242 THE MOHAMMEDAN PILGRIMAGE. 



turesque. It stands at the southern extremity of a 

 green valley, in a narrow recess which is terminated 

 by steep impending rocks. Its form is an irregular 

 quadrangle of about 130 paces, having the appear- 

 ance of a fortress, enclosed with high and solid walls 

 of granite, and defended by several small towers. 

 When the French were in Egypt, a part of the east- 

 ern wall, which had fallen down, was rebuilt by 

 order of General Kleher. Within there are eight or 

 ten small court-yards, some of which are neatly laid 

 out in beds of flowers and vegetables ; a few date- 

 trees and cypresses also grow there, besides a quan- 

 tity of vines. The distribution of the interior apart- 

 ments is very irregular. There is a great number 

 of small rooms in the lower and upper stories, most 

 of which are at present unoccupied. The principal 

 edifice is the church, which was built by Justinian, 

 though it has since undergone frequent repairs. It 

 forms an oblong square ; the roof is supported by a 

 double row of fine granite pillars, coated with white 

 plaster : and the floor is paved with beautiful slabs 

 of marble. An abundance of silver lamps, paintings, 

 and portraits of saints adorn the walls round the altar; 

 among the latter is a large picture of the Transfigura- 

 tion, portraits of Justinian, Theodora, and St. Cathe- 

 rine, and a St. Christopher, with a dog's head. The 

 silver lid of a sarcophagus likewise attracts attention ; 

 upon which is represented at full length the figure 

 of the Empress Anne of Russia, who entertained 

 the idea of being interred here, although the monks 

 were disappointed of that honour. There are twenty- 

 seven smaller churches or chapels dispersed over 

 the convent, in many of which daily masses are 

 read, and in all of them one at least every Sabbath. 

 None of them have steeples ; and as there is but one 

 bell, which is rung onl}^ on Sundays, it is customary 

 to summon the monks to daily prayers by striking 

 with a stick on a long piece of granite suspended 

 from ropes, the sound of which is heard all over the 



