262 
CLARKeV TRAVELS. 
a rotatory and very rapid'motion to the upper stone; iheii*.left 
hands being all the white employed in supplying fresh corn, as 
fast as the bran and flour escaped from the sides of the ma¬ 
chine. 
The convent of Nazareth, situated in the lower part of the 
village, contains about fourteen friars, of the Franciscan order. 
Its church (erected, as they relate, over tire cave wherein the 
Virgin Mary Is supposed to have resided) Is a handsome edi¬ 
fice*; but it is degraded, as a sanctuary, by absurdities too con¬ 
temptible for notice, if the description of them did not offer an 
instructive lesson showing the abject state to which the human 
mind may be reduced by superstition. So powerful is still its 
influence in this country; that, at the time of our visit, the 
Franciscan friars belonging to the convent had been compelled 
to surround their altars with an additional fencing, in order to 
prevent persons infected with the plague from seeking a mira¬ 
culous cure, by rubbing their bodies with the hangings of the 
sanctuary, and thus communicating infection to the whole 
town ; because, all who entered saluted these hangings with 
their lips. Many of those unhappy patients believed them¬ 
selves secure, from the moment they were brought within the 
walls of this bu ilding, although in the last stage of the disorder 
As we passed toward the church, one of the friars, rapidly 
conducting us, pointed to invalids who had recently exhibited 
marks of the infection; these were then sitting upon the bare 
earth, in cells, around the court yard of the convent, waiting a 
miraculous recovery. The sight of these persons so near to 
us rather checked our curiosity; but it was too late to render 
ourselves more secure by retreating. We had been told, that, 
if we chose to venture into the church, the doors of the convent 
would be opened; and therefore had determined to risk a little 
danger, rather than be disappointed ; particularly as it was said 
the sick were kept apart, in a place expressly allotted to them. 
W T e now began to be sensible we had acted without sufficient 
caution ; and it is well we had no reason afterward to repent 
of our imprudence. 
Having entered the church, the friars put lighted wax ta¬ 
pers into our hands, and, charging us on no account to touch 
any thing, led the way, muttering their prayers. We descend¬ 
ed, by a light of steps, into the cave before mentioned ; enter¬ 
ing it by means of a small door, behind an altar laden with pic¬ 
tures, wax candies, and all sorts of superstitious .trumpery. 
They pointed cot to us what they called the kitchen anclTire-- 
