“We are in rueful strait,” said he. “Our men are fainting for lack of water. The Serpent’s Pool is exhausted; Cedron hath run dry. Our engineers cannot sink a well, the rocky ground forbidding it. Where are we to look for water?” “There is a pool called Siloam, on the south side of the city,” replied Crispus. “It may not be dry.” “Ha!” exclaimed Titus, with new hope. “But,” he added doubtfully, “whoever goes thither must pass under the eastern wall exposed to the fire of the enemy.” “But is not the Tenth Legion stationed on Olivet ready to repel any sortie from that quarter? Give me the water-carts and a convoy of two hundred horsemen, and I’ll engage to return with water enough for the whole host.” “Take three hundred, and good fortune go with you.” Ere many minutes were past there went clattering down the Vale of Cedron a long train of wagons, whose drivers were escorted by a detachment of mounted soldiers, three hundred strong. High above their heads hummed and whizzed volleys of stones and darts slung from Olivet by the balistæ and catapults of the Tenth Legion, who sought in this way to protect the movements of the water-seekers. Looking forth from the eastern wall, John of Giscala and his Zealots caught sight of the Roman horsemen, and vainly tried to stay their progress by flights of arrows. On dashed the convoy, past the olive grove of Gethsemane, and now they were in the deepest part of the Black Glen; far above them on their right was the temple, towering aloft in the sunlight to the height of nearly five hundred feet; on, past the wall of Ophel, and, rounding its southern end, they swung westward. Here, where the glen of Tyropæon opens out into the Vale of Cedron, was a picturesque spot known from of old as the King’s Garden, and watered by a streamlet from Siloam. To his great joy, Crispus found that the Pool of Siloam--a long, rectangular basin, excavated in the solid rock for the reception of the outflow of a spring--was full of cool, limpid water. By a coincidence, too timely to be regarded as fortuitous, Siloam, whose waters had been “sealed” for nearly four years, _had started flowing again upon the coming of the Roman army_![26] To the Jews the Messianic fountain seemed to be playing the part of a traitor. The water, so long withheld from them, was now flowing for the enemy. What did it mean? they darkly asked, failing to see in this acted parable that the Divine kingdom was being taken from them and given to the Gentiles. The thirsting Roman band, springing from their steeds, first refreshed themselves, and proceeded next with all speed to the filling of the water-carts. When the Jews, who were looking on from the wall of Ophel, realized the object of this sudden dash on the part of the Romans, they gave vent to indignant and wrathful cries. What? Must the unclean and uncircumcized heathen be permitted to carry away for his profane use the water used in the sacred rites of the temple? In the name of Elohim--no!