XXVII A REMARKABLE CHURCH 303 



detractors held up as the strongest evidence of his want 

 of veracity. Except for the dayhght which showed from 

 within through some of the windows, proving that part 

 at least of the structure was roofless, the building from 

 this distance looked as perfect as the day it was com- 

 pleted. Leaving this on our right, we passed through 

 the narrow streets of the present town, bordered by high 

 stone walls on either side, till, at the other extremity, we 

 descended an easy slope to a wide valley, where camp 

 was pitched, to the north-west of the palace. It was 

 raining heavily, but between the showers I spent the 

 afternoon in sorting out stores and cartridges in prepara- 

 tion for the flying trip I intended making towards the 

 Soudan. It poured nearly the whole night, and there 

 was no mistaking the fact that the rains had commenced 

 in earnest. 



Next morning, I started early to make a tour of the 

 various ruins, to which I returned many times, till I had 

 secured measurements and plans of the most important, 

 besides a number of photographs. We first went to see 

 Medhan-al-Alem, the only church in all the district 

 round which escaped being destroyed by the Dervishes. 

 The chief priest told me that ten times did the enemy 

 try to fire the thatch, but although it was dry as tinder — 

 no rain having fallen for a long time previously — it 

 miraculously refused to take fire. This church is 

 picturesquely situated on the top of a small hill, sur- 

 rounded by a stone wall and shaded by fine trees. The 

 inner wall of the cloister was originally covered with 

 pictures, of which orily some fragments now remain. 

 Those on the sanctuary wall are almost intact, only a few 



