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SIX
MONTHS IN MECCAH.
SIX
MONTHS IN
MECCAH:
^iV
MOHAMMEDANISM.
T]
KEANE.
{Bajj
Mohammed Amin.)
" The first of the Pilgrims to Meceah and El-Medrnah who has left an authentic aooonnt of the Holy Cities is Lewes Wertomannus (Ludovions Bartema), gentelman, of the citie of Eome. ' If any man,' says this author, ' shall demand of me the cause of this my voyage, oerteynely I can shewe no better reason than is the ardent desire of knowledge, which hath moved many other to see theworld and the miracles of God therein.' " Burton' s Pilgrimage, Appendix II. First Edition. Longman. " The Navigation and Voyages of
a.d. 1503."
LONDON
TINSLET BEOTHEES,
8,
CEA.EL-ES
PREFACE.
My
object in the following pages
is
to give an account, in
of everything of
as short
interest that
came under
my notice while
;
in Meccah, during
and
tion, to
and
of
make up
for
my lack
of further prelude
my
too frequent
at
once
^
to
" spin
my yarn "
J.
in
my own
way.
F.
KBANB
(Hajj
Mohammed
Amin).
1879.
to such, of our
countrymen
England
we
word
in the Councils
events
it
we do
yard of
lake.
territory, is
an English
of the Gulf
Such, indeed,
actually
;
the case.
either
The shores
in
may
be
situated
Turkey,
Persia,
or
Arabia
this
same
effete,
worn-out England
'
and
all this
good
is
effected
and influence
of a
few Englishmen,
ofl&cial
and com-
mercial,
whose very names are unknown beyond the imand who are backed greater physical force than two or three of Her by no Majesty's smallest gun-vessels and a single company of
Sepoy Infantry."
CONTENTS.
CHAPTEE
mecoah's pilgbims
I.
PAOB
1
CHAPTEE
IN MBCCAH
II.
J{
CHAPTEE
IN
III.
.57
CHAPTEE
IV.
.
87
CHAPTEE
ITSELF
V.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTEE
THE PILGRIMAGE
VI.
FAQS
135
CHAPTEE
IN MECOAH AFTER THE PILGRIMAGE
VII.
163
CONCLUSION.
" THE LADY VENUS
"
205
SIX
MONTHS IN MECCAH.
CHAPTER
I.
mecoah's pilgeims.
Meocah's pilgrims, confident of Fate,
And
resolute in heart
Longfellow.
Though Mohammedans
are
many
all*
sects
and
schisms
Christians,
they are
imperait
it is
tive on every
Mohammedan who
to
can afford
at
to
make a pilgrimage
his
life.
Meccah
some
time
in
And
it
is
even considered
obligatory on
those
the pilgrimage
consequently
many thousands
of
Mohamcalled
of
called Christian.
MONTHS IN MECGAH.
at
Meccah from
season,
all
parts of the
pilgrim
some of
whom
giving
come
by
far
the
greater
to
number come by
employment
number
of
of
I
English
ships,
and
which
It
am
writing
42,718
disembarked at Jeddah.'"
I
was
youthful Hindi
pilgrimages
to
Am6r,J
whom
and
accompanied on
places
Meccah
Islam,
other
in
the
Holy Land
Meccah
of
and of
my
expedition to
I shall
now attempt
to give
some account.
On
the
first
and
gulli-
by
their
brother
Mohammedan
touts
and
crimps
* " The Britisli Consul at Jeddah states that in the season of 1877-78 there were 42,718 pilgrims landed at that port, an increase of nearly 4000 over the preceding year ; but this was more than
counterbalanced by the falling
Leet.
. . .
The concourse
estimated to
26th, 1878.
off in the numbers at Zembo and Meccah on the Great Feast-day was have exceeded 180,000 souls." The Times, October
at
Mohammedan native of
and in
this
ruler,
X Properly,
a lord
of
the
land
under a
and subject
feudal conditions.
The Hejaz.
MEGOAH'S PILGRIMS.
of Jeddah.
house
official
all their
by weight,
bring
their
so that as
almost
sufficient
last
them during
stay in the
foretaste of
what
over
to
the
native
undergo further
extortion.
Many
Hejaz
my
we
new
interesting
about
it.
To the gentleman
my name
to
and the
him
of
my
the
intentions.
He
said
much
dissuade
me,
tellins
me
country rather
on
account of
the
but
had
already
made up
subject,
as
a native wardrobe
SIX
Jeddah,
I.
MONTHS IN
MEGCAII.
en route
Meccah.
sons
of
the
Desert,
in
as
distinguished from
Palestine,
their
spurious
brethren
Egypt,
and other
by Europeans),
whom
now met
sight,
and
formed a
favourable
opinion,
and
still
good
the
points.
