presence a profanation to his Holy City; and at another you encounter a fanatical Moslem, cursing the unhallowed foot that approaches the precincts of Omar's Mosque. Each sectary of the Cross or Crescent, Greek or Latin churchman, Druse or Metouali, regards his heretic neighbour with pious horror, intermingled with contempt. The candjiar and the pistol in every sash; the fierce moustache and fiery eyes on every countenance; the watchful and restless, or gloomy look which every one wears; the unaccountable absence of children from the streets; the women gliding about, few, and, as if fearful, in their strange disguises; the monks of the various orders, with aspects as rugged and dismal as their sloven dress-such is the population amongst whom you dwell.

There is no place of relaxation or of public amusement in this sombre city; and this is sensibly felt by the traveller—not, perhaps, as requiring such resources for himself, for whom it has far other interest-but as imprinting a character of gloom and cheerlessness on people who pass their lives within these walls, or only venture out to weep over the tombs in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, or the Moslem cemetery.

The greater part of the time I passed at Jerusalem I was as solitary as in the desert: in the cool of the morning I used to ride up the Mount of Olives, or explore the glens and caverns, once the refuge places of the Prophets, now the resort of robbers and outlaws if I had been reconnoitring for Titus, I could not have made myself more familiar with every feature of the doomed city than solitude and curiosity conspired to make me during these frequent rambles. Towards noon, I was driven by the heat to take shelter in my apartments, which I shall describe, as affording a specimen of the houses of Jerusalem. I passed only one night in the dreary hospice of the Terra Santa; and the next evening found myself, on my return from a distant ride, the tenant of Abou Habib, in the Via Dolorosa.

He was a portly old Christian, very like Lablache in the garb of Figaro, but that a long robe of brown silk enveloped his person, and a capacious turban his broad brow. He could speak but few words of Italian, and the gesticulations with which he endeavoured to express some difficult emotion in Arabic were irresistibly ludicrous. He piqued himself on his cookery, and

was continually inventing some new abomination of grease and rice, to tempt my appetite: there was a hospitality about the old fellow, notwithstanding his reputed avaricious propensities, that prevented me from ever scrutinizing his bills. If he made the most of his guests in one respect, he also did in every other.

My servant was quite superseded in the culinary department. As soon as I rose in the morning, it was Abou Habib who presented my coffee; when I came in from riding, pipe and coffee were handed by Abou Habib; and in a few moments rissoles in vine leaves, or pieces of pilau in cucumbers, with a broiled fowl and a flask of Vino d'Oro, were presented by Abou Habib. If I clapped my hands throughout the day, the same portly figure presented itself; if I fell asleep on the divan, I found him fanning away the flies; at dinner, he was at once cook and butler; in the evening, he was killing chickens while he whistled a tune, or plucking them, as he chanted some unintelligible old song; he even climbed the housetop, to offer my pipe, and at length actually took to grooming my horses.

The entrance to this house of hospitality was by a narrow flight of stone steps, leading out of the Via Dolorosa; a door opened thence into a courtyard, where my horses were stabled in an enclosure, and picketted to the wall by the fetlock; a corridor, in which were doors leading to a kitchen on one side, and sleeping-rooms on the other, connected this outer with an inner court, shaded by a few lemon and cypress trees. In this were my apartments, consisting of a sleeping-room and a large wainscoted chamber, surrounded with a divan, and diversified with a variety of shelves, presses, and cupboards. Opposite were the sleeping apartments of my host, his buxom wife, and her blooming sister. These women seemed to lead a life of perfect idleness, for the indefatigable Abou Habib was all in all, and monopolized all the offices of the establishment, even to dressing, in more senses than one, a young son of his, who was the plague of the household.

My host was civil and humble, even to servility; but the female members of his family appeared to be as free from constraint as they were from forwardness. During a short but severe illness, they attended me with the greatest kindness, and afterwards

gave me lessons in Arabic, and folding turbans, and other Eastern accomplishments. Accustomed for six months to see only grin, bearded men, about me, I felt that life was very much improved by the presence of even this specimen of the softer sex. For it was pleasant to see their graceful figures moving about in the courtyard; it was pleasant, now and then, to look up from one's book, as the window was darkened by a slight turban from which rich tresses gushed over the shoulder, and dark but gentle eyes shone beneath it; then came some simple question as to lighting a pipe, or want of coffee, and the Presence passed away. Yet, most of all, it was pleasant, when evening fell, as I lay on the divan, and looked upon the clear bright sky against which the cypresses trembled in the night-breeze, to hear the low, sweet, plaintive voices in which these Eastern women sang the songs of their historic Land. Hebron was their native place; and they were Christians, though they had never heard of the Bible, but the name of the Koran was familiar to them. On Sundays and Fridays they went to chapel, gaily dressed, but, according to the Eastern usage among Christians as well as Moslems, they seldom appeared at other times in the street. Their dress in the house consisted of a close-fitting tunic, buttoned from beneath the bosom for some distance down, thence open to allow free motion to their limbs, that were clothed with very full, loose trousers, tied at the ankle, and falling over the slippered foot. The bosom was generally open, or but partially enclosed by the crape garment within; a light turban or a handkerchief of Damascus silk covered the head, from which the rich hair flowed free, or was plaited into two long braids. In the streets, the Christian women wear the "yashmak" or veil across the face, as the Moslems do-applying the term "barefaced" to a fact, and not a principle; but in the house it is entirely laid aside. The women of all religions pass much of their time on the housetops, peeping through the circular tiles, that are built into a wall, so as to admit the air, yet conceal the inhabitants of each roof. But to return to our subject.

