I must now proceed to a survey of the exterior walls of the Haram which I shall commence at the North-east angle, and pass round in order to the East, South, West, and North sides. The Eastern and Southern walls have been constantly measured within these few last years, with strangely different results1. I follow the scientific survey of the Engineering Officers, to whose Field-Book I have had access, comparing the careful observations of Mr. Tipping, which, if not conducted on the most approved principles, yet descend to the minutest particulars2. Its extreme length is 1533 feet 3. Courses of massive, ancient masonry may be traced almost in a continuous line along the whole of the eastern side, on the brow of the steep Valley of Jehoshaphat, rising sometimes nearly to the height of the modern walls, in other places scarcely protruding above the soil. This may be accounted for in part by the inequality of the ground and the unequal accumulation of débris, in part also by the ruin of the wall, more complete in some parts than in others. At the N. E. angle of the Haram, e. g. several courses of ancient masonry form a corner tower, projecting slightly from the general face of the wall along a length of 81 feet. Many of the stones measure from 17 to 19 feet in length, while a few exceed 24 feet. They vary from 3 to 4 feet in depth, and from 5 to 8 in

1 Viz. by Dr. Robinson in 1838. By Lieutenants Aldrich and Symonds, of the Royal Engineers, in 1841. By Messrs. Wolcott and Tipping in 1842. By Mr. Eli Smith, (at Dr. Robinson's request,) early in 1844.

2 Mr. Tipping's measurements and observations are given in Traill's Jo

sephus, pp. xlii-xlvii. His views of these interesting remains are of great value from their extreme accuracy.

3 So the Officers' Field-Book; Mr. Tipping makes it 1525 ft., nearly agreeing with Dr. Robinson and Eli Smith. Catherwood, (in Bartlett's Walks, p. 174,) makes it 1520 ft.

width. At a distance of 375 feet from the point where the southern angle of the N. E. tower recedes, the Golden Gateway projects six feet from the wall, along a frontage of 53 feet. It consists of a double circular archway of Roman construction, but the details of its architectural features are much disfigured by time, and by the process of blocking up the gateway, which was probably first done by Christians from devotional feeling. It was opened only on Palm Sunday, in commemoration of our Lord's triumphant Entry into the Temple through that identical gate, as the Christians of that day were persuaded; and on the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, because it was through this gate that the Emperor Heraclius entered the city, bearing the Cross recovered from the Persians'. The Moslems continued the obstruction, apparently to add to the security of the city against the wild Bedawîn of the eastern desert5, and not from superstitious forebodings of a Christian enemy, as is sometimes represented. Forty feet South of the Golden Gate is a small Saracenic portal, now closed, which owes it origin to the period of the Frank kingdom, when it was called "the Gate of Josaphat.” It was pierced for convenience of entrance to the enclosure when the Golden Gate had been walled up.

See Gesta Francorum Expug. Hierus. in Bongar, Tom. I. p. 572, and the citations in Quaresmius, Tom. 11. p. 336, &c., and the Norman writer, cited by Beugnot, Assise de Jérusalem, Tom. II. p. 531. In Schultz, p. 111.

5 This is the only reason stated by Arabian writers. Mejr-ed-din, in Mines d'Orient, Tom. 11. p. 96. He

says, however, that they were closed by Omar, and shall never again be opened until the end of the world.

It is spoken of by Parchi (A. D. 1322,) as the Gate Shushan, closed by large square stones. See more particulars below. Mejr-ed-din, Tome II. p. 96, places it near the Gates of Mercy, opposite to the ascent to the platform, named the Stairs of Borak.

South of this portal the indications of ancient masonry are interrupted for a time; and at a distance of 111 feet from the Golden Gate the wall advances again two feet, and then continues in the same line, almost to the S. E. angle. One hundred feet South of the projection eleven shafts of columns protrude horizontally from the wall, in which they have been inserted; they are composed of porphyry and verd-antique. Three similar shafts are found somewhat further South; and after an interval one other projects much further, where the wall is pierced with a Saracenic arch. is to allow access to the column, which is regarded with especial veneration by the Moslems, as the judgment-seat of Mohammed, in the last day, when the whole world shall be gathered together in the Valley of Jehoshapat, and the invisible Bridge, suspended from this column and reaching to the opposite mount, shall conduct the elect to Paradise, but precipitate the reprobate with a double destruction into the torments of Gehennah.

