DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12665#0034
26
INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.
it was, lay scattered about in lavish profusion. I
remember, the first piece Paul found, he rubbed his
hands like the toiling and untiring alchymist, when
he thinks he has discovered the philosopher's stone ;
but when he came to a second he threw away the
first, in the same spirit in which the Irishman,
on his arrival in our country, the El Dorado of
his dreams, threw down a sixpence which he
had picked up in the street, assuring himself that
there was more where that came from. Some of
this coral was exceedingly beautiful; we did not
know its value, but I did not think very highly of
it, merely from the circumstance of its lying there
in such abundance. It was not the rock or branch
coral, but a light porous substance, resembling
very much the honeycomb. Paul gathered a large
quantity of it, and contrived to carry it to Jerusa-
lem, though it got very much broken on the way.
He had the satisfaction of knowing, however, that
he had not sustained any great loss; for, on our
first visit to the church of the Holy Sepulchre, we
found in the porch a green-turbaned Mussulman,
who, returning from his pilgrimage to Mecca, had
thought to indemnify himself for the expense and
fatigue of his long and dreary journey, with this
treasure of the sea. Paul took up a large piece
and asked him the price, when the Mussulman,
with an air as dejected in telling as was that of Paul
in hearing it, told him two paras, a para being about
one eighth of a cent; and the next day I saw, be-
fore the door of the convent at which we were stay-
INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.
it was, lay scattered about in lavish profusion. I
remember, the first piece Paul found, he rubbed his
hands like the toiling and untiring alchymist, when
he thinks he has discovered the philosopher's stone ;
but when he came to a second he threw away the
first, in the same spirit in which the Irishman,
on his arrival in our country, the El Dorado of
his dreams, threw down a sixpence which he
had picked up in the street, assuring himself that
there was more where that came from. Some of
this coral was exceedingly beautiful; we did not
know its value, but I did not think very highly of
it, merely from the circumstance of its lying there
in such abundance. It was not the rock or branch
coral, but a light porous substance, resembling
very much the honeycomb. Paul gathered a large
quantity of it, and contrived to carry it to Jerusa-
lem, though it got very much broken on the way.
He had the satisfaction of knowing, however, that
he had not sustained any great loss; for, on our
first visit to the church of the Holy Sepulchre, we
found in the porch a green-turbaned Mussulman,
who, returning from his pilgrimage to Mecca, had
thought to indemnify himself for the expense and
fatigue of his long and dreary journey, with this
treasure of the sea. Paul took up a large piece
and asked him the price, when the Mussulman,
with an air as dejected in telling as was that of Paul
in hearing it, told him two paras, a para being about
one eighth of a cent; and the next day I saw, be-
fore the door of the convent at which we were stay-