"The Latin convent is on the side of the hill, and is a prominent feature in the picture of Nazareth. There are several buildings clustered together, and at first sight we were reminded of the Church of the Nativity at Bethlehem and its massive surroundings. There is a high wall surrounding the buildings, and the gate through which we passed is heavy enough to resist the attack of any ordinary band of Arabs. We entered a court-yard which was open to the sky, and then passed to another and smaller one directly in front of the church. The sacred building is about seventy feet by fifty, and was completed in its present form a century and a half ago. Several churches have stood here, and the materials of each have been used in the erection of its successor, so that we may fairly believe that some parts of the first church of Nazareth are to be seen here. "The interior of the building consists of a nave and aisles, formed by four piers that support the roof. The whole of the interior is covered with paintings and tapestry representing scenes in the Saviour's life, and there is a fine organ and an altar dedicated to the angel Gabriel. We did not spend much time over this part of the church, as we were all impatient to descend to the Grotto of the Annunciation, which is below the floor. "There is a stairway of fifteen marble steps between the first two columns as you enter the church, and down this stairway we went, after a brief inspection of the decorations of the walls and a glance at the high altar. [Illustration: THE ANNUNCIATION.] "At the foot of the steps we entered the so-called 'Chapel of the Angels,' which contains shrines dedicated to St. Joachim and the angel Gabriel. Beyond the shrines is an opening or passage leading to the Chapel of the Annunciation, which is an apartment fifteen feet by ten, as near as we could judge, and has a marble altar showing the spot where Mary stood during the Annunciation. A column near the entrance marks the position of the angel, and a little distance from it is a fragment of a column hanging from the roof, and said to be suspended by miraculous power. We wanted to examine it closely, but the monk in charge of the place hurried us on, and evidently did not wish a careful inspection of the hanging column. "Beyond the Chapel of the Annunciation is the Chapel of Joseph, and farther on is a small cavern hewn from the solid rock, and said to have been the kitchen of Mary.