354 THE HOLY LAND. 
was formerly included within the walls of the 
antient city, the remains upon it, at this hour, 
not only of walls, but of sumptuous edifices', 
seem forcibly to demonstrate. In this view of 
the subject, the topography of the city seems 
more reconcileable with antient documents. 
The present Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and 
all the trumpery belonging to it, will, it is 
true, be cast into the back ground ; but the 
Sepulchres of the Kings of Judah, so long an 
object of research, then become a prominent 
object in the plan : the possible site of our 
Saviour's Tomb may be determined, and 
Siloa's brook, that flow'd 
Fast by the Oracle of God, 
will continue in the situation assigned for it by 
Christianwriievsoi every sect and denomination % 
'ho depth at all appeareth in our days, but only without the Fountain 
Gate, by the Fountain Siloah." (See ' Travels into the Eastern 
Countries,' Ray's edition, p. '2'd9. Lond. 1693.) A deep vallei/ ^lled u^, 
so that even the marks of its existence have disappeared ! Is it possible 
to credit this ; especially when such a valley was of use in fortifying 
the city, by rendering the walls above less accessible ? Josephus says 
{.lib. vi. de Bell. c. 6. Colon. 1691.) that the oldest of the three walls 
was extremely strong, owing to the depth of the inferior valley. 
(1) " Whose height yet shews the relics of no meane buildings." 
Sandys' Trav.p. 186. Lond. 1637. 
(2) Josephtts {lib. vi. de Bell. Jud. c. 6.) describes the valley whicli 
separated the upper town from the lower, as terminating with the 
Fountain Siloa; and this is the case with Sandys' Valley of Gehinnom. 
