The mosque of Omar, called by the Arabs _El Sakhara_, or the “Locked-up,” owes its high sanctity to a large stone in the centre, apparently a portion of the native rock of the mountain. It is rough as when hewn from the quarry, is surrounded by a wooden railing about four feet high, and covered by a cloth of green stuff and satin. This is the _Hadjr-el-Sakhara_, or the “Locked-up stone.” The Turks relate that it fell from heaven when the gift of prophecy was bestowed on man, and was used as a seat by the ancient men who were thus endowed. But when the prophets were at length compelled to abandon it and fly to other countries, the stone showed also a disposition to take its departure; on which the archangel Gabriel came, and, grasping it with his hand, held it in its place until Mahomet had flown from Mecca, and firmly attached it to the mountain. The Caliph Omar afterwards built around it the present mosque. They show on it the marks of the archangel’s fingers, made in the struggle to detain the rock. Beneath the mosque is a cave about eighteen feet square, with niches, called by the names of Abraham, David, Solomon, Elias, Gabriel, and Mahomet, but containing nothing remarkable. In the south-eastern angle of the large court is another edifice of an oblong shape, 162 feet in length and 32 in width, called by the Turks _El Aksa_, and used by them as a mosque. It is enriched by a great number of columns within, but has a plain exterior; the Latins say it was the church used in the Presentation, but it probably belongs to the times of the crusades. Immediately without the court of the mosque of Omar, on the north, is a rectangular pit, about 150 feet long and 40 wide, and 12 or 15 in depth, walled around with hewn stones, evidently placed there in very ancient times. It is called the Pool of Bethesda; but though I should like to consider it so, I know not of any sufficient evidence. The sides are perpendicular, and the plan is altogether different from that which the Scriptures would lead us to expect. See John v. 2. A little beyond the Pool of Bethesda we come to the eastern gate of the modern city, called after St. Stephen, from a belief that this proto-martyr met his death on the slope, by which, just without this, we descend to the brook of Kedron. A rock about half way down the declivity, projects a little; and some stains, produced by an oxide of iron in the rock, are pointed out to the pilgrims as caused by his blood. This gate is at present the only outlet on this side of the city; but there was formerly another gate opening from the court of the mosque, about 230 yards further south. It was called from its splendor “the Golden Gate;” but it is now walled up, in consequence of a tradition current among the Turks, that the city will one day be taken by the Christians, and that they will make their entrance through this gate.