Note Note XXXVI — NOTES TO CHAPTER III.

The Mohammedans say that in this place King David, during his life, administered justice in the following way. When he was sitting in judgment, and wished to know if the deponents in their examination were stating what was true, he made a chain descend from heaven, and ordered that each of the two parties who had thus stated their cases should touch it. When one of the parties had told a lie, at his touch a ring fell from the chain, and so the wise king learnt which was in the right. I may be allowed to remark that now the chain no longer descends from heaven, so we may conclude that all the rings have fallen, from its having been too much used.