FATHERS OF THE HOLY LAND.

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Permit us

hither. You have travelling firmans. to send them to the pacha; he will thence find that a Frenchman has arrived at the convent; he will believe that we are under the special protection of the emperor. Last year he forced us to pay sixty thousand piastres; according to the regular custom we owe him but four thousand, and that merely under the denomination of a present. He wishes to extort from us the same sum this year, and threatens to proceed to, the last extremity, if we refuse to comply with his demands. We shall be obliged to sell the consecrated plate, for during the last four years we have received no alms from Europe if this should continue, we shall be forced to quit the Holy Land, and leave the tomb of Christ in the hands of Mahometans."

I thought myself extremely fortunate to have it in my power to render this small service to the superior. I requested, however, that he would permit me to make an excursion to the Jordan before he sent the firmans; that the difficulties of a journey, which is always attended with danger, might not be farther increased: for Abdallah might have caused me to be assassinated by the way, and then have thrown the blame upon the Arabs.

Father Clement Peres, procurator-general of the convent, a man of extensive information, cultivated understanding, and pleasing manners, conducted me to the state chamber of the pilgrims. My baggage was here deposited, and I prepared to leave Jerusalem, a few hours after I had entered the city. I had, however, more occasion for repose than to battle with the Arabs of the Dead Sea. I had long been traversing the land and the sea on my way to the holy places: and no sooner had I reached the wished-for goal than I quitted it again. But I

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FESTIVAL OF ST. FRANCIS.

considered this sacrifice to be due to men who are themselves making a perpetual sacrifice of their property and their lives. I might, moreover, have reconciled the interest of the fathers with my own safety, by relinquishing my design of visiting the Jordan; and it depended on myself alone to set bounds to my curiosity.

While I was waiting for the moment of departure, the religious began to sing in the church of the monastery. I inquired the reason of this singing, and was informed that they were celebrating the festival of the patron of their order. I then recollected that it was the 4th of October, St. Francis's day, and the anniversary of my birth. hastened to the church, and offered up my prayers for the felicity of her who on this day had brought me into the world. I deem it a happiness that my first prayer at Jerusalem was not for myself. I contemplated with respect those religious, singing praises to the Lord, within three hundred paces of the tomb of Christ; I was deeply affected at the sight of the feeble but invincible band, which has continued the only guard of the Holy Sepulchre since it was abandoned by kings.

The superior sent for a Turk, named Ali Aga, to conduct me to Bethlehem. He was the son of an aga of Rama, who lost his head under the tyranny of Djezzar. Ali was born at Jericho, at present Rihha, and called himself the governor of that village. He was intelligent and courageous, and I had every reason to be satisfied with him. The first thing he did was to make my servants and myself relinquish our Arabian attire and resume the French dress ; that dress, once so despised by the Orientals, now inspires respect and fear. French valour has regained the renown which it formerly acquired in this country.

DEPARTURE FOR BETHLEHEM.

325

It was French Chevaliers who established the kingdom of Jerusalem, as it was the soldiers of France that gathered the last palms in Idumea. The Turks point out to you at one and the same time Baldwin's Tower and the Emperor's Camp: and at Calvary you find the sword of Godfrey of Bouillon, which, in its ancient sheath, seems still to guard the Sacred Sepulchre.

At five o'clock in the evening, three good horses were brought, and we were joined by Michael, drogmay to the convent. Ali put himself at our head, and we set out for Bethlehem, where we were to sleep, and to take forward an escort of six Arabs. I had read that the superior of St. Saviour's is the only Frank who enjoys the privilege of riding on horseback at Jerusalem, and I was somewhat surprized to find myself galloping on an Arabian steed; but I have since learned that any traveller may do the same for his money. We quitted Jerusalem by the Damascus gate; then, turning to the left, and crossing the ravines at the foot of Mount Sion, we ascended a mountain, and found at the top of it a plain, over which we proceeded for an hour. We left Jerusalem to the north behind us; on the west we had the mountains of Judea, and on the east, beyond the Red Sea, those of Arabia. We passed the convent of St. Elijah. The spot where that prophet rested on his way to Jerusalem is sure to be pointed out to you, under-an olive-tree that stands upon a rock by the side of the road. A league farther on, we entered the plain of Rama, where you meet with Rachel's tomb. It is a square edifice, surmounted with a small dome: it enjoys the privileges of a mosque, for the Turks, as well as the Arabs, honour the families of the patriarchs. The traditions of the Christians agree in placing Rachel's

sepulchre on this spot; historical criticism favours this opinion; but, in spite of Thevenot, Monconys, Roger, and many others, I cannot admit what is now denominated Rachel's tomb to be an antique monument; it is evidently a Turkish edifice, erected in memory of a santon.

We perceived in the mountains, for night had come on, the lights of the village of Rama. Profound silence reigned around us. It was doubtless in such a night as this that Rachel's voice suddenly burst upon the ear: "A voice was heard in Rama, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children, refused to be comforted, because they were not." Here the mothers of Astyanax and Euryalus are outdone: Homer and Virgil must yield the palm of pathos to Jeremiah.

We arrived by a narrow and rugged road at Bethlehem. We knocked at the door of the convent; its inhabitants were thrown into some alarm, because our visit was unexpected, and Ali's turban at first excited terror; but matters were soon explained to their satisfaction.

CHAPTER III.

History of Bethlehem-The Convent-The Church-The Subterranean Church, the place of our Saviour's Nativity - The Manger-Sepulchre of the Innocents-Grotto of St. JeromeScenery about Bethlehem — Father Clement - Grotto of the Shepherds-Camps of Bedouins-Frays with them-Convent of St. Saba-Valley of the Jordan-The River-The Dead Sea -Analysis of its Water-Description of the Dead Sea - The Destroyed Cities - Marvellous Properties attributed to the Waters of this Lake-The Tree of Sodom and its Apple - The Jordan-Origin of its Name-Apprehended attack of ArabsJericho-Ali Aga-Elisha's Spring-Character of the ArabsReturn to Jerusalem.

BETHLEHEM received its name, which signifies the House of Bread, from Abraham; and was surnamed Ephrata, the Fruitful, after Caleb's wife, to distinguish it from another Bethlehem, in the tribe of Zebulon. It belonged to the tribe of Judah, and also went by the name of the City of David, that monarch having there been born, and tended sheep in his childhood. Abijan, the seventh judge of Israel, Elimelech, Obed, Jesse, and Boaz, were, like David, natives of Bethlehem, and here must be placed the scene of the admirable eclogue of Ruth. St. Matthias, the apostle, also received life in the same town where the Messiah came into the world.

The first Christians built an oratory over the manger of our Saviour. Adrian ordered it to be