128 GREEK CONVENT,

CHAPTER IX.

Conront nt Mount Sinai—Greek Church— Chapel of the Burning Bush—Thff

Library------Charnel-House of Human Skulls and Bonos—Tho Garden—Rules

of the Convent—Accommodations for Strangers—Arabs around tho Convent-
Sinai and Horeb—Ascent of Mount Sinai—Legend of a Fountain—Chapel of
the Virgin—Fountain of Elijah—Chapels of Elijah apd Elisha—Impressions on
arriving at the Summit of Sinai—Hermits—Plain where the Israelites Encamped
—The Rock of Moses—Chapel of tho " Forty. Martyr's"—Ascent of Mount St,
Catharine—A Legend—Vast and astonishing Scenery.

The Greek Convent at Mount Sinai is an irregular
quadrangle, situated on the slope of one side of the
valley. Part of the wall rests on the base of the
mountain, while the rocks on the opposite side of the
ravine, are not more than twenty paces from the front
of the convent. There are only two entrances ; one
the door by which we had been admitted, and the
other a subterraneous passage communicating with
the garden. This passage is secured by a strong iron
studded door at each end. The walls are high and
well-built, of square blocks of granite, and strength-
ened with small towers in various parts. In a few of
these are small cannon. The interior is divided into
several courts, around each of which there is a wood-
en balcony, from which the upper rooms are entered.
The lower rooms are mostly, as I believe, used for
store houses, workshops, and cells for the monks. The
last of these are small and miserably furnished ; gen-
erally containing only a mat, a rug, a chair, but no
table.

Tradition says that this convent was established by
the Emperor Justinian, A. D. 527, on the place where