How I Spent My Five Weeks' Leave.

granate trees , while palms and cacti give an oriental appearance . Here are the ruins of the fine church built by King Richard , in honour of Englauds' patron saint , who is said to have been born here . Thinking of Peter healing the

paralytic , we cannot help wishing that he could visit Lydda now , as everyone there appears to be suffering from some horrible disease . Hardly one man did I see there , who had the sight of both eyes . After leaving Lydda , we soon enter the

hill country , where the riding is less pleasant , as after a mile or so , we get into a steep mountain track , so rocky and torn up by the winter torrents that . we can only proceed at the slowest part , and none but these capital Barb ponies could get over it at all .

We do not arrive here , at Upper Beth-horon , where we are to encamp , till long after the moon is up . Here we find a picturesque spot , and the Arabs busy pitching the tents . We are glad to creep into the first camp to escape the heavy dew .

We look out anxiously for the arrival of the baggage , as it is very cold and we want our overcoats . They arrive at last , and we sit down to a capital dinner at 9 . 30 . Next morning we are up at 5 a . m ., and ascend the Sheik ' s house close by to get

the view , wondering on which of the rocky crags overlooking the Adjalon it was , were Joshua stood , while the Amorites were driven down this

declivity ; after which we make a hasty breakfast , and are iu the saddle by 6 o ' clock . A ride of an hour or more , and a good clamber , bring us to Neby Samil , supposed to be the ancient Mizpeh , whence we get our first view of Jerusalem , from

the top of a ruined Mosque , although an intervening ridge prevents our seeing more than the tops of the principal minarets and domes ; one thinks of King Richard standing on this spot and uttering his celebrated exclamation , " Oh , Lord

God ! I pray that I may never see Th y Holy City , if I may not rescue it from the hands of thine enemies ; aud again of Tasso ' s description of the first view of it by the Crusaders . "

" Lo , towered Jerusalem salutes the eye ! A thousand [ jointing fingers toll the tkle : " Jerusalem " a thousand voices cry , "All hail Jerusalem . " Hill , down and dale Catch , the glad sound and shout , " Jerusalem , all hail !'

A splendid , view is obtained in all directions from this point ; the blue hills of Moab stand out like a wall on the other side the Jordan valley ; all the hill country of Judah lies round

about us , with the strongholds of Gibeon , Bethel , Beth-horon , Gibeah and Kirjath-Jeariin . Looking back on the way we have come , we see the Mediterranean , the dark groves and sandhills of Joppa , the wide plains of Sharon , and Philistia

with Ramleh and Lydcla embosomed in their orchards . Leaving Neby Samib , we ride on to the tomb of the Judges , which is about a mile from Jerusalem ; the rocks hereabouts are all

honey-combed with tombs , but this is the most conspicuous , having an open vestibule , with the sides and architecture ornamented with mouldings , flowers , tracery , and carved imitations of torches . Here we make an excellent luncheon on cold fowl ,

tongue and hard boiled eggs . Our luncheon is carried with us , by a servant who brings up the rear of the column of march , which is led by the dvagman Hang , who is as much offeuded if one of us rides before him , as a huntsman would be at

such a liberty being taken by some cockney intent on hound killing . After this we mount , and ride on to Jerusalem , where we meet the consul just outside while our camp is being pitched he takes us to the cousulate , and regales us with lemonade ,

coffee and narghilies . We then go to see the Church of the Holy Sepulchre , which has been so often described that it may suffice to say , that I do not suppose there is any other building in the world which contains so many gross impostures under its single roof . Here you may see amongst

many other things the three holes in which the crosses were stuok , at the crucifixion , the crown of thorns , the split where the rock was rent asunder , the spot whence the earth was taken to make Adam , his grave , and the centre of the earth ! t

Odd , that all these , and numbers more , should all be close together , and very fortunate , as it is most conveuient for collecting the fees for showing the same ! Sawney , one of our party , who renders himself conspicious in more ways than one ,

denounces as a "bigoted Protestant" the man , who cannot believe all this . I fear he will find most Englishmen equally " bigoted . " The Hol y Sepulchre itself , instead of being a tomb hewn in the rock , is only a box of marble , which is

supposed to cover the sepulchral couch ; a small chapel is built over this , and the chapel stands in the centre of the church , right under the dome . The chapel of the sepulchre is filled with tasteless , tawdry ornaments , jhideous pictures , lamps , candles , and incense . Forty-two lamps of gold and silver are kept