One conclusion
Hindi
" "
quickly arrived at
" wily
would be
in
no
match
for
the
" swarthy
Paynim
" rough-and-tumble."
the
I,
camels
were
the
laden
and
got
under
way,
and
following
example of
ablution
my
(i.e.
comthe
panions,
bathing
pilgrim's
the
entire
person),
consists
and
of
put
on
pieces
the
of
garb,
which
two
white
or
light-coloured
cotton
left
fabric,
one
piece
arm
bare,
the
other
round the
enve-
left
the
foot
bare),
is
and
a
then
said
two-prostration
prayer, which
MECGAR'S PILGRIMS.
for
special
occasions.
We
afterwards
joined
our
camels, wliicli
of a larger caravan
I
outside
the walls of
had no
difficulty
hear of
pil-
grims,
either here
though one
may
have been
got
the
for
me by
I
the
Amer
as
Abdur
Mohammed,
name
had adopted.
the gate two fine soldierlyrifles,
As we went through
smoking
cigarettes,
to notice
even
and, as only
and
five
shibriyahs),
and
shugduf and
with a number of
who had
who were
accepted as a
money value
in this country.
found
had to
have
whom
I shall often
was
my
my
companions' names,
I shall
him
(as I
three
armed retainers
who formed
The kind
we
sat or
when
riding, are
of shugduf or shibriyah.
for food, tobacco,
and other
necessaries
outside,
at the tail
to say, having,
by the help of a
resembling a rickety
wigwam
hump
was that
across
we were
mad bounds
momentary expectation
of a
spill.
But on looking
is
on a level
requires
MEGOAE'S PILGBIMS.
the nicest adjustment of weight on either side to pre-
is
securely
somersault a thing
for the art of balanc-
my
companion being
as
much a
mode
of travel as
myself
bread.
I,
for
my part, spent
one
equal afloat
so that
I,
me
for
many
plain, if anything,
stars,
nearly east
and the
distance, I
to Haddah, where
we
halted at daylight.
Haddah
is
and Meccah.
Here there
Bedawi
huts.
rises
in
north-east,
Around
are
what would be
out-
eastward.
cara-
vanserai
resting
;
we spent
the
day,
praying,
eating,
and
La Sarika
Inna'l
"w'al
Mulk
man
of
the
tune of
"The
Sailor's
time in his
life,
and you
* " Here I
am
AUab
here
am
I.
No No
am
Verily the Praise and the Beneficence are Thine, and the
Partner hast Thou, here
Translation
Kingdom:
am
I."
from
"Burton's
Pilgrimage."
Third Edition.
W.
London, 1879.
MEGGAE'S PILGBIMS.
realise the excruciating
up
for
on
their
way
to
many
I
other
cries.
now
found
could perform
my ablution and
me
prayer without
part,
attracting notice
by any awkwardness on my
considerable help.
About an hour
for
before sunset
Meccah
became
more decided
and
ascent,
the
around
being
higher
more
which
defiles in
weird
effect.
At
daylight,
when we seemed
to have
the in-
The
distance
we
had
come
from
Haddah
still
was
easterly.
The approach
to
Meccah by
You
arrive
among
collec-
to
enter
Meccah on
only
foot
if
possible,
women and
find
invalids
being
excepted
you
yourself
10
of
and
as yoti continue
on a downhill
course
streets
Haram
is
or
situated
Moslem Holy
Now
here was
world
for
Mohammedan
"
Hub
Kaabah, a shrine
stint
which to die
hundreds of thousands
their old age,
all
and towards
But
my
cut
short,
for
having
was no
and weary
as I felt, kept
me
prostration prayer
Haram and
to
do the tawaf
i.e.
walk,
Kaabah seven
times, kissing
it,
at every circuit
to run
through the
MEGGAE'S PILGEnrS.
11
proper prayers
this latter
ceremony
is
called El-Sai.
and
is
The
middle of the
the
Haram
in-
on the
directly
east,
from side to
must be
shaved.
And now
was
pilgrim's garb.
My
much
by a
and
nail-
paring
leaving
of
the
most
close-shaving
Mohammedan,
my
my
my
I
me.
The costume
assumed was a
mixture
of the
of Hindi
as
much
Arab
as of either in
My
hea,ddress
was a Turkish
on
my
feet the
Hindi sandals, a
strip of leather
instep and
down between
the big
by way
the ankles
12
SIX
all,
MONTHS IN MECCAH.
in the
and over
when
open
air,
an Arab-brown
on
this
my
first
night in Meccah
laid
when we had
and had
down
thirty other
in the
"True
Believers,"
around
me
yes, such
unmentionable animal
strict
literally
unmentionable to
all
Mohammedans.
thought
soundly.
my
my
sleeping
for this
Nor did
wake
but
me
chilly
One convenience
in
windows looking
see
Haram,
so
that
we could
is
the
Kaabah
to
which we prayed,
and which
known
as
MEOCAE'8 FILOBIMS.
going
out.
