like dead men, and there they lay until evening.  And there came forth a wind like a man’s voice, crying out:  “Arise and go forth from this place!” So the men rushed forth in terror, and they came unto the Patriarch, and related these things to him.  Thereupon the Patriarch sent for Rabbi Abraham el Constantini, the pious recluse, who was one of the mourners of Jerusalem, and to him he related all these things according to the report of the two men who had come forth.  Then Rabbi Abraham replied, “These are the sepulchres of the House of David; they belong to the kings of Judah, and on the morrow let us enter.  I and you and these men, and find out what is there.”

[p.40]

And on the morrow they sent for the two men, and found each of them lying on his bed in terror, and the men said:  “We will not enter there, for the Lord doth not desire to show it to any man.”  Then the Patriarch gave orders that the place should be closed up and hidden from the sight of man unto this day.  These things were told me by the said Rabbi Abraham.

From Jerusalem it is two parasangs to Bethlehem, which is called by the Christians Beth-Leon, and close thereto, at a distance of about half a mile, at the parting of the way, is the pillar of Rachel’s grave, which is made up of eleven stones, corresponding with the number of the sons of Jacob.  Upon it is a cupola resting on four columns, and all the Jews that pass by carve their names upon the stones of the pillar[85].  At Bethlehem there are two Jewish dyers.  It is a land of brooks of water, and contains wells and fountains.

At a distance of six parasangs is St. Abram de Bron, which is Hebron; the old city stood on the mountain, but is now in ruins; and in the valley by the field of Machpelah lies the present city.

[p.41]

Here there is the great church called St. Abram, and this was a Jewish place of worship at the time of the Mohammedan rule, but the Gentiles have erected there six tombs, respectively called those of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Leah.  The custodians tell the pilgrims that these are the tombs of the Patriarchs, for which information the pilgrims give them money.  If a Jew comes, however, and gives a special reward, the custodian of the cave opens unto him a gate of iron, which was constructed by our forefathers, and then he is able to descend below by means of steps, holding a lighted candle in his hand.  He then reaches a cave, in which nothing is to be found, and a cave beyond, which is likewise empty, but when he reaches the third cave behold there are six sepulchres, those of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, respectively facing those of Sarah, Rebekah and Leah.  And upon the graves are inscriptions cut in stone; upon the grave of Abraham is engraved “This is the grave of Abraham”; upon that of Isaac, “This is the grave of Isaac, the son of Abraham our Father”; upon that of Jacob, “This is the grave of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham our Father”; and upon the others, “This is the grave of Sarah,” “This is the grave of Rebekah,” and “This is the grave of Leah.”  A lamp burns day and night upon the graves in the cave.