The Approach to Jerusalem.
THE approach to Jerusalem from the east is not very impressive, for the mountains shut out the view of the city until almost at its very gates; and the emotions befitting the first view of the holy city are somewhat deadened by sensations of fatigue, and a desire to find a resting-place within its walls. The Russian monastery is the most prominent object in the view from the eastern side of the city. There are five gates leading into Jerusalem, of which the most important are, the Damascus gate on the north, and that of Jaffa on the east. Entering by either of these, you find the streets very narrow and stony, crowded with camels and mules, and quite terrifying to the uninitiated. Here are congregated all the different nationalities of the world; and crowds of pilgrims, Russians, Austrians, Turks, Poles, Armenians, &c., constantly coming and going, make this city of eighteen thousand inhabitants seem much larger. Jerusalem is built on four hills, the most famous ones being Mt. Moriah and Mt. Zion, on which the greater part of the city stands. These two hills are separated from each other by a valley called the Tyropœan, formerly quite deep, but now filled up with debris. The ancient Jerusalem is supposed to be buried thirty or forty feet beneath the present city. Interesting excavations have been begun; but the pasha does not favor them, and often stops the work. A walk around the walls of the city gives a very good idea of its position. The walls only date back to the sixteenth century, and are quite perfect, but very irregularly built, and of different heights. The valley of Jehoshaphat lies between the Mount of Olives and Jerusalem, on the east. This is the Jewish burying-ground, in which it is the ardent desire of every Jew to be interred. Among the most striking tombs are those of Absalom, St. James, and Zacharias. In this valley also is the garden of Gethsemane. One is somewhat shocked to find that the Greeks and Latins quarrel over this sacred spot, and have each a different location for it. The Latin garden is very small, and enclosed by a green and white paling, very offensive, to say the least, to one's ideas of good taste. Inside are shown several venerable olive trees; and against one of these Christ is said to have leaned in his agony, while his disciples slept. The walks are bordered with flower-beds to supply strangers and pilgrims with mementoes. The view of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives is acknowledged to be one of the finest; and it is only in looking down upon the city from this point, that its size and extent are fully realized.—Old and New.