13
Neither
the
of
his
the
Kaabah
to pray except at
falls
At
first I
always secured
show myself
more
in public than
was necessary.
As
who
know
of
Mohammedanism
I
or
Meccah, before
this pilgrimage
going farther
is,
will
explain
what
and endeavour
I
to
demonstrate
it
my
said
position
in
Meccah.
and myself
people which
a
of
at
Meccah, ostensibly on
know
that
this is
outcome of a
the
commands
of the Prophet.
the
by Christians playing
so far as I have
a small part in
seen).
Mohammedanism,
are
undertaken
profes.sedly with
14
the punishments
as
said before,
belief,
to
understand,
races
and
as
which
could
only
exist
among such
imaginative
miracle-
From
of
this it will
community
Meccah
is
scum
of the
whole
Mohammedan
of
is
world.
Now, the
precarious position
an unbeliever in
well
known
but
a Jew, Christian,
Meccah
in
the eyes of
Mohammedans
ground
of
to
Mohammedans
am
confident the
life
of a solitary white
of
man
refusing to
make "
profession
that
faith
two
hours
:
even
at this
day
so
gain,
or
the Hejaz,
MECCAS'S PILGRIMS.
habits of a
for,
15
great caution
in
notwithstanding
affect
security
which
the.
majority
to
there
are
many
jealous
spies,
and
inquisitive
watchers,
self-constituted
anyone suspected
'
But
signs
let
him be Inaster
allusive phrases of
let
of
the
thousand
and
Mohamminutely
him
of
affect
observances
and
points
sustain
etiquette
among
Mohammedans, and
for
throughout a character
fear
devotion,
and he need
his
no inconvenience
in
on the score of
Meccah.
nationality
place
like
He may
declare himself a
Peckham Eyot,
called North, as
polite
will
is
credence
for
there
Mohammedan
will
outwardly appear to
believe a
truth.
I
lie,
was by profession
seemed an
after, in
my
hearing,
me my
16
SIX
MONTHS IN MEGGAH.
All through I
my acquaintance with India and hailing from Bombay my trump card but if ever really
suit
my first my strong
of
crammer.
made
assurance
and
cornered, as on one or
two
implying that
To undertake an expedition
and
I suffered
many
;
felt
it
often at
first
to another
"
You
have
it
told
that
I
lie
so
often,
Jack,
to
you
believe
yourself."
It
now found
this
be no
impossibility.
became
my
I
case to a nicety,
to
all
and and
in
less
than a
month
was
intents
as
purposes as
honestly
I,
Mohammedan
any born
believed
it
myself!
The name
had adopted,
common
in
was objected
to
by the most
for,
of our party
as not
strictly
orthodox,
said they,
was not
I
Mohammed
of
as
God
'?
me
into uncoveted
MEGGAS'S PILGBIM8.
notice,
17
" to the
name
had akeady
servant,"
by an easy
became known
I
as
"
Mohammed Amin,"
what peculiar
I
a name which
Though
should be very
enter into
belief
much
my
depth were
to
any
description
of the
discrepancies
sects
of
existing
among the
still
various
of
the
Mohammedans,
than
of the
Wesley ans,
and the
Shafei
as
is
not
altogether
such a mystery to
me
the
Shaker;
but
and myself
much
misinformation from so
one-sided
education,
fertile
a source as a Hindi
I shall
and
so
continue
my
Mohammed Amin,
a Suni
Mohammedan
CHAPTER
II.
IN MECCAH.
WAS now
settled
in
everyday
life
of a pilgrim waiting
Pilgrimage."
Zem Zem
tradition has
little
it
Hagar's and
it,
weU
in
the
for appearance'
of
disagreeable
like
as
it
a mineral
spring
salts,
tasting
weak
similar
of
Epsom
and
having
medicinal action.
I
thousand said
elsewhere
still
it
is
to
my
I had
or
any
feasting,
sports,
religious
IN MECOAH.
grounds.
19
and
killing of vermin,
worms,
account
etc.
on
of
offending
class of spirit
which
is
believed to take
living things
I
insects.
have
human
on
insect
was undoubtedly
of
recently imported.
