THE HOLY LAND MODERNISED.

Colonist, Issue 62, 25 May 1858, Page 4

THE HOLY LAND MODERNISED.

A French gentleman, who delights to frequent, the spots on which celebrated poets,, have dwelt, or whence they derived their inspiration, has published in the Mbniteur an, account of his visit to. the " Gardens of Solomon," First, he visited the " sealed " mountains""—large subterranean reservoirs, wherein the waters springing from the mountains are collected, and whence the water is conducted to Jerusalem by pipes : _ij.« At a short distance from the reservoirs are the celebrated gardens. They extend along a valley which runs from El-Bourraeh to Bethlehem. It is the most charming spot in all Palestine. Solomon was a good judge in more senses than one. There are murmuring streams winding through verdant lawns; there are the choicest fruits and flowers, the hyacinth, and the anemone, the fig tree and.the pine. Towering high above the garden, and contrasting grandly with its soft aspect, are the' dark precipitous rocks of the neighbouring mountain, around whose summit vultures and eagles incessantly scream and describe spiral circles in the air. The rare plants and flowers which the great enchanter of the Bast collected within these gardens were protected from the north wind by. the, mountain. Every gust of the south wind was loaded with perfumes. With the first breeze of spring, the fig tree puts forth its fruits and the vines begin to blossom. Itwas, in the words of Scripture,;' ; a garden of delights.' The vegetationsv pf the north and the south were intermingled. Onef part of the garden was called the Walnuttree Walk (or, as the English Scripture" translation has it, the (xarden of Nuts); another is the Beds of. Spices."" The writer's guide was a well-educated Italian, who informed him that the Gardens of Solomon are now let to an Englishman;' "The present tenant," he said, "is Mr; Gold-| smith, of the house of Goldsmith and Son. He is underdraining the gardens,of Solomon, on the Yorkshire system. Yoiiwill' be astonished to see how successful he-lias been. Here is the house." , I'perceived a bright brass knob shining in the centre of a small square of porcelain let into the \ white wall. Over this knob was the following superscription in the English lahguage~ " Ring the bell." This bell seemed to my imagination rather an anomaly in the gardens of Solomon —but that is a trifle. We did ring the bell; and we went in. The first thing that struck my eyes were red draining pipe's lying about, and bearing the mark of the manufacturers, Samuel and Co., No. 128, Strand. Mr. Goldsmith was draining that biblical valley, the dew of which was so often brushed away by the naked feet of the Shulamite. It was in the month of September. An American mowing machine was cutting a second crop of artificial grass on the very spot where the daughters of Jerusalem gathered those lilies of the field which were more beautiful ! than Solomon in all his glory. A patent; . reaping machine was rapidly garnering the crop of that glebe in which the sisters of Ruth and the daughters of Naomi were \\ wont to glean. I asked to see Solomon's pavilion; but alas, the cypress 'timbers;and, the cedar wainseotting had been taken down, and in their place there is a brickbuilt cottage, with a roof of red and green tiles. The entrance hall is whitewashed; ! there is a little parlor with a Birmingham carpet, and a drawing-room papered with a red-bordered yellow paper, purchased in Paris, Rue dcs Moineaux. The chimney j is Prussian, and the curtains are of Swiss muslin. Instead of the servants of the spouse, I found two nurserymaids,' 'one^ from .Paris, and the other from Florence.' The slave who prepares the tents of cedar! is now. called 'John.' He has red.whiskers, jblacks his- master's shoes, scrubs the floor everyday, and varnishes it on Sundays;! and: if some romantic person should ! enquire, as I had the naviete to do, about: the dai?k Shumalite, he will be shewn five; sweet-little English children, redolent, of cold cream and Windsor soap, as fair as floss silk, with their hair in corkscrew Qurls, and wearing prunella boots, blue capes, and green parasols.. The cinnamon trees.have, been cut down for firewood, and the aro- ( matic canes grubbed up, but, the five little misses do crotchet work under the shade of' a. lon Chretien pear tree. Sincethe Eastern, war, Mr. Goldsmith has obtained! the custom of the Pasha of Jerusalem for vegetables. Last year he had seven crops of potatoes, thanks to.his wonderful drainage.

New Diggings, at Creswich—We are informed that Adam Hunt arid party, who have for some time been prospecting for alluvial diggings', have discovered paying ground at Indication Point, Creswick, near the old Portuguese Lead. It has been named the "Norfolk Diggings;'*l.the sinking is about 35 feet, and the stuff has turned out as much as an ounce to the tub, There are about 50 persons on the ground. — Balhamt Star.