326 EXTRACTS FROM 



about a mile from the dangerous fringe of rocks which lie 

 outside it. 



The scene as we approached the landing-place was very 

 pretty, for all the terraces, steps, and narrow windows were 

 crowded with people, while the road was lined with Turkish 

 soldiers in green uniform fine martial-looking natives of Asia 

 Minor, quite unlike the Egyptians. Their presence was a 

 necessity, for the people pressed forward with the utmost 

 inquisitiveness. 



At the gate of the Hospice some aged Franciscans were 

 awaiting us, who led us to the church by the innumerable 

 steps of a thoroughly Oriental house, the way being very 

 fatiguing and dirty, and the smells that we had to pass 

 through indescribable. The church is old, but neither very 

 beautiful nor interesting. 



Our horses were standing at its entrance, and it was no 

 easy matter to get the caravan together in the crowd of noisy 

 Orientals and Jews. However it was managed at last, and a 

 troop of Turkish cavalry led the way, followed by ourselves 

 and our servants, while the rear was brought up by more 

 soldiers. 



In this order we rode through some narrow streets where 

 the pavement was formed of smooth flat stones, and after 

 passing the extremely dirty market-place got out of the 

 town. 



At first the road ran among splendid gardens, thick hedges, 

 and luxuriant orange-groves, where the trees were bending 

 under the weight of the fruit ; and one could^easily see how 

 great was the difference in climate between the coasts of 

 Palestine and Egypt, for at the end of February we saw the 

 orange harvest at Cairo, but in Jaffa it had not even begun 

 at the close of March. 



The fragrant gardens soon disappeared, and we reached a 

 most monotonous grey-green plain, where nothing was visible 