My
and
rice a day,
mented by such
sweets,
;
or tea as
might be
no matter
satisfied
my
cravings, it having, as
my
experience goes,
much
a hungry
man
as salt
who
sell
their rations,
their bread
and the
of,
they must be in
could
walk
about
the
crowded
bazaars
without
attracting
notice,
my
fair
complexion
exciting
2
no
20
curiosity
among
the
chequered
giving
masses,
nor
my
ignorance
of Arabic
me any
inconvenience
I will stay to
enumerate here,
may
style of
difference,
it is
that
procession
of
it
me
think
as
Madame
Tussaud's
varieties
male waxworks
of costume, the
the
many
complexion, were
I suffered at
all there.
this time
from small
boils
on the
a
hands,
feet,
or face, accompanied
by
to
feverishness,
complaint
foreigners
first
(apparently
are
peculiar
Meccah) which
month
I
of
laid
residence
there.
For a few
fever,
days
lost
was
dates until
my
return to Jeddah.
About
this
time
IN
the end of the Fast
ME OCA H.
21
the Great
the guns from each of the three Turkish forts fired a salute of twenty-one at the times of the sunrise,
calls to
saw at
could
not
have
been
less
than
thousand
men
standing, circle
widening upon
circle,
imam
as
as he praised
God and
rises
blessed
Mohammed.
Then
the
great cry,
"God
is
be
felt
to be appreciated,
and simultaneously
all
bow
in
my
me
a contribution to an extent of blended colour which the eye could not take
it
in,
swept over
making aurora-
transformations.
In the twilight
it
was beau-
At
did not
now
did so on a future
At
know
I
my way
had
their
histories
a rather wider
the top of a
hundred
feet high,
On
this hill
Mohammed
is
him by
a
It
stronger man.
was on
Mohammed commanded
On
the
the
moon
disappear
down
Haram be perched on
my
Dav
observations
be, in
instruments
pretensions
a watch or a compass, make no more and my notes were necessarily very scanty.
to
all
I had,
and
IN MEGCAH.
of Judgment,
carrying with
is
23
previous
it all
to
ascending
into
heaven,
saved Mohammedans.
Here there
bird's-
The town
a basin
among
sea.
The whole of
a mile
of
all
across, is
shapes and
below
curious
gray
mass,
flat-topped,
for
to
an
European eye
this
roofless,
half-plastered,
plaster in
climate
is
advanced in coming
entirety.
its
The walls
composed of uncut
is
is
employed anywhere.
Notwith-
may
24
SIX
MONTHS IN MEQCAH.
city.
Many
of the
full
windows
same way or
a
are the
same height
nothing resembling
row
or street could
by any
stretch of imagination be
It
was im-
even from
my
any
over,
(many
up the
The
an
alike,
Eastern characteristic developed into a fixed law of nonuniformity in everything about Meccah, a town which
made
about
its
streets, if
applies
any other
all this
description.
There
a great
sameness about
Haram
IN MEGCAH.
at once fixing the attention,
25
and indeed
it is
the main
feature of Meccah.
space, its
It is a large
quadrangular open
by
east
and
south-west
by
west,
enclosed within
four
arched
bounded by a
Haram.
have
The
arcades,
little
feet high,
a row of
is fifty
feet
wide
but at the
These
did
the
Haram
built
under them.
the enclosure, one or two of which must be considerably over one hundred and fifty feet in height.
From
mented oblong,
26
afterwards
ascertained
It is
when some
covered with
silk in
a heavy black
its
cloth,
composition, and
round
it,
top, a
worked in
Caluma, the
Mohammedan
characters.
The marble
polish in which
who may be
seen at
and day,
build-
little
stations of the
to these flocks
imams
of the
Add
of blue
rock
little
Haram from my
present standpoint.
its
one
another
north-east,
and
south.
is
Jebel
fre-
Kubays,
like
m MEGOAH.
before
27
coins laid
of,
out on them.
was mulcted
for
an
Eastern, a fabulous
amount
of coin
by these
eyes,
beggars.
A young
coy,
by no means
followed
of
me down
last
me
my
half-piastre
when
she
uncovered
the lower part of her face in a dark passage near the bottom of the
hill.
The
measurements
and
numbers
given
were
I carried
with
me
wherever
went a bamboo
laid
stick exactly a
yard long,
which
about.
dropped or
down
carelessly as I
moved
No
and knees
at night
mumThe
number
of times he
moved
his stick.
my
shadow bore
had a
given in feet
may
On
Haram
time.
