In 1867 the archeologist and treasure hunter Captain Charles Warren uncovered a secret access tunnel that led from the city deep into the mountain, meeting a 13-meter shaft descending to the Gihon Spring.  Warren claimed this shaft was the place of the Biblical "pipe" used in King David's capture of the city, and was used by the ancient Jerusalemites to draw their water from the Gihon Spring.  Recent excavations have revealed that while Warren succeeded in uncovering a significant portion of the secret system, unbeknownst to him the secret tunnel continued another ten meters through what appeared to be a solid rock wall, leading to the massive Spring House and the true water compound of the time.  This in fact may have been what King David was referring to when he challenged Joab Ben Zuriah  "and David said…he who conquers the Jebusites, grabs the pipe…" (Samuel II 5:8)