t dangerous regions.
Fortunately the bright moon looked smilingly down upon us, and
illuminated our path so brightly, that the horses carried us with
firm step over every obstruction. I was, I must confess, grievously
frightened by the shadows! I saw living things moving to and fro--
forms gigantic and forms dwarfish seemed sometimes approaching us,
sometimes hiding behind masses of rock, or sinking back into
nothingness. Lights and shadows, fears and anxiety, thus took
alternate possession of my imagination.

A couple of miles from our starting-place we came upon a brook
crossed by a narrow stone bridge. This brook is remarkable only as
having been that from which David collected the five stones
wherewith he slew the Philistine giant. At the season of my visit
there was no water to be seen; the bed of the stream was completely
dry.

About an hour's journey from Jerusalem the valley opens, and little
orchards give indication of a more fertile country, as well as of
the proximity of the Holy City. Silently and thoughtfully we
approached our destination, straining our eyes to the utmost to
pierce the jealous twilight that shrouded the distance from our
gaze. From the next hill we hoped to behold our sacred goal; but
"hope deferred" is often the lot of mortals. We had to ascend
another height, and another; at length the Mount of Olives lay
spread before us, and lastly JERUSALEM.

CHAPTER VII.

Residence at Jerusalem--Catholic church--The "Nuova Casa"--Via
Dolorosa--Pilate's house--The Mosque Omar--Herod's house--Church of
the Holy Sepulchre--Disturbances at the Greek Easter feasts--Knights
of the Holy Sepulchre--Mount of Olives--Adventure among the ruin--
Mount of Offence--Valley of Jehosaphat--Siloam--Mount Sion--
Jeremiah's grotto--Graves.

The red morning dawn had began to tinge the sky as we stood before
the walls of Jerusalem, and with it the most beauteous morning of my
life dawned upon me! I was so lost in reflection and in thankful
emotion, that I saw and heard nothing of what was passing around me.
And yet I should find it impossible to describe what I thought, what
I felt. My emotion was deep and powerful; my expression of it would
be poor and cold.

At half past four o'clock in the morning of the 29th May we arrived
at the "Bethlehem Gate." We were obliged to wait half an hour
before this gate was opened; then we rode through the still silent
and deserted streets of the Nuova Casa (P