BETHLEHEM. 409 
an olive plantation at the bottom of the valley chap. 
below the convent and the town. We found it 
necessary to station an armed guai'd ujDon the 
outside of the olive-ground, which was fenced 
with a low wall, in order to keep off those 
whom curiosity attracted towards us, and who 
expressed their astonishment at our fear of 
them; having withdrawn, they said, from the 
town, expressly to avoid the contagion, and 
therefore they considered themselves to be 
secure from receiving or communicating infec- 
tion. The j4rah soldiers of our escort were, 
however, of opinion that we should do well to 
keep them at a distance, and therefore we did 
not allow them to come within the wall. There 
was a well stationed upon the outside of our 
little rampart, near to the spot ; and as it was 
necessary to send to this place for water to 
boil our coffee, w^e fixed upon a single individual 
for this purpose, upon whose discretion we 
could rely. 
tlistance. "Miliars deniqueuno a Bcthlcem est monasterium sanctorum 
Pastorum, quibus Angelus Domini apparu'd in nativitate Domini." Vid. 
Itinerariuin Bernardi Monachi, apud Mubillon. [Act. Saiict. Ord. 
Benedict. Saecul. 3. Pars ii. p. 525. Lut. Paris. 1672. Douhdan saw 
the ruins of a church, built, he says, by Helena, mother of Constandr.r 
{Foy.delaT.S. p. 167. Paris, 1657.); but his description of their situ- 
ation answers to the place where we halted. " C'est une petite cam- 
fiigjie plaine et unie aufnnd du vullon .... une terre laboin able . . • 
fermce d' une petite mur : 8^e. !i;.c." 
