n, the tower of the windlass, where you
are pulled up, and a number of separate buildings containing offices and
the habitations of the monks, of whom there were at this time only
fourteen. These various structures surround one tolerably large,
irregularly-shaped court, the chief part of which is paved; and there
are several other small open spaces. All Greek monasteries are built in
this irregular way, and the confused mass of disjointed edifices is
usually encircled by a high bare wall; but in this monastery there is no
such enclosing wall, as its position effectually prevents the approach
of an enemy. On a portion of the flat space which is not occupied by
buildings they have a small garden, but it is not cultivated, and there
is nothing like a parapet-wall in any direction to prevent your falling
over. The place wears an aspect of poverty and neglect; its best days
have long gone by; for here, as everywhere else, the spirit of
asceticism is on the wane.

[Illustration: diagram of church with four columns]

The church has a porch before the door, [Greek: narthex], supported by
marble columns, the interior wall of which on each side of the door is
painted with representations of the Last Judgment, and the tortures of
the condemned, with a liberal allowance of flames and devils. These
pictures of the torments of the wicked are always placed outside the
body of the church, as typical of the unhappy state of those who are out
of its pale: they are never seen within. The interior of this curious
old church, which is dedicated to All Saints, has depicted on its walls
on all sides portraits of a great many holy personages, in the stiff,
conventional, early style. It has four columns within which support the
dome; and the altar or holy table, [Greek: agia trapeza], is separated
from the nave by a wooden screen, called the iconostasis, on which are
paintings of the Blessed Virgin, the Redeemer, and many saints. These
pictures are kissed by all who enter the church. The iconostasis has
three doors in it; one in the centre, before the holy table, and one on
each side. The centre one is only a half-door, like an old English
buttery hatch, the upper part being screened with a curtain of rich
stuff, which, except on certain occasions, is drawn aside, so as to
afford a view of the book of the Gospels, in a rich binding, lying upon
the holy table beyond. A Greek church has no sacristy; the vestures are
usually kept in presses in th