This

Proceeding further South the ground descends rapidly, and discovers several more courses of the cyclopean stones: the last 60 feet project about six inches from the general line of the wall, furnishing a confirmation of Mr. Catherwood's observation concerning the chamber within, which he remarks has the appearance of a tower1.

This S. E. angle of the Haram is perhaps the most imposing object in or about Jerusalem, consisting of

He calls it "the Gate of Borak," because the Prophet entered by it on his nocturnal journey and the "Gate of Expiations," because he again made

:

his exit by it. It was also then closed, A. D. 1495.

1 See above

p. 311.

enormous blocks of stone, rising to a height of about 70 feet, and based upon the brink of the valley, which has here a depth of 129 feet almost precipitous2. It will be remembered that the entrance to the extensive vaults through the Cradle of Jesus is at this angle3: and it is perhaps important to remark, that the lowest level of these vaults is considerably above the base of the exterior wall. The greatest height of the vaults is stated by Mr. Catherwood to be about 35 feet, so that their floor must be an equal height above the ground without. This phænomenon must be accounted for by supposing that the native rock of Moriah has been here artificially cut into a perpendicular angle, and merely faced with masonry, in the same manner as the Castle of David'; an arrangement which may be found in many parts of the City-walls".

Proceeding with our survey on the South side, at the distance of 93 feet from the angle we find a

2 These measures are from Mr. Tipping in Traill's Josephus, Vol. 1. p. xlv. In p. xliii. he had directed attention to the fact, "that the Jews seem to have bestowed more pains upon the corners than upon any other part:they exhibit greater care of finish, and a better choice of materials; and the chief corner-stones' are of surpassing magnitude." In p. xxxi. he gives the two faces of the South-east angle with his usual accuracy of delineation. 3 See above p. 311. 4 See above p. 16.

5 It may be seen in the Sections in the Plan, that in some places the rock is cut almost the whole height of the wall. Opposite the Cave of Jeremiah

on the North, the wall is merely a facing of rock, and so again at the South-east angle of the City-wall. See Sections on the Plan.

6 The results of the measurements of this South wall are as follow: 1. Mr. Catherwood in 1833, from his notes, 932 ft., but in Bartlett, p. 174, 940 ft.

2. Dr. Robinson, in 1838, (see Bib. Res. 1. p. 431,) 955 feet.

3. Lieutenants Symonds and Aldrich, 1841, 537+340=877 ft.

4. Messrs. Wolcott and Tipping, in

1842, (Bib. Sac. 1843. p. 23,) 915 ft. 5. Mr. E. Smith, in 1844, 906 ft. (Theol. Rev. Nov. 1846. p. 626. note 1.)

Saracenic doorway, now built up1, which must formerly have given entrance to the vaults, though it seems to have escaped Mr. Catherwood's observation. Not so the three Roman arches commencing 200 feet West of the Saracenic doorway. They are 25 feet high and 14 wide2, and formed, as we have seen, a grand gateway with two portals, having corresponding passages through the vaults within, probably leading to the upper area3. At a total distance of 372 feet from the S. E. angle we meet with a breach in the wall extending 110 feet westward, occasioned "by a decay of masonry effected by a pressure of water from heavy rain;" and at a distance of 55 feet from the Western termination of this breach, the modern city-wall starts off from the wall of the Haram at a right angle1, at the precise point where is found the ancient double gateway under the Mosk el-Aksa, which is actually divided by this wall, so that one-half is included, the other excluded, from the modern city. Part of the entablature may still be seen above the mass of modern masonry, by which the entrance has been blocked up; and the curious traveller may obtain a furtive view of the double corridor by climbing up to the iron grating in the same wall, which a mound of

1 Wolcott in Robinson's Bibliotheca Sacra, Vol. 1. p. 23.

So Wolcott, 1. c. but the Officers' Field-Book represents them as extending only 30 ft. along the wall. The statements will agree, if we suppose them to have measured from the middle of the arches.

3 See above p. 312.

4 Thus the Officers' measurement

gives 537 ft. of the South wall of the Haram, without the city; Dr. Robinson, 570. Messrs. Wolcott and Tipping, 550. (Bib. Sac. p. 23.) But according to Mr. Tipping 545, and in all 916. (Traill's Josephus, p. xlv.)

5 This is well shewn in Mr. Tipping's outline-drawing of the Gateway, and the other view. Ib. p. xxii.