The kind
gentleman riding on a camel, put down his hand to the boy. The little
fellow, after touching the traveller's hand, kissed his own, according to
the Arabian manner.
The way to Mount Sinai was very rough; indeed, the traveller was
sometimes obliged to get off his camel, and to climb among the crags on
hands and knees. How glad he was when the Arabs pointed to a mountain,
and said, "That is Mount Sinai." With what fear and reverence he gazed
upon it! Here it was that the voice of the great God was once heard
speaking out of the midst of the smoke, and clouds, and darkness!
How strange it must be to see in this lonely gloomy spot, a great
building! Yet there is one at the foot of the mountain. What can it be? A
convent. See those high walls around. It is necessary to have high walls,
because all around are bands of fierce robbers. It is even unsafe to have
a door near the ground. There is a door quite high up in the wall; but
what use can it be of, when there are no steps by which to reach it? Can
you guess how people get in by this door? A rope is let down from the
door to draw the people up. One by one they are drawn up. In the inside
of the walls there are steps by which travellers go down into the convent
below. The monks who live there belong to the Greek church.
The clergyman was lodged in a small cell spread with carpets and
cushions, and he was waited upon by the monks.
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