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cautiously in 1852 and 53 to weave a web around the Sultan by
means of which he would obtain a footing at Constantinople, it be-
came necessary for France and England to find some pretext for
interference in his game. This was soon found by France objecting to
the repairs to the dome of the church which the Russian government
was ready to make through the Greek Christians occupying the prin-
cipal part of the building, and the incident of the repairs to "the Holy
Places” had much to do with the beginning of the fierce diplomatic
quarreling which ended in 1854 in war being undertaken against
Russia. We were shown while under the dome the decayed plastering
of the ceiling which was still unrepaired and which was commonly
mentioned as having been the starting point of that great war.

Near one of the side chapels of the church is a small round
hole in the pavement which is supposed to be over the spot where
the crucifix was placed, but like many other localities which are pointed out
to the traveller, it has to be accepted with several grains of allowance.

During Easter of every year there is a large gathering of Christians
at Jerusalem from Syria, Asia Minor and other adjacent countries,
and the scenes that transpire in the church, due to the rivalry and
jealousy of each other of the Greeks and Catholics are occasionally very
exciting. So great is the commotion at times that not unfrequently
the guard of Turkish soldiers who are always stationed at the entrances
are obliged to interfere in order to preserve the peace.

There was a religious ceremony in which the three sects participated
while we were there. On the part of the catholics it consisted of a mass
in their chapel and afterwards a procession that anyone who
chose could join, bearing lighted candles, and which visited in town
all the holy places comprised within. The monks from a catholic mo-
nastery led the procession and continued marching around for over
an hour, chanting hymns the meanwhile. The Greeks and Copts
simply held a service, the occasion not being such an important one
to them. The most interesting part of the catholic service that day
was the playing of the organ. When the mass was over the organist
“let himself out” upon the instrument and played selections from at
least a dozen operas. It was not exactly in keeping with the place,
but the execution was so good that the performer could well be excused.
I marched with the procession for about a quarter of an hour when
it first started in order to get one of the candles which had been blest
by the chief dignitary of the catholic church residing at Jerusalem,
and brought what was left of it for Victorie our confidential French
servant. She seemed pleased when I gave it to her almost a year after,
for she was always a devout catholic.

The next place visited was the site of Solomon’s temple and the later
temple built after the return from the Babylonish captivity. The
enclosure is a large one and contains within a masque which is known
by two names - the mosque of Omar and the dome of the Rock. The latter
is the most correct name, for there is a rock under the dome from which
tradition says that Mahomet started in his ascent to heaven. The rock
attempted to follow him but the prophet kicked it back, and ever since it has
remained poised above ground. It is a very holy spot for the true Musselman