The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-07-04

the monks placed a quantity Of fresh
charcoal on the fire, during my
sleep. and closing the door of the
cell after him, there was hardly n
possibility Of escaping destruction.
In about two or three hours, awoke
In a state of utter weakness, aud ny
ony Of mind, caused by the suifoea-
ting fleets of the vappur, which had
long filled the apartment. Ii was
impossible to rise from the bed, and
all consciousness being soon lost.
my travels would have terminated.
had not Michel happened to he awake
III bed, with his candle burning in the
adJpinlng cell, and hearing some
faint cries, instantly run in, and car
rYing me into the air, by dashing
torrents o. cold water over me, bro't
life back again. Lives are frequent
~ lost III the East from the same
cause. In the convent cells, above
all places, il the fathers wish to have
n rich derotcc out of the way. they
have only tOpnt pan oflresh charcoal
beside him at night. In the church
Il rich altar is erected on the spot
where st. john was born, with an
inscription over it. The next morn
Jag we visited the wilderness II is
narrow, partially cultivated aud
sprlnkled with trees ; tha mills rise
rather steep on each SIDE from that
on the right, sniAli stream flow in
To the ravinc below. The whole
appearance of the place il romantic.
and the prophet might have resided
here, while exercising his ministry,
with very little hardship; the neigh
borhood still, no doubt, produces
excellent honey, which is to be had
throughout Palestine. High up the
rocky side Of the hill on the left, a
midst proiusion Of trees, is the
cave or gr0tto Of ST. John. A ioun-
tain CUISINES out close by. When VIC
talk Of wildernesses, mountains and
plains in Palestine, it is TO be under
stood that they seldom answer 10
the size Of the same objects in more
extensive countries; that they some
times present but beautiful minia-
ture Of ,hem. Ii certainly deserves
the term given by the psalmist to
the city, OF being a Z" compact
country. The Baptist, in his wild
garb, surrounded by an asscmblage
OF various characters, warning them
To repentance, in this wild spot. must
have presented a fine subject for the
palmer. IN wandering over the
eoantry We feel persuaded that its
VIZ scenery II wins, 60 the p O.
zeal and liguratiNe dlscpufses Of its
prophets and secrs. Sublime aud
diversified, it is yet so confined and
minute as to admit the deepest sccln-
sion in the midst OF numer0as po
pulation. The monks in the con-
vent are Of the Catholic order. and
have The advantage OF all their bre-
tllren in point of situation and COM
fort: Yet nothing VIII induce these
Franclscans to keep their habitat
ons clean the Greek and Arme-
monastcrics are palaces compar-
ed To thcm The fathers arc III ge-
neral a very ignorant race Of men,
chiefly from the lowest orders Of SO
cicty. Their tables, except during
Lent, are spread picntiluiiy twice q.
day with several dishes of meat and
wine and 80 well do many of them
thrive, that they would consider it
Punishment to be sent home to Flu
rope to their friends. From the
east end of the wilderness, you ell
ter the famous valley Of ElaIl, where
Goliah was slain by the champion Of
Israel. 1t is pretty and interest
ing looking spot the bottom corer-
cd with olive trees. Its present APP
pearanCc answers exactly to the de-
scription given i'll Scripture the
hills on which the armies stood, en-
tirely confined it on the right and
lett. The valley is not above half
mile broad. Tradition WAS not
required to identify this spot
nature has stamped it with ever
lasting features of truth. The
brook still flows through it in a
winding course, from which David
took the smooth stones the hills arc
not prtcipitous, but slope gradually
down; and the vale is varied with
banks and uudulations, and not
single habitation is visible. in it.
From the scenes of some Of the bat
ties and positions Of armies in those
times, it is difficult to account Tor
tl., miUhtv nuu,hCrS stated "a hay