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about six degrees towards the west, disappeared in half 
a minute, without explosion, thunder, or any terrible 
circumstance. I threw myself upon the ground, and 
prostrated myself before the Creator. All my people 
followed my example. 
I continued my journey towards the south absorbed 
in meditating on what 1 had seen. The star of the shep- 
herds, the star of the wise men, occurred to my memo- 
ry; but I presume that the bituminous saline vapours 
of the Dead Sea must render the appearance of these 
meteors rather frequent in this country. I left on my 
right hand a hermitage consecrated to Elias, and pro- 
ceeding a little farther arrived at a handsome alcassaba, 
half in ruins; by the side of which is a fine spring of 
excellent water, with a reservoir about fifty paces long 
and thiity wide; and two others of rather smaller di- 
mensions, a little distance lower. 
I continued to ascend and descend mountains in 
which I found several wells of very fine water, but filled 
with insects; and at noon I arrived at El Hhalil, or 
Hebron, where I lodged at an inn. 
El Hhalil is a town containing about 400 families of 
Arabs. It is situated upon the slope of a mountain, and 
has a strong castle. Provisions are abundant, and there 
is a considerable number of shops. The governor, who 
is an Arab of the country, has the title ot Hakim, and 
Scheik el Beled. 
The sepulchres of Abraham and of his family are in 
a temple that was formerly a Greek church. The ascent 
to it is by a large and fine staircase that leads to a long gal- 
lery, the entrance to which is by a small court. Towards 
the left is a portico resting upon square pillars. The ves- 
tibule of the Temple contains two rooms; the one to the 
right contains the sepulchre of Abraham; and the other 
