C&ARfte’s TRAVELS. 
2 m 
denote the masonry of the ancients; and evidence may be 
adduced to prove that they belonged to the foundations of 
Solomon’s Temple. We observed also that reticulated stucco, 
which is commonly considered as an evidence of Roman work, 
Phocas believed the whole space surrounding this building to 
be the ancient area of the temple j* and Golitis, in his notes 
upon the Astronomy of Alfergaues,f says, the whole founda¬ 
tion of the original edifice remained.;); As to the mosque it¬ 
self, there is no building at Jerusalem that can be compared 
with it, either in beauty or riches. The lofty saracenic pomp 
so nobly displayed in the style of the building ; its numerous 
arcades; its capacious dome, with all the stately decorations of 
the place; its extensive area, paved and variegated with the 
choicest marbles;? the extreme neatness observed in every 
avenue toward it; and, lastly, the sumptuous costume observa¬ 
ble in the dresses of all the eastern devotees, passing to and 
from the sanctuary, make it altogether one of the finest sights 
the Mahometans have to boast. 
We afterward visited the Greek and Armenian convents. 
The former consists of many separate establishments, which, 
though small, are well supported. The Armenian Monastery 
is well worth seeing, being the largest in Jerusalem; it is 
maintained in a degree of splendor, accompanied at the same time 
with neatness, cleanliness, and order, very surprising in this 
part of the world; and particularly so, because evety thing 
belonging to it is Oriental. The Patriarch makes his appear¬ 
ance in a flowing vest of silk, instead of a Monkish habit, and 
every thing around him bears the character of eastern magnifi¬ 
cence. He receives his visiters in regal stateliness; sitting 
amidst clouds of incense, and regaling them with all the luxuries 
of a Persian Court. We conversed with him for some time, 
and were much struck with his polished manners and sensible 
conversation. He seemed to be quite as well aware of what 
was passing in the western w orld, as if he had regularly re- 
#’Ev tw $ci7r£<5w ra Tffpiojvu/iK vaS ht(v 8 tS Xo^ojicovt 0 * 8«£»)p3jafvos. And. 
^gain, in'another part of the same chapter, "E£co6ev 5t ra vaS tart rtpiavkiov 
jj.{<ya Xt6ccrTWTov ro iraka iov, cos oTjiai, t 3 Hiy&ka vaa 56.m5ov. Fkocce JDescripL 
T. S. cap. 14. Colon. 1653. 
j Alferganes, Alfragan, or Alferganl, flourished about the year 800, of our aera* 
Golius, Professor of Mathematics at Leyden, published the third and best transla¬ 
tion of his writings, in 1669 See Lalande’s Astronomy, tom. I. pr 322. Paris, 1792. 
f “ Totum antiqui sacri fundum.” 
§ ’Evt^s m\ turds, rojKlXots pappapois, xai \hn(p7cnv tyxakkrivSiJLtvos. “ Ifitus ex- 
‘Veriusque variis marmoribus, et tef'.sellato eper© condecoratum.” Pliocae Descript 
'V -S cap. 14. Colon. 1656. 
