12. They appear sometimes to have been of earth or stone. 1 Kings xv. 14. 2 Kings xxiii. 8.
13. Sometimes of wood. 2 Kings xxii. 15. xxiii. 8.
[11] For it is doubtful whether the Pyramids were ever completed.
[12] The Caliph Melec-Alaziz-Othman-ben-Yusouf (quite worthy of his name) sent a large number of workmen here with orders to destroy the Pyramids. They spent eight months, with pickaxes, ropes, &c., and put him to an enormous expense; but after all were able only to disfigure one front of one, that of Mycerinus, the smallest one. Even Saladin bade his workmen consider Memphis and the Pyramids as quarries, from which to procure materials for building the walls and the citadel of Cairo. Recent accounts from Egypt state that Mohammed Ali is taking from the Pyramid of Mycerinus materials for his great work at the Barage.
[13] A very large number of the seeds were sent home by us that autumn, and were planted by our friends last summer. They produced vines in abundance, and fruit; but I have heard of but one melon that came to maturity; this one was spoken of as very delicious. The failure of the others was perhaps owing to the shortness and coldness of the season.
[14] See also Josephus, Bell. Jud., Lib. II. chap. xix. § 2 and 8.
[15] I have been surprised as well as pleased to see the large number of copies of Josephus that are sold in this city [New-York.] I have attended the book auctions here quite frequently; and have observed that there is no book of its size that meets with such a ready sale, or brings so good a price. The work merits all this—Josephus has not received the praise from literary men that he deserves.
[16] PLAN OF THE ANCIENT AND MODERN CITY OF JERUSALEM.
The castellated lines represent the walls as they existed at the time of the crucifixion.
The zigzag lines mark the supposed course of Agrippa’s wall, erected a few years after that event.