File:A tour around the world by General Grant. Being a narrative of the incidents and events of his journey (1879) (14749555616).jpg

Identifier: touraroundworldb01mcca (find matches)
Title: A tour around the world by General Grant. Being a narrative of the incidents and events of his journey
Year: 1879 (1870s)
Authors: McCabe, James Dabney, 1842-1883
Subjects: Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885 Voyages around the world
Publisher: Philadelphia, Chicago (etc.) The National publishing co
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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e ofthe ancient Jewish Temple, now occupied by the Mosque ofOmar, or, as the Arabs call it, the Haram esh-Sherif, The MostNoble Sanctuary. This Mosque stands on a platform constructed of stone, which is the platform on which the Templestood. It occupies the summit of Mount Moriah, and is enclosedand supported by massive walls built up from the declivities ofthe hills on three sides. No mortar or cement is used in the construction of the wallsof the platform. The lower layers are believed to be boundtogether with bands of lead or iron run through them. Thedressing on the upper and under surface and at the two ends ofall the stones is so perfect that a knife cannot be insertedbetween any two stones. They are placed one above the other,each stone being set half an inch to an inch farther back, so thatthe wall is not perpendicular, but stands at a slight angle. Thisbeing the case no supports of any kind are needed to sustain thewall. Entrance to the Haram enclosure was formerly denied to-
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575) 376 AROUND THE WORLD. Christians, and the fanatical dervishes who infest the place stoodready to punish with their daggers any unbeliever bold enoughto profane the holy place with his presence. The Sultan has nowthrown the area and the principal buildings open to travellersupon certain conditions easily complied with. Admission is ob-tained through the consul of ones country, who sends a kavassor consular agent with the visitor, to pass him by the guards atthe gates, and to protect him from the fanaticism of the dervishes. The principal entrance is Bdb-es-Silsileh, the Gate of theChain, in the western wall. The western side of the enclosureis bordered by a long range of cloisters, built in the fourteenthcentury, with square pillars and pointed arches, which occupynearly the entire line of the western wall. Adjoining the clois-ters are several buildings used as colleges for the dervishes andpublic schools. Immediately opposite the gate is a small butelaborately ornamented cupola,

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