CONVENT OF MOUNT SINAI. 275 



the sultans of Egypt they were charged with the 

 protection of the haj -caravans to Mecca, on that 

 part of the route which lay along the northern 

 frontier of their territory. The increasing power 

 of the Bedouins gradually impaired their influence 

 and encroached on their possessions, until they were 

 at length confined to the walls of their monastery. 



The situation of the convent is wild and pictur- 

 esque. 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 qua- 

 drangle of about 130 paces, having the appearance of 

 a fortress, enclosed with high and solid walls of gra- 

 nite, and defended by several small towers. When 

 the French were in Egypt, a part of the eastern wall 

 which had fallen down was rebuilt by order of 

 General Kleber. 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 al- 

 tar ; among the latter is a large picture of the Trans- 

 figuration, portraits of Justinian, Theodora, and 

 St Catherine, and a St Christopher with a dog's 

 head. The silver lid of a sarcophagus likewise at- 