On
the day of
my
28
8IX
MONTHS IN MEGGAH.
arrival in
I
ported
me
But
ciently at
home
to go
Each
Haram
is
kept by a
man
generally Hindi
may
give this
man an
occa-
any
first
time, or
by a gate you
trifling
are not
accustomed to
coin
;
use,
copper openly
though, as a
these
men do
not
What
is
very noticeable
is
on
first
entering
the
sacred precincts
sitting
is
have their
feet care-
this
a point of etiquette
in
everywhere,
the
Haram
IN MEGCAH.
away from the Kaabah.
in your hand, as
different gate
29
you must
liold
them
sole to
sole,
met with
in the
Haram, such
maimed
or very old,
after the
you
manner
con-
One
me
for a long
time,
by the rapidity of
to
place
among
the
by watching him
their direction
and length
number
of water-carriers go
by anyone
liberal
enough
after
sometimes,
if
trifle
bounds, and
As the water
is
Zem Zem,
you, of course,
deem
it
30
down
ecstatic
swaying of the
body
which
is
to
call
gun
as a
trifle
large,
or
the Great
Eastern as a
kept up
with a persistent
bewildering.
religious frenzy,
and
their
foaming inarticulate
present the
this well
is
fits
symptoms
of epilepsy.
To be
able to
do
considered
gift,
is
looked
reverence.
may
rise
be
gave
in
me
to
founded
by that
if it
ever was
and
to the
IN MEGGAH.
Christianity
if
31
may
be said to owe
aright.
its
present state,
read
my
history
faith preached
by such
as the earnest
many
a chivalrous
How much
medanism
to
?
cant do
we hear
iterated
and reiterated
Moham-
make anything
is
but a poor
from
Low Church
as
consumed
as
before
only benefit to
and
six-shooter,
those
sturdy
militant,
Church
retreat
of the
fit
survive.
"Keep
the grass."
do not charge
my
Haram
32
And
yet
remember
by the
horrible
guilt
of
having
attended
divine
How
it
It is
now enough
for
me
that I have
true," of
more good
in,
than bad
goodness
!
so the world
may
still
be lived
!
thank
How
could ramble on
I
But
must not
do so
here,
though
may remind
my
yarn in
my own
occasional
him
to
bear with
my
if
not offend by
know
it
by
They
call
and have, in
my
humble opinion, a
They
Adam
to
have
IN MECCAH.
been prophesied by the
appearance on earth
is
33
"Man
by
of Peace,"
whose
re-
prophesied by
so-called
Mohammed.
And
it
is
generally held
Mohammedan
is
very
near at hand
so
much
so that the
mere
repetition of
pilgrims
of every
nation while
was in Meccah.
very prevalent in the East just now, about as ripe for the reception of
" as it well could
which,
all in all, is
in
some
Moham-
However, we need
not be very
much
unity
left
among them
"
formidable "jihad
crescentadeanywhere.
Observing and inquiring
To return
were
to Meccah.
now
me
to
my
identity.
ings,
to
my surroundat
I
was
all
as
much
life.
home
as if I
my
formed
friends,
and
jealousies with
all
my
com-
we
plates,
without offering to
do so
is
so
strong
as to be barely
Darwinites
may
safely take
my
it
word
and
are at liberty to
make use
of
as a startling analogy.
My
trencher-mates were
a blind
Moulvi,* and
his right
hand,
take
Mohammedan may
chance
I
but the
time
sat
down
friends'
found
had immensely
I
underrated
my
abilities,
for
never saw
for curry
skill
or
extraordinary
at
putting
it
away.
was a
little fastidious,
of not seeing
my
as I
as
much
ought
however,
had to overcome.
drawn
myself
sort
to
This
of
two long
fingers
* Doctor of Divinity.
IN MECCAH.
35
my
little rice
;
wall before I
had got
my
third fistful
swallowed
like a
had stuck to
it,
from the
mouthful over
piece
and then
on
my most my eye on
meaty morsel, a
from the
first
;
but
it
my
I
part to have
No,
hadn't a chance
five-
with these
two
thieves,
for
sixths of the
too.
eat,
"how
little
you
last
Mohammed Amin
"
as
India,
you must
at least
yes,
own
and
for
rice.
Ah
that was
up
when
I could
Set
a pot on the
it,
fire,
put
add
saffron
and
powdered
chillies till
you
alive
than
call it
it
by the name
in
of the next
as long as
ingredient;
like,
cook
any way,
you
36
what
a handful of shot
it,
brown paper
Serve
all
it
at
any meal
breakfast,
;
are
is
equally suitable
and,
if
want
to be thoroughly native,
it
name
of chilly."
sit
we
all
used to
round
sweets,
telling stories.
;
got to be
chamber
full
up the more
solid
particles
tobacco
and
cools the
always in-
Sometimes
this style
:
would
tell
story,
something in
The
not,
Amer
"You
''
have been in
"
many
countries,
Mohammed Amin ?
?
Why
?
your
honour
Is
not
my
the
work
sailing
there
"
is
a big fish in
sea,
"
"
and
so go
all
on to give a long
listen
would
most
IN MECCAH.
attentively,
37
the
or I
Amdr
would
occasionally
tell
asking shrewd
questions
of
said,
"
Good
Is
there
such a
"Yes."
