DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4592#0127
CONVENT. 1547
side. Passing on this side of the mountain, we came
to an Arab burial-ground. Beyond this our path still
extended south through a narrow defile with scattered
rocks till we came in front of the convent.
The monks had seen Us approaching, and on our
arrival, several of them showed themselves at a door
in front of their building, but elevated at the height of
over thirty feet from the ground. On our dismoun-
ting, a rope was lowered to receive our letter
from the convent at Cairo. This being read, the rope
was again lowered for one of us to be drawn up. The
process of drawing the rope was by a windlass, turned
on the inside, and the operation of being hoisted up
in this way, is rather a ludicrous and dizzy perform-
ance. At the lower end of the rope was a loop, in
which I seated myself, and then clenched the rope
firmly above my head. Soon I was dangling in the
air and rising with a gradual motion. In the process
I found ample use for my feet to keep myself from
coming in collision with the stone Avail of the build-
ing. At length, on arriving at a height opposite the
door, a monk took hold of the rope and drew me in
like a bale of goods. The superior, who was a ven-
erable looking old man of about seventy, with a long
white beard, received us very affectionately, and the
other monks saluted us with smiling countenances.
side. Passing on this side of the mountain, we came
to an Arab burial-ground. Beyond this our path still
extended south through a narrow defile with scattered
rocks till we came in front of the convent.
The monks had seen Us approaching, and on our
arrival, several of them showed themselves at a door
in front of their building, but elevated at the height of
over thirty feet from the ground. On our dismoun-
ting, a rope was lowered to receive our letter
from the convent at Cairo. This being read, the rope
was again lowered for one of us to be drawn up. The
process of drawing the rope was by a windlass, turned
on the inside, and the operation of being hoisted up
in this way, is rather a ludicrous and dizzy perform-
ance. At the lower end of the rope was a loop, in
which I seated myself, and then clenched the rope
firmly above my head. Soon I was dangling in the
air and rising with a gradual motion. In the process
I found ample use for my feet to keep myself from
coming in collision with the stone Avail of the build-
ing. At length, on arriving at a height opposite the
door, a monk took hold of the rope and drew me in
like a bale of goods. The superior, who was a ven-
erable looking old man of about seventy, with a long
white beard, received us very affectionately, and the
other monks saluted us with smiling countenances.