Jerusalem. (Hotel Mediterranean, near the Jaffa Gate.) (Formerly the camps of Messrs. T. Cook & SON were pitched outside the Jaffa Gate, but as travellers always like to make a long stay in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, and in case of bad weather camp life in one locality is not agreeable, they have made arrangements for their travellers to stay at the Mediterranean Hotel, the best in Jerusalem. When that Hotel is full, travellers are sent to the Hotel de l'Europe, both houses being under the proprietorship of the Brothers Hornstein. Messrs. Cook & SON have also secured a large new house, with two immense water-cisterns of great value, and land sufficient for a large private camp. As a depôt for stores and camping equipments, and to afford shelter for horses, they have now most excellent provision at Jerusalem, within less than five minutes' walk from the Jaffa Gate.) For independent travellers there are several places where fair accommodation can be obtained, either at Hotels, in Apartments, or in the Hospices. Bankers. Mr. Bergheim, of Christian Street, is a well-known and much-patronized banker and moneychanger. There is a Branch of the Ottoman Bank here (Messrs. Frutiger and Co., near the Jaffa Gate). Consulates.-The British Consul, Noel Temple Moore, Esq., is known by every Palestine traveller for his courteous attention and his willingness to impart practical advice in case of need. The American Consul is Dr. de Hass, who has only recently been appointed to the office. There are also in Jerusalem French, German, Italian, and Russian Consulates. Those who wish to visit the Mosques must obtain the requisite permit from one of the Consulates. Post-Office.-It is better for letters to be addressed to the Consulate or Hotel than poste restante. Letters may be posted at the Hotels. Physicians.-English, Dr. Chaplin; Austrian, Dr. Schwarz; Greek, Dr. Mazaraki, and others, besides chemists and druggists. Olive-wood Ornaments, and other souvenirs, may be obtained to the best advantage at Vester's, in the Via Dolorosa, and Photographs at Bergheim's, in Christian Street. English Service is performed every Sunday at ten o'clock in Christ Church, on Mount Zion; frequently by the Right Rev. Dr. Gobat, the Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem. HISTORY. The natural situation of the City of Jerusalem, not only conveniently central, but protected by the surrounding ravines, above which it rises like a mountain fortress, doubtless led to its pre-eminence over the other cities of Palestine from the earliest times. We first hear of it as Salem (Gen. xiv. 18), the city of Melchizedek; then as Jebus, the stronghold of the Jebusites (Joshua xviii. 28). It is probable that the Amorites and Hittites, whose territories joined that of the Jebusites, where the city stood, shared its possession with them. After ineffectual attempts to dispossess this people, the Benjamites were obliged to leave the stronghold of Mount Zion in their hands, and themselves inhabit only the lower part of the city, until King David and his warriorsall their energies aroused by the over-confident defiance of the Jebusites-captured the citadel, which thenceforth took the name of the "City of David," and Jerusalem became the civil and religious centre of the united kingdom of Israel and Judah. Solomon adorned and fortified it with splendid buildings and strong walls and towers, and erected the Temple on Mount Moriah, where tradition laid the scene of Abraham's sacrifice. Hither the ark was transferred from Mount Zion, where David had placed it. In Rehoboam's reign, after the ten tribes had revolted, Jerusalem was besieged and plundered by Shishak, King of Egypt. This was the beginning of a long series of losses and sufferings in which the city was involved, both through its constant struggles with the revolted tribes constituting the kingdom of Israel, and its repeated attacks from the great nations whose territories almost surrounded PalestineSyrians, Assyrians or Chaldeans, and Egyptians—and which the sacred historians attribute to the gross idolatry which under many of the kings had usurped the place of the worship of the one God who had promised to defend the city while it was true to Him. After it had been pillaged by the Philistines and Arabians in the reign of Jehoram; by the King of Israel in that of Amaziah; and the Temple despoiled of its treasures at other times to avert impending disaster— the city was threatened with utter ruin by the Assyrian army under Sennacherib; and during the siege, and after the miraculous deliverance, Hezekiah fortified and beautified it once more, and drew the water of Gihon into it. His son, Manasseh, was overcome by the Assyrians, and carried captive to Babylon. On his return, however, he also repaired the city, and added to its defences. Josiah having been slain while warring against Pharaoh Necho, King of Egypt, while the latter was on his way to besiege the Assyrian city of Carchemish, Necho visited Jerusalem on his return, took the King Jehoahaz to Egypt, and exacted a tribute from the city. Soon afterwards, Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, in his turn, took and pillaged Jerusalem three times. On the last occasion the Temple and palaces were burnt down, the walls levelled to the ground, and King Zedekiah and all the people yet left there (for many had been already taken), carried captive to Babylon. This was in the year B.C. 587. After the return of the Jews from their seventy years' captivity, the city and Temple were slowly rebuilt-not without great opposition from the rulers of the now mixed races in Samaria and the surrounding regions; they were jealous of the reviving prosperity of the Jews; and it was only by dauntless energy on the part of Ezra, Nehemiah, and others, that the work was at length accomplished. on the Sabbath In the year 332 B.C. the city passed, without a siege, into the hands of Alexander the Great, who respected its sacred character, and conferred benefits upon it. Some years later, Ptolemy Soter, King of Egypt, besieged it day, when the people, in their reverence for the day, would not resist, and a large number were carried away into captivity. Again it was wrested from Egypt by the Seleucidæ of Syria, and one of them, Antiochus Epiphanes, desecrated and oppressed it with such unendurable tyranny, that the insurrection of the Maccabees broke forth, 166 B.C., leading to a national revolution and the restoration of the Jews to independence under the sway of the Maccabean princes. The Tower of Antonia, at first called Baris, was built by Simon Maccabeus in the early part of the contest. In the year B.C. 63, Jerusalem was taken by the Romans under Pompey, made tributary to Rome, and part of its fortifications destroyed. Crassus again plundered the Temple, and it also suffered from a Parthian army which Antigonus, the rightful heir to the throne, had called in to help him against Herod, son of Antipater, whom the Roman influence had raised to a position of authority. Herod obtained a decree of the Senate appointing him king, and by aid of a Roman |