"
Good
If
?
there
is
nothing but
ice,
for
what
do ships go
This
circle
is
an
tusks like
fat,
an
and
tail
of a fish
it is
very
and we
the
Am&
and
what can
get to eat to
!
make
it
so fat
God
what a father
of lies
invented
many
wonderful
as
I
I
stories
to
amuse
everywhere,
truth less
than
fiction.
have
been
simply dislate
believed
when
said
Sultan
38
even an attempt to
many pleasant
with
evenings with
my Mohammedan friends,
a bit of a favourite
all
whom
I was, I believe,
an agreeable harmless
all
my
punctilious
observance of
religious
duties
I
often
knowledge of
principle
divinity
I
and
the
soundness of
my my
though
could
neither read
life
nor write
my
whole
Mohammedan by name.
;
made
also a
number
to
of acquaintances outside
I
whom
to get
my
head shaved,
I
found very
He knew Bombay
notes
well,
and liked
those
comparing
''
with
me,
I
talking
about
Shaitan
"
English,
whom
me
my Mohammedan
One
day,
little
slack,'"'
the
old
fellow
casually remarked,
is
propos of the
an Englishwoman in
Meccah,
'
IN MECOAH.
This was an eye-opener, though
to
I
39
show
it,
how
Many
years."
is
"
Whose zenana
;
she in ?"
" Nobody's
a Nawab
gives her a
little
room
and
work
for him.
She
is
old."
Would you
like
to see her
V
and find out
is."
who
she
For
my
Christian accomplishments
of
it
believed I pretended to
know more
than I really
test
it
did.
Whether the
me
in a kindly
busybody
for
spirit,
cannot say
there
is
no accounting
motives.
At any
rate,
he
(a
woman
to come.
The
old fellow
may have
me and
he got one.
You may
be sure I had
An
English-
40
woman
I
Meccah
been here
many years
impossible
swallowtails,
the mast in
even to me.
not find
it
thought, " I
am
here,
and
;
did
very
difficult
"
and
great misgivings
came
as
know how
out
to
if
in the
name
anyone wanted
to stop
me
spend a whole
life
as
she was
up with
it
while the
a
difiicult
kill
excitement of
acting
it
but
twelve months of
would
me.
"No,"
I said,
"she
can't be
fair
enough
to
be called English.
However
should
see.
much
I
attention to the
and
folds
of
my
turban as
my
beard
brush.
with
aAllah,
preserve
us!
pig's-bristle
me
Amer what
it
was
it.
made
of
when asked
IN MEGCAH.
as they did not
41
want
to believe,
first
and
took care to
opportunity
how
hair-
brushes were
bristles
made
their
of elephants' hair,
went
beards
every
!
day.
preserve
>
us!
Allah,
forgive us
hurried off at the right time in a great state of anticipation to the good Moulvi's house, called a boy in the
yard,
little
size of a small
bedroom, very
clean
dust
At one end
of this
the wall,
to be seen
This
is
in Meccah,
though
its
how
or at
way
Perhaps
it
but
It is likely
to be very old, as
* I should think
it
it
represents
may have
five
on from
its
Gama
led
Europe round
the Cape of
Good Hope
42
purposes.
ficial
Some
;
flowers
hung on the
Representations of animal
life
are prohibited to
six-feet
Mohammedans.
by
four-feet
The only
ottoman
the
on
it
a rough
wall,
against
the
and,
on
it,
the
^Moulvi's
On
the floor a
good Persian
carpet,
This
may
The occupants
a genial
man with
Who
could believe
?
he had been a
is
Yet he
now an
;
his
ovm country
and
leaders at Lucknow.
He may
have fought,
and fought
believe
he
IN MEOGAH.
according to his lights
for a Hindi.
43
which
is
barber, a
with
like a Bengali
sitting
on the
floor in
the costume
a sheet
figure squatted
down with
thrown over
slits
it
as I first
saw
her.
slipped off
my
and
" Peace be
the
woman. and
it
my
real character,
to her.
We
hand
tears.
sat
silently for
of her
to
to her in Arabic,
me some
questions in English
as
my
all
of which
;
but
to
when
she
asked,
I
at
his
instance,
how
it
it
came
Meccah, and
"God replied
put
into
my
head,"
44
I felt safe
After a time,
by
her advice,
topics
we
of interest to
and
satis-
she
was a
to
real,
educated Englishwoman.
if I
When
me
she rose
a:o I
with her.
of the
She said:
in
"No;"
and told
Haram
could
He improved
by giving me
fac-simile of
we
God-
He made me
when the
feel
miserably
I
as
could
:
I believe I
trust in prayer,
;
and
God
will
protect you
"
at the as a
same time
my hand
token of good
This
is
stantial
politeness,
to drink
"What
will
you have
thing.
