The wilderness we now entered was fully as barren, but less rugged than
that through which we passed yesterday. The path ascended along the brink
of a deep gorge, at the bottom of which a little stream foamed over the
rocks. The high, bleak summits towards which we were climbing, are
considered by some Biblical geographers to be Mount Quarantana, the scene
of Christ's fasting and temptation. After two hours we reached the ruins
of a large khan or hostlery, under one of the peaks, which François stated
to be the veritable "high mountain" whence the Devil pointed out all the
kingdoms of the earth. There is a cave in the rock beside the road, which
the superstitious look upon as the orifice out of which his Satanic
Majesty issued. We met large numbers of Arab families, with their flocks,
descending from the mountains to take up their summer residence near the
Jordan. They were all on foot, except the young children and goats, which
were stowed together on the backs of donkeys. The men were armed, and
appeared to be of the same tribe as our escort, with whom they had a good
understanding.

The morning was cold and cloudy, and we hurried on over the hills to a
fountain in the valley of the Brook Kedron, where we breakfasted. Before
we had reached Bethany a rain came down, and the sky hung dark and
lowering over Jerusalem, as we passed the crest of Mount Olivet. It still
rains, and the filthy condition of the city exceeds anything I have seen,
even in the Orient.




Chapter V.