3 62 
A CRUSADE IN. THE EAST. 
Gethsemane, and small trinkets, manufactured of lead, from 
the Convent of St. Seba. These relics, which are purchased 
in great quantities by tire pilgrims, form an important source 
of revenue to the convents of Jerusalem. A considerable por¬ 
tion of the population also obtain a living by making and vend¬ 
ing them. The most skillful carvers of pearl are said to be the 
inhabitants of Bethlehem. Some very beautiful specimens are 
carried about by the Jewish peddlers who frequent the Frank 
quarters. The pearl is imported on the backs of camels from 
Cairo and the Isthmus of Suez. In general, the designs are 
taken from the pictures in the various convents, and, consid¬ 
ering the rude instruments used in executing them, and the 
prevailing ignorance of the principles of art, they are wonder¬ 
fully well done. I saw many that gave me a high opinion of 
the natural ingenuity of the Arabs. Olive-beads and the fruit- 
beads of Mecca and Bethlehem are hung up for sale in all the 
bazaars. A few piasters will purchase quite a collection. 
Enough of walking-sticks, paper-cutters, and snuff-boxes, pur¬ 
porting to be cut from the ancient olive-trees in the Garden of 
Gethsemane, are sold annually to freight a ship. It is rare to 
find any thing in the way of a relic that can really be traced 
to the original olives ; for, being only eight in number, walled 
round and well-guarded, no portion of them can be taken with¬ 
out permission from the guardians, who are careful not to de¬ 
stroy a very profitable source of income by destroying the trees. 
For a few piasters, however, a good deal can be done even in 
the Garden of Gethsemane ; twigs and leaves and pieces of 
roots can be bought by a little persuasion, and a little more 
backshish to overcome any lingering scruples of conscience on 
the part of the custodians. Wicked as it was to do it, I thought 
so much of my friends at home, that I violated my own con¬ 
science and that of an old priest several times, in order to get 
a good supply of the sacred relics. 
Near the Golden Gate, which faces the valley of Jehosa- 
phat, stands the ruin of a Mohammedan sepulchre. I was 
greatly struck by the lonely and desolate aspect of the place; 
an(^ made a sketch of the ruin, including a few of the sur¬ 
rounding objects. 
