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, anda 
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 
