^';^Λ Geographical Ohfervations 



dary of the Land oiMoah, our Profpe6l is interrupted by an ex- 

 ceeding high Ridge of defolate iVIountains, no other wife diver- 

 fifyed than by a Succeifion of naked Rocks and Precipices, ren- 

 dred in feveral Places more frightful, by a multiplicity of Tor- 

 rents which fall on each Side of them. This Ridge is continued all 

 alonir the eaftern Coaft of the 'Dead Sea, as far as our Eve can 

 conduol us, affording, all the way, a moft lonefome melancholy 

 Profpeft, not a little aififted by the intermediate View of a 

 large ftagnating unaolive Expanfe of Water, rarely if ever en- 

 livened by any Flocks of Birds that fettle upon it, or by fo much 

 as one VelTel of PaiTage or Commerce that is known to frequent 

 it. Such is the general Plan of that Part of the HolyLand which 

 fell under my Obfervation. 

 yy^g^^'i^^^'' The Hills which ft and round ahout Jerufalem, make it ap- 

 pear to be fituated, as it were, in an Amphitheatre, \^ho{Qy4rena 

 inchneth to the Raft ward. We have no where, that I know 

 of, any diftantView of It. That from the Mount oi Olives, which 

 is the beft, and perhaps the fartheft, is notwithftanding at fo lit- 

 tle Diftance, that, when our Saviour was there, he might be 

 faid, almoft in a literal Senfe, to have wept over It. There 

 are very few Remains of the City, either as it was in our 

 Saviours Time, or as it was afterwards rebuilt by Hadrian'^ 

 Jcarce one Stone being left upon another, which hath not heeri 

 thrown down. Even the very Situation is altered. For Mount 

 Sion, the moil eminent Part of the Old Jerufale?n is now ex- 

 cluded, and Ifs Ditches filled up; whilft the Places adjoyning 

 to Mount Calvary, where Chrifi is faid to hzs^ juffered with- 

 out the Gate, are now almoil in the Centre of It. 

 ATraimn Yet notwithftanding thefe Changes and Revolutions, it is 

 remarkable highly ptobable that a faithful Tradition hath always been 

 preferved of the feveral Places that were confecrated, as it 

 were, by feme remarkable Tranfaftion relating to our Saviour 

 and his Apoftles. For it cannot be doubted, but that among I 

 others. Mount Calvary and the Cave where Our Saviour was 

 buried, were well known to his Difciples and Followers : and 

 not only fo, but that fome Marks likewife of Reverence and 

 Devotion were paid to them. Thefe, no lefs than the Grotto at 

 Bethlehem, where Our Saviour is fuppofed to have been born, 

 were fo well known in the Time oi Hadrian ', that out of Hatred 



I hhHaar'iani temporibus iifquc ad imperiura ConflAnt'ini, per annos circiter cencum Oifto- 



ginta. 



