously guards the sanctuary, I consider that a part of the grotto exists under the mosque, and the other part is under the court, but at a lower level than that lying under the mosque. This latter must be separated from the former by a vertical stratum of rock, which contains an opening, as I conclude from two reasons: first, because the east wall of the mosque, being entirely solid and massive, requires a good foundation; secondly, because the petitions which the Mussulmans present to the santon to be transmitted to the patriarchs are thrown, some through one opening, some through the other, according to the patriarch to whom they are directed; and the santon goes down by the way I went; whence I suppose that on that side there is a vestibule, and that the tombs may be found below it. I explained my

conjectures to the santon himself, after leaving the mosque; and he showed himself very much surprised at the time, and told the pasha afterwards that I knew more about it than the Turks themselves. The fact is that even the Pasha who governs the province has no right to penetrate within the sacred enclosure, where (according to the Moslem legend) the patriarchs are living, and only condescend to receive the petitions addressed to them by mortals! As long as Palestine, or rather the Ottoman empire, is not in the way of progress, I can certify that no one, however powerful he may be, will manage to go down the three steps I descended in the sanctuary of Hebron. I must not omit to say that the Jews who dwell in Hebron, or visit it, are allowed to kiss and touch a piece of the sacred rock close to the north-west corner, which they can reach through a small aperture. To accomplish this operation they are obliged to lie flat on the ground, because the aperture is on the ground-level."

We come now to the recent visit of the Prince of Wales to the cave of Machpelah, in company with Dr. Stanley, Dr. Rosen, and others. One of the party thus describes what they saw :-" At the head of the staircase, which by its long ascent showed that the platform of the mosque was on the uppermost slope of the hill, and therefore above the level where, if any. where, the sacred cave would be found, we entered the precincts of the mosque itself, and were received by one of its guardians, a descendant of one of the companions of Mohammed, with the utmost courtesy on his part, though not without deep groans from some of his attendants, redoubled as we moved from one sacred spot to another. We passed (without our shoes) through an open court into the mosque. With regard to the building itself two points at once became apparent: first, that it had been originally a Byzantine church. To anyone acquainted with the cathedral of St. Sophia, at Constantinople, and with the monastic churches of Mount Athos, this is evident, from the double narthex or portico, and from the four pillars of the nave. Secondly, that it had been converted at a much later period into a mosque. This is indicated by the pointed arches, and by the truncation of the apse. This building occupies (to speak roughly) about one third of the platform. I proceed to describe its relation to the sepulchres of the patriarchs. It is the innermost of the outer porticoes which contains the two first. In the recess on the right is the alleged tomb of Abraham; on the left, that of Sarah; each guarded by silver gates. The shrine containing the tomb of Sarah we were requested not to enter, as being that of a woman. The shrine of Abraham, after a momentary hesitation, and with a prayer offered to the patriarch for permission to enter, was thrown open. The chamber is cased in marble. The tomb consists of a coffin-like structure, like most Moslem tombs, built up of plastered stone or marble, and hung with carpets, green embroidered with gold. The three which cover this tomb are said to have been presented by Mohammed II., Selim I., and the late Sultan, Abdul Medjid. I need hardly say that this tomb (and the same remark applies to all the others) does not profess to be more than a cenotaph, raised above the actual grave which lies beneath. But it was

impossible not to feel a thrill of unusual emotion at standing in a relation so near to such a spot,—an emotion, I may add, enhanced by the rare occasion which had opened the gates of that consecrated place (as the guardian of the mosque expressed it) to no one less than the eldest son of the Queen of England.' Within the area of the church or mosque were shown, in like manner, the tombs of Isaac and Rebekah. They differed from the two others in being placed under separate chapels, and closed, not with silver, but iron gates. To Rebekah's tomb the same decorous rule of the exclusion of male visiters naturally applied as in the case of Sarah's. But, on requesting to see the tomb of Isaac, we were entreated not to enter." "The tombs of Jacob and Leah were shown in recesses corresponding to those of Abraham and Sarah, but in a separate cloister, opposite the entrance of the mosque. Against Leah's tomb, as seen through the grate, two green banners reclined; the origin and meaning of which were unknown. The gates of Jacob's shrine were opened without difficulty, but it calls for no special remark."

