340 cual of Minerals from Palestine. 
before those who would surround the throne, when he should 
wield the royal sceptre, boldly refused to imbrue his hands in 
the blood of the “ Lord’s anointed.”’ He, however, ven- 
tured, while the king was sleeping, to “ cut off the skirt of his 
rabe:” Saul arose, and departed, withot iscovering David, 
orany of his.attendants. Although we have no data for de- 
termining the exact dimensions of the cave, it may. from the 
above remarks, safely be inferred, that it was paca such 
aone, as is rarely met with, except in limes tone regions, 
Indeed the structure of the specimen before us plainly shows, 
that it must have been forimed- from the oozing of water, 
charged with calcareoas matter, through the roof of the cav- 
Travellers assert, that immense cave ros, both natural and 
astificial exist in other parts of Palestine, which now serve 
as temporary retreats for the plundering Arabs. To these 
caves the Israelites often fled tg safety, when their country 
= invaded by foreign enemies 
9. *Froma hill west of Sercasiaule dehich overlooks the 
city.” Areddish gray, siliceous carbonate of ime; aa of 
e. 
hill, on the east of Jerusalem, the valley shaphat lying 
between it and the city; (Calmet.) “Towards the south, 
says Dr. Clarke, who witnessed what he describes, “+ ape 
pears the lake Asphaltites. Lofty mountains enclose it with 
prodigious grandeur. To the north of the lake are seen the 
verdant and fertile pastures of the ‘ Plain of Jericho,’ watered 
by the Jordan, whose course we distinctly discerned. No- 
thing else appeers in the surrounding country, but hills, whose 
undulating surfaces resemble the waves of a perturbated sea. 
We founda grove.” he adds, “of aged olive-trees, of i immense 
size, covered with fruit, oe in a mature state’? On this 
mount, many touching scenes have been exhibited. David, 
fleeing from the ietpates “thepotendl by his wicked and 
unnatural son, “went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and 
ptas he went up.” When arrived at the summit, an an- 
cient author beautifully remarks, “ flens et oudis pedibus, 
Deum ador avit.” On this eminence stood the Saviour, in 
full view of the city, when he wept over Jerusalem, and, in 
the most melting language, foretold its tremendous overthrow. 
F ee om 
