[p.37]

In the neighbourhood is also a great spring, called the Waters of Siloam, connected with the brook of Kidron.  Over the spring is a large structure dating from the time of our ancestors, but little water is found, and the people of Jerusalem for the most part drink the rain-water, which they collect in cisterns in their houses.  From the valley of Jehoshaphat one ascends the Mount of Olives; it is the valley only which separates Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives.  From the Mount of Olives one sees the Sea of Sodom, and at a distance of two parasangs from the Sea of Sodom is the Pillar of Salt into which Lot’s wife was turned; the sheep lick it continually, but afterwards it regains its original shape[83].  The whole land of the plain and the valley of Shittim as far as Mount Nebo are visible from here.

In front of Jerusalem is Mount Zion, on which there is no building, except a place of worship belonging to the Christians.  Facing Jerusalem for a distance of three miles are the cemeteries[84] belonging to the Israelites, who in the days of old buried their dead in caves, and upon each sepulchre is a dated inscription, but the Christians destroy the sepulchres, employing the stones thereof in building their houses.  These sepulchres reach as far as Zelzah in the territory of Benjamin.  Around Jerusalem are high mountains.

[p.38]

On Mount Zion are the sepulchres of the House of David, and the sepulchres of the kings that ruled after him.  The exact place cannot be identified, inasmuch as fifteen years ago a wall of the church of Mount Zion fell in.  The Patriarch commanded the overseer to take the stones of the old walls and restore therewith the church.  He did so, and hired workmen at fixed wages; and there were twenty men who brought the stones from the base of the wall of Zion.  Among these men there were two who were sworn friends.  On a certain day the one entertained the other; after their meal they returned to their work, when the overseer said to them, “Why have you tarried to-day?” They answered, “Why need you complain?  When our fellow workmen go to their meal we will do our work.”  When the dinner-time arrived, and the other workmen had gone to their meal, they examined the stones, and raised a certain stone which formed the entrance to a cave.  Thereupon one said to the other, “Let us go in and see if any money is to be found there.”  They entered the cave, and reached a large chamber resting upon pillars of marble overlaid with silver and gold.

[p.39]

In front was a table of gold and a sceptre and crown.  This was the sepulchre of King David.  On the left thereof in like fashion was the sepulchre of King Solomon; then followed the sepulchres of all the kings of Judah that were buried there.  Closed coffers were also there, the contents of which no man knows.  The two men essayed to enter the chamber, when a fierce wind came forth from the entrance of the cave and smote them, and they fell to the ground