"
When
got
home
found the
IN MEOOAH.
made up
his
45
mind
occupy the
it
it,
house
till
his return.
was
and
hard at work at
packing
boxes.
The
Am^r
part
personally
undertook
and
had
the
as
head
about
cook,
and myself
a
We
made
of
to,
half
hundredweight
of
new kind
sweetmeat the
intended
to
it
Am&
the
it
last
but the
Amer
that
ate
so
much
of
before
so
was
cooked
he
made
himself
cry,
sick,
he took
packed up.
This
everybody
in
nobody
obeying,
packing
up things
the
articles
to the last
get
away
things were in
order.
How-
right
time
nothing
;
ready of
everything
course;
still
away
the
handy on
to
46
they got
One
All
my
Hindi
and trust to
in
They got on
all
right
a kind of
and
suppose that's
it.
know they
voyage,
left half
the
and took a
wouldn't be
left
them.
Before they
the
me
thirty dollars
my
he was away.
with
me
were
eat.
a characteristic
He was
son of
we
IN MEGCAH.
are
to
all
47
subject to
its
more or
less strongly
it
seems
make
lives,
Mohamin a pil-
medan
invariably vents
the same
mania
call,"
grimage to Meccah.
to have
and appears
had
it
him and
his friends
laughed at him,
still
he held
he
must go
to
He
offered
to
much
them by doing
their
so
indeed
in such
any,,
relatives
Kemuneration
is
is
seldom expected by
their
subsistence.
more than
last
sufficient
for
At
the
money
first
his father
He
walked from
Kotiee,
to
and
he seemed
and
"fire-
he
is
found
himself
in
48
Kurrachee
good
step
on
road
to
Meccah.
Jack
then
for
Bombay (how
country boy
seen
up
stand
so.
!),
in prison in
Bombay
for
doing
When
many
and who
" chosen of
charity
God
"
nobody
Jack's
offered
zeal
take
or
send
itself
him
yet
;
to no,
Meccah.
crowded steamers
day of
out,
sailing.
When
others,
all
half-a-dozen
It is probable
really,
was found
to
have no
ticket.
ship
made
them
u]d
on to the look-
Two
scription to
pay
for
them
but the
officers
would
IN MECCA H.
not
let
49
these
rest, so
they
all
In the meantime
the Am^r,
this,
who was
and
was
made up the
subscription
and
had them
finding
all released.
He
he came from
Scinde
and
much
disgusted
never-
him
The boy
is
now with
is
us in
Meccah,
happy
as Larry.
Not only
the stolen
amount
of
sympathy
to
of fellow-feeling
and that
perhaps led
me
give
of his
own way.
but they lived in another
little
also left,
of them.
An
old
a fury with a
mud
wall) used to
come down
beg
we might happen
to
have going
50
for
though we lived in
any
little
indulgence
we might choose
be having.
veil,
servitors,
Moham-
medan
countries,
that
is,
for
remarkable ugliness.
The
thing
we did
in the
morning
after the
out since
we had been
living in
it,
and was
filthy.
We
feet,
removed out
and threw
by twelve
being
(this
the
cases
large
packing-
of in
rags,
spoilt
and
of
wasted,
rot,
fragments
of
food
difi'erent
stages
broken pots,
matting,
bottles,
sticks.
tins,
old
shoes,
this,
straw,
torn
and
a
Besides
all
cat,
great
many
rats
alive,
and
was
heaven
IN MEOOAH.
knows what awful
disclosures
51
the
way
of lost
trifles,
and
Next we
cleared
and
offal
of
cooking
stone
thrown.
Round
our
this
we used
to
sit
and
perform
emitted
everlasting
ablutions.
The
!
aroma
of
Its
from
the
aloes,
hole
was
pooh
"
!
" odours
Eden,
myrrh,
and
kind
cassia
Pooh
fragrance
varied
in
from
its
day to
day,
but
always seemed to be at
worst.
What
horrible
from the
thick
layer
of
down
as
could
be
seen,-
constantly writhing
and
crawling
which
filled
amending of
first;
this
we
We
filled
the large
it
made
hot,
B 2
52
SIX
it
MONTHS IN MECCAH.
down
the hole.
and emptied
boiling
This
we
did
three times, with such beneficial effect that no objection was raised
to
it
swarms of
then
gum
or resin, which
is
the aver-
this
we fumi-
arrangements of our
the
little
household.
is
am
aware
" in-
foregoing
savoury fragment
not very
how
factors in the
sum
of our
During the
look for the "
last three
days
was
of
my
readers
as
may
may
here explain
"
why
in
my
Lady Venus
was preserved.
our conversations
sufficient
really little to
do with
it.