At Easter, the Pilgrims assemble in thousands to visit the Jordan. The Arabs know this season as well as the sportsman does the 1st of September, and assemble in tribes along the road to

Jericho in the hope of booty. The Turkish governor always sends a guard with each caravan, aware of the importance of pilgrims to Jerusalem, and willing to afford every facility to this, as to any other enterprise conducive to the revenue.

It is an imposing sight to witness that long array of pilgrims winding through the gloomy Passes of the Judean hills, with the bright sunshine flashing on the bristling spears of the Bedouin. and the gorgeous trappings of the Albanian cavalry; the long necks of camels peering high over the mass, and the eager, huddling movement of the timorous crowd. Woe to the poor pilgrim who lags behind, or is overtaken at nightfall on the outskirt of the camp! They are vigilantly beset by the children of Ishmael, who consider the privilege of robbing as being theirs by Divine right. "God," say they, "gave to Isaac the land of Canaan, but to Ishmael the Desert, and all that is found thereon."

Shortly before my arrival at Jerusalem, a Mr. G., an English traveller, had joined himself to one of these pilgrimages to the Jordan for the sake of security, as well as of curiosity. When about half-way to Jericho, he happened to linger behind the caravan, and was cantering along the lonely road to overtake it: suddenly his horse was checked by a resistless grasp, and himself thrown to the ground. The moment before there was no living creature visible in that wild glen; now, on recovering from the shock, he saw an Arab bending over him, with his spear pointed at his bosom; two other Bedouins stood by, and his horse had disappeared. Not understanding the menacing injunction to lie still, he tried to rise, and was instantly pinned to the ground by the Arab's lance. Seeing that resistance was hopeless, he submitted to his fate, and the two Bedouins approached with the request, "Cousin, undress thyself, thy aunt is without a garment." This is the usual form in the desert, in whose slang the word "aunt" seems to figure in somewhat of the same capacity that "uncle" does in ours; but the "balls" are of lead, not brass. As Mr. G. displayed considerable reluctance in assisting the wants of his unknown relative, the Bedouin stripped him with wonderful despatch. They soon left him in a state of utter nudity, and, in reply to all his remonstrances, only returned him his hat, which they looked upon with contempt, and useless even to

his unscrupulous" aunt." They even took away the hatband, and then left him to return as best he might to the crowded me. tropolis, clothed only in a narrow-brimmed beaver..

Arrived at the Jordan, the pilgrims rush into the deep and rapid river with such enthusiasm that they are not unfrequently drowned, and carried away by the stream. The Greek and Latin church has each its peculiar spot, where Christ was bap tized, as well as its peculiar Easter, so they never interfere with each other here, as in the Holy Sepulchre. The leader of the troops only allows a certain time for the immersion, and then reforms his caravan to return to Jerusalem.

In the valley of the Jordan, there is much wood, and there were formerly many palms: here each pilgrim cuts himself a staff, and is thenceforth a "palmer," or one whose pilgrimage is accomplished.

Notwithstanding the number of foreigners thus annually ar riving at Jerusalem, there has been no representative of European powers established here, until very recently. A Protestant and an Englishman was the first, and a better person for that arduous situation could not have been selected than Mr. Young. Very zealous for his country, and very firm for its privileges, he has yet had sufficient tact and suavity to avoid having ever come into collision with the Turkish authorities. This was a more difficult matter in the first exercise of European interference than may at first appear. Highly educated, moreover, and taking an active interest in matters relating to our Church, he has made his arduous situation a means of interest and improvement to himself, and a real advantage to all his countrymen. If I might introduce a lady's name into these pages, I would fain dwell on the advantage that not only our travellers but our national character derives from the grace and charm that the limited society at Jerusalem owes to the drawing-room of the British Consulate.

The king of Prussia, with his characteristic liberality and right-mindedness, immediately on the appointment of the English bishopric, appointed a Consul at Jerusalem. I am much indebted to Dr. Schultze, who now holds that office, for his courtesy, hospitality, and information, which last, especially, he possesses in the highest degree.