With regard to the desirability of making further inquiries of the Consul himself, and of hearing the evidence from other persons besides those implicated, it must be observed that Sir Moses had this time not been able to go to Safed. Had he been there, he would undoubtedly have made the inquiries suggested by the Rev. Doctor. On the other hand, it must be borne in mind that Sir Moses did not appear in the Holy Land as a judge, with the power of cross-examining the Austrian Consul, and therefore could not have made such inquiries until the latter had come forward and offered voluntarily to assist in clearing up the matter.
All Sir Moses wanted to ascertain from the representatives of the Safed Hebrew Congregation was, whether the accusation brought against them had any foundation in truth? And if not, that it should be refuted by undoubted evidence.
He had long known the character of the representatives as spotless, and was in the habit of placing the utmost confidence in them on all important occasions. This, and the circumstance that the woman who was said to have been executed by order of the Rabbis was still living at Damascus--a fact which has been testified by the Consul of that place and several other persons who had seen her there--ought to be admitted as the most striking evidence in favour of the representatives of the community.
DEPARTURE FROM THE HOLY CITY--RETURN TO ENGLAND--VISIT TO BARON BRUNNOW AND LORD CLARENDON--FRIGHTFUL OUTBREAK AGAINST THE JEWS IN PERSIA--FRESH COMPLAINTS FROM MOLDAVIA.
Continuing the narrative of his travels, Sir Moses says:--
"On Friday, the 13th of April, being desirous of leaving some pecuniary relief from myself for each of the synagogues, colleges, schools, and various charitable institutions, with their respective representatives themselves, I had previously made an arrangement to see them on that day, but a restless night and a constitution enfeebled, partly by the incessant work, and partly by the grief I acutely felt at the loss of my late friend Dr Hodgkin, compelled me to alter my plan, and instead of personal interviews I had to satisfy myself with addressing these gentlemen by letters, forty-two of which were despatched to the authorities and their accredited secretaries, accompanied by my humble offerings for the benefit of all the charitable institutions in Jerusalem.