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Latin or European Monks amongst their number; the 
Greek, full of hoiy zeal, answered, " There were some 
formerly, but they were driven away. The Europeans 
are not good." I retired much edified by the charitable 
answer of this holy personage, and went to visit the 
tombs of a great number of saints, held in more or less 
veneration. 
I went in the afternoon to the tomb of Christ, but 
the door of the convent, which is only open upon stated 
days, was then locked according to custom by the 
Turks on the outside, and by the monks within. 
Through the grating of. the door I had some conver- 
sation with a Spanish monk, a native of Ocana, whose 
name w r as Ramirez d' Arellano; he was of a lively dis- 
position, and after a few jokes told me to address my- 
self to the procurator- general, who was also a Spaniard, 
in order to obtain permission to have the door opened. 
We went to see the procurator- general, who lived in 
another convent; he was sick, but his lieutenant re- 
ceived us in a very obliging manner. Our conversation 
being interrupted by the arrival of the governor and the 
kadi of the city, I withdraw after having obtained per- 
mission to enter the sepulchre of Christ the next day. 
I accordingly went thither on Tuesday the 28th July, 
at sun -rise. 
At the end of a large Gothic church is a superb 
cupola or rotunda,* in the centre of which is a small 
house, where the Christians revere the tomb of Jesus 
Christ. 
It is requisite to descend some steps to this small 
* This cupola has since been burnt, in consequence of an in- 
trigue of the Armenians, who sought by these means to get pos- 
session of the Temple. (Note of the Editor.) 
