Masonic Archæological Institute.

mence the exploring of the 'bottomless pit . ' After dropping a rope down , we found that it was only six feet deep , though it looked black enough for ' anything . Climbing down , we found ourselves in apassage running south from the Haram Area , four feet high by two feet wide , and we explored this passage . It is of rough rubble masonry , with flat stones at top similar to the aqueduct from Triple Gate , but not so carefully constructed .

The floor and sides are very muddy , as if water gathers there during the rainy reason . "It at once struck me that it was one of the overflow aqueducts from tho Temple of Solomon , and that there mi g ht he a water aqueduct underneath ; we scrambled along for a long way on our feet , our skulls and spines coming in unhappy contact with the passage roof ; after about 200 It . we found that the mud reached higher up , ancl we had to crawl by means

of elbows and toes ; gradually the passage got more aucl filled up and our bndie * c mid barely squeeze through , and there did not appear sufficient air to support us for any length of time , so that having advanced 400 ft ., we commenced it difficult retrograde movement , having to get back balt ' -n ay before we could turn our heads round . On arriving at the mouth of the passage underneath the shaft , we spent some time in examining th » sidesbut thero U no appearance of its having come under the

, Haram Wall . It seems to start suddenly , and lean only suppose it to have been the examiiiing-passage over an aqueduct coming from the Temple , and I am having the floor taken up to settle the question . This passage is on a level with the foundations of the Haram Wall , which are rough hewn

stonesperhaps rocks—I cannot tell yet . The bottom is the enormous distance of 85 ft . below the surface of the ground , aucl as far as I can see as yet , the wall at the south-west angle must be buried for 95 ft . under ground , so that it must at one time have risen to the height of ISO ft . above the Tyropce . m Gully . On the east corner abuts the Wall of Ophel , to which I shall return immediately . Follow now the line of the wall across the Kedron . The western bank of this valley is buried under SOf ' t .

of rubbish . By driving a gallery along the rock from the point where it crops up , Lieutenant Warren ascertained the very remarkable fact that the ancient bed of the river was formerly 40 ft . deeper than the modern bed , and 90 ft . to the west of it . At the lowest point he found a masonry wall , which proves at least this fact , that the river ran there since the days when men began to build the city , at least therefore as early as the time of David ; and , since no date can be assigned to tbe work ,

probably much liter . There is , I believe , no other instance on record where the ruins caused by successive sieges have effected so great a change in the bed of a river . Of course we lmu-t remember that the Kedron is now only a small brook , dry during part of the year . Leaving the south wall , wc come next to tho Hill of Ophel . A wall was built on the bill of Ophel by King Jothiim , and reference is often made to it in the Bible and in the history of Josephsus . There is no reason to disbelieve that tlie wall discovered by Lieutenant Warren is actually the same wall , or at least that it stands on the same site . I read his own description of the wall : —

"Excavations south ot the Haram wall have been going on since February last , principally in search of tbe Ophel wall . To describe the result at each shaft would only confuse the account , it may therefore suffice to say that shafts 31 , 33 , 37 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , ancl 47 ara all in the connection with the line of wall which is now found to extend as far as 700 ft , from the first tower in a south-westerly direction along the east rige of Ophel . " The wall appears to be nearly iu a straight line south-west of

first tower , it is trom 12 to lift , thick , aud its foundations , on the rock , slope ftoin 2292 i at S . E . angle to 2275 at the most southerly point wc bave yet opened it out . There are portions of the wall which have not yet been traced ( shown on the plan No . 20 ) , but it can har . lly be doubted that it is the same wall throughout . " Two more towers have been discovered , called at present Nos . 2 and 3 . No . 2 is at an interval of 310 ft . from the first tower ,

projects 6 ft . 3 in . and is 32 fc . long . No . 3 is at an interval of 07 ft . from No . 2 , projects Oft . 6 in ., ancl is 2 Sft . long . It is probable that we may find another-tower between the first . Nos . 2 and 3 will then become respectively Nos . 3 and 4 . "A striking peculiarity about this wall is that for 20 ft . on an average above the rock it is of rough rubble of moderate dimensions , then there is a p linth of well-cut stones . Tbe plinth sets in about Oin , and on it is the first well-dressed course of the wall .

