374 SKETCHES OF PALESTINE. 



stated by Sfrabo, to be about 150 feet, and its depth, or the height 

 of Mount Zion above the bottom of the ravine, to be about sixty 

 feet. The measurement, in both instances, is nearly correct, and 

 furnishes one among many proofs that we derive from other sources, 

 fhat the places now called by these names are the same as those 

 that were anciently so denominated. The bottom of this ravine is 

 rock, covered with a thin sprinkling of earth, and, in the winter 

 season, is the natural channel for conveying off the water that falls 

 into it from the higher ground ; but, on both sides, the rock is cut 

 perpendicularly down, and most probably it was the quarry from 

 which the greater part of the stones were taken for building the ci- 

 ty. The precipitous edge of the ravine is more covered with earth 

 on the side of Mount Zion than on the other side, which is proba- 

 bly owing to the barbarous custom of razing cities from their foun- 

 dations, and tumbling both earth and stone into the ditch below. 

 The loose stones have been all removed from it for building the 

 present city. This ravine extends further north than the present 

 wall of the city, and ends in a gradual slope of deep earth, so as to 

 countenance the opinion that it once extended further than it does 

 now.' 



The Mount of Olives forms part of a ridge of lime-stone hills, 

 extending to the north and the south-west. Pococke describes it 

 has having ibur summits. On the lowest and most northerly of 

 these, which, he tells us, is called Sulman Tashy, the stone of Solo- 

 mon, there is a large domed sepulchre, and several other Moham- 

 medan tombs. The ascent to this point, which is to the north-east 

 of the city, he describes as very gradual, through pleasant corn- 

 fields planted with olive trees. The second summit is that which 

 overlooks the city : the path to it rises from the ruined gardens of 

 Gethsernane, which occupy part of the valley. About halfway up 

 the ascent is a ruined monastery, built as the monks tell us, on the 

 spot where our Saviour wept over Jerusalem. From this point, 

 the spectator enjoys, perhaps, the best view of the Holy City. On 

 reaching the summit, an extensive view is obtained towards the 

 east, embracing the fertile plain of Jericho, watered by the Jordan, 

 and the Dead Sea, enclosed by mountains of considerable grandeur. 

 Here there is a small village, surrounded by some tolerable corn- 

 Jand. This summit is not relatively high, and would more proper- 

 ly be termed a hill, than a mountain ; it is not above two miles dis- 

 tant from Jerusalem. At a short distance from the summit is 

 shown the supposed print of our Savionr's/e/2foot Chateaubriand 

 says the mark of the right was once visible, and Bernard de Brei- 

 denbach, saw it in 1483 this is the spot fixed upon by the mother 

 of Constantine, as that from which our Lord ascended, and over 

 which she accordingly erected a church and monastery, the ruins 

 of which still remain. Pococke describes the building which was 

 standing in his time, as a small Gothic chapel, round within, and 

 octagonj*witLouf, and tells us that it was converted into a mosque. 

 The Turks, ior a stipulated sum, permit the Christian pilgrims to 



