Vol.I - The Coptic Orthodox Church

334 Ancient Coptic Churches. LCH. vn.
of ecclesiastical commission. The abbot had a great
idea of our influence with the English and Egyptian
governments, and surrounded his appeal to us for
counsel with some state and solemnity ;
but
our
answer conveyed cold comfort. The poor old man
was wearing a leathern girdle on our behalf, a more
serious matter than it sounds ; for it meant that
he was doubling all his offices, or, in other words,
making six hundred daily prostrations instead of
three hundred, and praying fourteen times a day
instead of seven. He was, however, greatly pleased
to find that one of my clerical companions was also
we spared him the
wearing a leathern girdle ; and
shock of discovering that it was only a revolver-belt.
Generally the monastery appeared more clean and
cared for than the others. Huntington found here
twenty-five monks two centuries ago, and the num-
ber is about the same to-day. One among them is
remarkable for being able to read Hebrew and
Syriac ; for generally they have neither art nor
knowledge, beyond reading and writing
Arabic and
sometimes Coptic. Certainly a great change for
the better has come over Al Baramus, since Sonnini's
visit one hundred years ago, if indeed one
can accept his obviously prejudiced story 1 . He
1
Voyage dans la Haute et Basse Egypte. Paris, 1798; vol. ii.
pp. 179-207. Sonnini's account of his farewell to the monks of
Al Baramus is so amusing, and the work so little known in Eng-
land, that I may be pardoned for transcribing a few pages :
'L'un des Bddouins avoit tue' sur les bords d'un des lacs de
Natron un phdnicoptere, qu'il me prdsenta. Quoique ce fut un
assez mauvais gibier, il devenoit un mets de"licat pour gens qui
vivoient depuis plusieurs jours d'une rude abstinence. Mes com-
de le faire rotir : mais au moment ou nous
pagnons s'empresserent
nous disposions a en faire un excellent repas, les moines se jeterent