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CHAPTER   XIII.

Visit to the River Jordan.—Jericho.—Fountain of
Elisha.—Illness of Fra. Francesco Trivulzio.—
Mountain of the Quarantina.—Return to Jeru¬
salem. — Some Pilgrims Arrested. — Accusations
brought against them.—Casola remains at Mount
Sion, and Visits the Sepulchre of Our Lady.—
Mass celebrated there by Georgian Christians.—
Difficulties arranged and the Pilgrims released.—
Third Visit to the Holy Sepulchre.—Tombs of
Godfrey and Baldwin.—Description of the Church
of the Holy Sepulchre.—Casola Visits Bethany.—
History of the Sultan and the Usbech.

On Monday, the llth of August, at the usual hour, we
were let out of the church of the Sepulchre, and all the
pilgrims were told that those who wanted to go to the
River Jordan must be ready at the nineteenth hour. For
my part, I was not anxious to go, because of the extreme
heat, and also because it appeared to me that the expedi¬
tion was prompted rather by curiosity to see the country
than by any sentiment of devotion. Nevertheless
the aforesaid Don Fra Francesco, ill as he was, said he
wanted to go at all costs, and I who was well and strong
felt ashamed of myself and mounted the accustomed mule.
At the twenty-first hour all those who wished to go were
gathered together in Mount Sion ready mounted, and
there we remained in the blazing sun until the twenty-
third hour waiting for the escort, which the Governor of
Jerusalem was to send to protect us against the Arabs.
At   last   a   Mameluke   arrived   with   certain   barefooted