314 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
hill, which is furrounded entirely with rows of the oxy- 
cedrus, or Virginia cedar, which grows here in great beau- 
ty and perfection, and is called Arz*. ‘There is nothing 
adds fo much to the beauty of the country as thefe churches 
and the plantations about them. 
In the middle of this plantation of cedars is interfperfed, 
at proper diftances, anumber of thofe beautiful trees called 
Cuffo, which grow very high, and are all extremely pictu- 
refque. 
Aut the churches are round, with thatched roofs ; their 
fummits are perfect cones; the outfide is f{urrounded by a 
number of wooden pillars, which are nothing elfe than the 
trunks of the cedar-tree, and are placed to fupport the edi- 
fice, about eight feet of the roof projecting beyond the wall 
of the church, which forms an agreeable walk, or colonade, 
around it in hot weather, orinrain. The infide of the church 
is in feveral divifions, according as is prefcribed by the law 
of Mofes. The firftis a circle fomewhat wider than the 
inner one; here the congregation fit and pray. Within this 
is a fquare, and that fquare is divided by a veil or curtain, 
in which is another very {mall divifion anfwering to the 
holy of holies. This is fo narrow that none but the priefts 
can go into it. You are bare-footed whenever you enter the 
church, and, if bare-footed, you may go through every part 
of 
* Ludolf, in his diGionary, fays, this word, in Hebrew, fignifies any tall tree. In this, how- 
ever, he is miftaken. The tranflators did not, indeed, know what tree it was, and fo have faid 
this to cover their ignorance ; but Arz is as exclufively the oxy-cedrus, as is an oak or an elm 
whenjo named. Arz is indeed a tall tree, but every tall tree is not Arz, which is. the. Vir-- 
ginia, berry-bearing cedar.. 
; 
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