Masonic Archæological Institute.

" As the plinth is in many places only a Few feet below the surface of the ground , the wall above it is naturally onl y a few courses iu height . In some cases there is onl y one course , in some four or five . These vary from 1 ft . 9 in . to 2 ft . 6 in . in height , the length of the stones averaging 2 ft . to 4 ft . Many of the stones are polished , and that generally at the angles of the towers , reminding one of the " polished corners of the Temple . "

It is , however , to be remarked that in tho south wall of Jerusalem polished stones are to be mot with in a lew places , and indeed the Ophel wall in many respects bears a striking jesemblanee to the present south wall of Jerusalem . " The stones in the south wall are probably not in situ ; nor , I think , aro those of the Ophel wall , that is to say , they appenr to be stones used in the building of a previous wall . "Then ! is a point to which I would draw attention . The

plinth is about 20 ft . above the rock , and tbe inference to be drawn is that up to the plinth the wall was covered from view . Now , the wall stands on the edge of the east ridge of Ophel , the rock sloping down steeply to the Kedron , so that iu order that these 20 ft . of foundations may have been covered it is necessary that there should have been an outer wall which would retain the earth up to the height of the plinth . " At No . 2 tower we have found at the plinth level the top of a tower projecting 16 lt . beyond No . 2 . The stones are of a large description , having a marginal draft or bevel ; the stone within the draft beiag rough hewn , similar to some in the Haram

wall . The stones of this extra tower are from 2 to 3 ft- in height , and 4 to 8 ! t . long ; the face of the tower is 20 ft . It has been examined to a depth of 25 ft .. that is , 5 ft . below the rock foundation of the Ophel wall , and it is of one description throughout . At the S . E . angles of this extra tower we have found another wall going down towards the Kedron , it is 19 ft . long and then takes a turn to the S . W . We have not yet followed it farther .

It has been examined to a depth of nearly 40 ft . The stones are well-dressed ashlar ; iu size about 1 ft . 6 in . to 2 ft . hig h , and 2 ! t . to 3 ft . long . An isometric projection of the extra tower and the projecting wall is enclosed . It can be seen that if the debris were to be shovelled into the valley there would still be a scarped wall for Ophel of from 40 to GOft . in height , which is only dwarfed by the stupendous height of the Haram wall along side .

"The method of exposing these walls is very slow and tedious . Wc can only get at them by mining ; and to examine a wall 50 ft . high by mining it is necessary to have several shafts ancl galleries . We can at best get but an outline of what there is , leaving the parts of more exceeding interest to be minutely examined subsequently . We are still at work at these Ophel walls and towers . " No . 2 tower was discovered in May under the superintendence of Dr . Chaplin . " ( To he Continued )

Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

ROYAT , YORK LODGE OF PERSEVERANCE ( NO . 7 ) . —This lodgemet on Wednesday , the 10 th inst . Bro . H . V . Crassweller , the W . M . presided , supported by Bros . Margetts , S . W . ; Smith , J . W . ; Chappel , J . D . ; Green , I . G . ; J . Hervey , P . M . and G . Sec . ; Pratt , Murton , P . M . 's , and others . There was no festiv . il business to be performed and the brethren adjourned to the festival banquet of the Buy .-, ' School , it having been arranged at the previous meeting of the lodge to do so .

KING ' S ARJIS LODGE ( NO . 28 ) . —A meeting of this lodge was held on the 22 nd inst ., at the Freemasons' Hall , Grcat Queen-street . The lodge was opened in clue form , and the minutes of the hist meeting read and confirmed . In accordance with a notice of motion by Bro . J . G . Marsh , P . M „ as to the removal of this lodge , the same was adjourned to the next metting , in the absence , through illness , of the seconder of such notice . There being no other business before the loclge , the

same was closed in clue form with solemn prayer , and the brethren adjourned to the banqueting hull . The usual loyal , and Masonic toasts were given , and some excellent harmony was rendered by Bros . Farquharsan . 3 Iiller , Smith , and several others , the brethren separated at an early hour . THE GIHON LODGE ( NO . 4 . 9 . )—On Thursday hist the 18 th inst ., the members of this well-known metropolitan