The old world : Palestine, Syria, and Asia Minor : travel, incident, description and history . ise did it all seem tome. Beneath the altar, which stands in the centre of thechurch, was a flight of steps leading into a cave, overwhich a soft stream of light was cast from several lamps 182 The Old World—Palestine. that hung within it. I could then only conjecture thecharacter of these evidently most sacred places, for all themonks were so absorbed in their devotions that I couldnot inquire. I do not think any one perceived me. At length they rose from their knees, and in a solemnprocession, head
The old world : Palestine, Syria, and Asia Minor : travel, incident, description and history . ise did it all seem tome. Beneath the altar, which stands in the centre of thechurch, was a flight of steps leading into a cave, overwhich a soft stream of light was cast from several lamps 182 The Old World—Palestine. that hung within it. I could then only conjecture thecharacter of these evidently most sacred places, for all themonks were so absorbed in their devotions that I couldnot inquire. I do not think any one perceived me. At length they rose from their knees, and in a solemnprocession, headed by the superior, wound along the aisles,their heads bowed down and their arms crossed upon theirbreasts. At certain parts of the church they paused, andkneeling for a moment, touched the pavement with theirforeheads, and again rising, moved on, till all being finished,they gradually disappeared through a small door beneaththe organ loft; the last of the devout line closed it afterhim, and I was left alone in the church, doubtful almostwhether I had witnessed a scene of reality or iAjM ^?^S WS^m %/^jA CHAPTER IX. ONWARD THROUGH GALILEE. THERE are but few places in Palestine of moregeneral interest to the tourist than Nazareth—notonly because of the associations connected therewith, butbecause the location of the town itself, and the extensiveview one can have from the summit of the hill immedi-ately behind it, are among the finest in Syria. The first place we visit in Nazareth is the Latin con-vent, in which are located the Church of the Annuncia-tion and the house of Joseph and Mary. The convent is of considerable size, very old, and fittedup in the usual convent style. The central portion is ar-ranged as a church, with altars, praying-places, etc., andadorned with damask, silk, and other gewgaws. A de-scent of a few steps brings us into what are shown as thekitchen, parlor, and bedroom of the Virgin ; and in front,or rather to the right, of the altar are two grani
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