east tò west, commencing with, the wall by which is the Mehd 'Aisa (cradle of Jesus), and carrying it on to the spot now known as the Jam'i el Maghâribeh. On the completion of the work, Bijâ and Tezid addressed the following letter to 'Abd el Melik, who was then at Damascus :— " In accordance with the orders given by the Commander of the Faithful, the building of the Dome of the Bock of Jerusalem and the Masjid el Aksa is now so complete that nothing more can be desired. After paying all the expenses of the building there still remains in hand a hundred thousand dinars of the sum originally deposited with us ; this amount the Commander of the Faithful will expend in such manner as may seem good to him." The caliph replied that they were at liberty to appropriate the sum to themselves in consideration of their services in superintending the financial department of the works. The two commissioners, however, declined this proposition, and again offered to place it at the caliph's disposal, with the addition of the ornaments belonging to their women and the surplus of their own private property. 'Abd el Melik, on receipt of their answer, bade them melt up the money in question, and apply it to the ornamentation of the Cubbeh. This they accordingly did, and the effect is said to have been so magnificent that it was impossible lor any to keep his eye3 fixed on the dome, owing to the quantity of gold with which it was ornamented. They then prepared a covering of felt and leather, which they put upon it in winter time to protect it from the wind and rain and snow. Bijâ and Yezid also surrounded the Sakhrah itself with a latticed screen of ebony, and. hung brocaded curtains behind the screen between the columns. It is said that in the days of 'Abd el Melik a precious pearl, the horn of Abraham's ram, and the crown of the Khosroes, were attached to the chain which is suspended in the centre of the dome, but when