116 
STONE PLATFORM 
side of the mountain, behind the town, I might see the myste¬ 
rious stone which bears the unintelligible writing; next morning 
just before sun-rise, I set forth, on what some thought the 
awful errand, attended by one of the vizier’s people, who was to 
guide me to the spot. After a most arduous and circuitous 
clambering of our horses, for full four hours up the eastern 
acclivity of Elwund, to ride further became impossible, from the 
precipitous nature of the remaining ascent; so, taking to our 
feet, we scrambled onwards for half an hour; till at last, reach¬ 
ing the most elevated ridge, I was told the object of my pursuit 
stood before me. I looked eagerly forward, but instead of an 
inscribed stone “ in the side of the mountain,” I saw a plain 
square platform, a little raised, which the guide, with much 
complacency announced to be “ the tomb of Solomon’s son !” 
Whatever it may have been, it certainly is no covering of the 
dead; being a large platform, formed by manual labour out of 
the native rock, and ascendable by a few rugged steps. A num¬ 
ber of copper lamps lay scattered on and near it; having been 
brought thither by successions of devotees, who make short 
pilgrimages from the town to this fancied shrine. Indeed, over 
most of the East, the name of Solomon is held in such super¬ 
stitious reverence, that it appears accountable for every thing 
beyond the usual powers, or present knowledge of man. Hence, 
it is no more to be wondered at, that this certainly very ancient 
piece of workmanship, should be dated from a son of Solomon, 
than that the vast rocky structure in the vale of Mourg-aub, 
now ascribed to Cyrus, should be called by the natives, Tackt-i- 
Sulieman ; meaning the throne of the Judean monarch. * But 
what may seem rather an extraordinary coincidence, both these 
* Vide Vo]. I. p. 486. 
