the contents of which no man knows. The two men essayed to enter the
chamber, when a fierce wind came forth from the entrance of the cave
and smote them, and they fell to the ground 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