Dr. Rosen, with the help of one of the Prince's party, constructed a ground-plan of the whole platform. By this visit a real advance has been made in the knowledge of this world-renowned spot. The existence and precise situation of the cave, the nearer view of the ancient enclosure within and without, the origin and arrangements of the mosque, the relation of the different tombs to each other, and the general conformity of the traditions of the mosque to the accounts of the Bible and of the early travellers, are now, for the first time, clearly ascertained.*

We left Hebron on our return to Jerusalem, and proceeded up the fertile vale we had descended the day before. The fields near the town, though it was but the first week in January, had already in some places assumed the green hue of early spring; so fresh seemed the tender blades of vegetation that were shooting up. The enclosed grounds, in particular, showed the care bestowed upon them; though the fruit-trees at this season presented, of course, a naked appearance. The valley up which we were proceeding is considered by most authorities to be that of Eshcol, whence the spies cut "one cluster of grapes, and bare it between two upon a staff, and brought of the pomegranates and of the figs," and carried them to all Israel at Kadesh, as evidence of the exuberant fruitfulness of the land that "surely flowed with milk and honey." According to Dr. Robinson, the character of its fruit still answers to its ancient celebrity: the vineyards here still produce the largest and best grapes in all the country; while pomegranates and figs, as well as apricots, quinces, and the like, still grow there in abundance. "The region around Hebron," he elsewhere observes, " abounds with vineyards, and the grapes are the finest in Palestine." Dr. Wilson, on leaving Hebron

* The interesting details here given, respecting the cave of Machpelah, were published some time ago in the "Sunday at Home;" and, having taken them to illustrate his visit to Hebron, the writer desires to express his obligations to that journal. These are due, moreover, for other information which he has gleaned from its pages respecting places he visited in the Holy Land.

for Bethlehem, proceeded up this valley, which he also inclines to identify with the Eshcol of the sacred record. "Beautiful fields, and gardens of vines, olives, pomegranates, and figs, lay on each side of our path. From the vineyards grapes of the largest size and finest quality, such as the spies may be supposed to have taken to the Israelites, are at present procurable." "The valley," he adds, "extends altogether about a couple of miles." The geographical position of Hebron, being the highest of all the towns in Palestine, and the variable climate, as one traveller observes,† caused the fertility which prompted Caleb to ask for this region as his portion of the promised land. Here you have the mists, the moisture, and the cooler air of a more northern clime, conjoined with the fervid heat of a Syrian

summer.

The vines in the neighbourhood of Hebron are sometimes surrounded by stone walls, and overlooked by "the tower of the watchman;" sometimes they run along terraces, which (for all that appears) may have existed from the early days of Israel's possession; and here and there is built a hut for the guards or vine-dressers, "a cottage in a vineyard." In these towers and huts, and also in tents, the families of Hebron are crowded during the time of vintage, which is a festival season for the whole population; and the town is left, meanwhile, deserted. The produce of the vineyards is sent all over Palestine. The proprietors, being chiefly Mohammedans, make no wine; but a little is made by the Jews, though not in a sufficient quantity for exportation. The best grapes are dried into raisins; the remainder are trodden out in the wine-press; and their juice is boiled down to a syrup, which resembles treacle, but has a pleasanter taste. This syrup is called dibs, a Hebrew word signify ing "honey," and also “ syrup of grapes;" and wherever Palestine is found to be " a land of vineyards," this syrup is commonly eaten with bread. The valleys hereabouts are all well cultivated; and the hills, wherever terraced, well repay the toil expended upon them. Where they are left to nature, loose rocks and scanty grass are scattered over them.

ABRAHAM'S OAK.

About a mile from Hebron we passed, a little to our right, "Abraham's Oak." It is a remarkable tree, standing quite alone in a plot of ground near the vineyards, and differing in appearance from all other trees in the landscape, far and near. I saw none to compare with it in magnitude. It

* Hebron is situated in 31° 32′ 30′′ N. lat., and 35° 8′ 20′′ E. long.

+ Approaching Hebron from the south, he says: "The day was cold and cheerless; heavy clouds sailed rapidly overhead, now and then pierced by a gleam of sunshine; whilst ragged streamers of mist flew across the hill-tops. The whole effect produced appeared more appropriate to Scottish highlands than to a landscape almost on the border of Arabia. This bitter gloomy weather seemed strange; but it was not unsuited to the locality, for we were really in a mountain land. We had been constantly rising ever since we left the Arabah; and Hebron itself is the town of highest elevation in all Syria."