and wild Arabs of the desert, at
Gaza; and being now provided with horses, and a tamer sort of Yahoo to
attend upon them, we took our way across the hills towards Jerusalem.

The road passes over a succession of rounded rocky hills, almost every
step being rendered interesting by its connexion with the events of Holy
Writ. On our left we saw the village of Kobab, and on our right the
ruins of a castle said to have been built by the Maccabees, and not far
from it the remains of an ancient Christian church.

As our train of horses surmounted each succeeding eminence, every one
was eager to be the first who should catch a glimpse of the Holy City.
Again and again we were disappointed; another rocky valley yawned
beneath us, and another barren stony hill rose up beyond. There seemed
to be no end to the intervening hills and dales; they appeared to
multiply beneath our feet. At last, when we had almost given up the
point and had ceased to contend for the first view by galloping ahead;
as we ascended another rocky brow we saw the towers of what seemed to be
a Gothic castle; then, as we approached nearer, a long line of walls and
battlements appeared crowning a ridge of rock which rose from a narrow
valley to the right. This was the valley of the pools of Gihon, where
Solomon was crowned, and the battlements which rose above it were the
long looked-for walls of Jerusalem. With one accord our whole party
drew their bridles, and stood still to gaze for the first time upon
this renowned and sacred city.

It is not easy to describe the sensations which fill the breast of a
Christian when, after a long and toilsome journey, he first beholds
this, the most interesting and venerated spot upon the whole surface of
the globe. Every one was silent for a while, absorbed in the deepest
contemplation. The object of our pilgrimage was accomplished, and I do
not think that anything we saw afterwards during our stay in Jerusalem
made a more profound impression on our minds than this first distant
view.

It was curious to observe the different effect which our approach to
Jerusalem had upon the various persons who composed our party. A
Christian pilgrim, who had joined us on the road, fell down upon his
knees and kissed the holy ground; two others embraced each other, and
congratulated themselves that they had lived to see Jerusalem. As for us
Franks, we sat bolt upright upon our horses, and stared and said
nothing; whilst around us the mo