If
we
IN MECGAH.
did, for
53
friends to
make
Mohammedan
"
point of
immoral
it
;
they
is
called, in a
society where
woman may
man who
it
is
and
was
chiefly
on
meetings had
to be
of such
clandestine
character.
Any
one
Mohammedans
the
are
jealousy, conventional
the. formal
and
affected, of the
men, and
restraint
women
held
will
way
did
women
are allowed
great freedom.
tions of the
Many
of the
harem
are relaxed,
quite the
women
at
public
them
On
Haram
noonday.
counting
a
After
the
prayers
remained
sitting,
my
beads.
Mohammedan
rosary,
pendants or stops.
names or
attributes
God
the
hundred
is
is
not
God
unlimited.
is
Mohammedan
merciful,"
etc.
God
great, good,
through
9
'9
the ninety-nine
sort of 9
hundredth attribute
is
which
man
way
this
not mentioned.
little
When
off
on
my
left
woman
sitting alone.
thought
at her
might be
my
friend,
for a
few minutes.
I
me, and
of the
thought
noticed a beckoning
I
movement
rose
and
walked towards
We
mile,
back at
me
when
she stopped,
and
let
me come up
me
that
in English, telling
me
to
walk by her
friend's
side,
and
we were going
to a
Hindi
where we
we
liked.
farther
street,
on we passed
where a Turkish
IN MECCAH.
and
I
55
answered
of
lier
in
display
such
expressions
was master
of.
little shieling,
we went and
it
sat
down.
He made
gave
left
me
smoke of
and
us to ourselves.
What
a talk
!
we had
How
we
let loose
Sometimes we
It
cried.
must have
many
years.
I,
who had
my
of nonsense, any-
my
We
We
this,
it
Hindi came
and we thought
me
also
my
own.
We
We
I
That night, as
lay on
my
56
SIX
MONTHS IN MECGAH.
many
such, pleasant conversations
the anticipation of
for there
was a
taste of
me
supremely
one
satisfied
and con-
tented almost
that
night
last
only
are,
thing
troubled me,
her
she
always called
light-hearted
me
child, I
suppose on account of
spirits
my
I
and
I could not
make
who
she was.
thought over
list
of questions
;
meant
meeting
think
again,
it
Little
did
interesting matter
hand
fell
incongruity, a pilgrim
Kaabah
What wide
CHAPTER
IN
III.
There
the
is
room
for
exhibition of taste in
way
the Eastern
'
vanity.
For
my
part, I
became quite
whitest,
an Eastern
swell
my
tunic
of
the
;
my
and
besides, I
householder,
Kasi,^''
and possibly
I did
though
not test
my
rights to
any great
questioning
me
as to
who
was never
;
for a
moment
entered into
streets
my
calculations
was doomed
* Judge.
58
to be let
down
nerves.
I
in a
my
weak
One day
college
on the
outskirts of the
the-grace-of-
God-d-his-blessings, D.D.,"
when
fifty,
of
all
stayed to look
as
I
on at their
unlike
little
games,
such
marbles
could
not
One
the
see.
group
I
had an old
pistol,
Hindi
"
!
me
into that
son of
head.
in India,
or
it
children
mischief.
not
to
generally given
this
unprovoked
kind had
it
Up
to me,
nothing of
the
happened
and
as it
was unexpected
also
took
the
me
very
much
aback.
It
collected
all
young imps
cry
;
in the neighbourhood,
me
if
and you
are a
Mohammedan make
faith."
Now
am
5&
"I
my
I
life
have been
a fellow
easily
have a
This
Bedawi aversion
beggar riled
to dirt* as
I did
an
article of diet.
feel at all
me and
not
disposed to
I just
No,
took
by the
shoulders, turned
made
him
see stars.
Now,
perpetrated a more
un-Mohammedan
Instead
expressions of devotion
and
faith, as
Mohammedan
my
Mohammedan
a shoe.
It
Ya
its recipient,
had put
my
foot in
it,
off
my
guard, and
now
so turned
retreat,
round
when
close past
my
I thought),
but
it lit
that
is,
taken an
insult.
60
followed, fetching
me
my
mess
"
my
too
attractive
head-dress.
These
Meccan youths
get,
living, so to speak,
on a stone-heap,
from constant
practice, to
be able to deliver a
round an
instant,
work
of
stoning
first-
death,
century Jews.
tions, I
direc-
to
defend
my
face with
my
hands.
My
my mind stoned
as.
by
children,
I
example
should be held up
Suddenly one on
me down
to turn.
when up
again
did not
A pretty
little
made a
rush,
my
Rugby
rules") of about
me
to
my
wretch before
me
as a shield.
my
came
again, led on
by
my
as I heard
them
call
him.
61
Ibrahim
and
was sorry
The
struggle
was
at a scrag;
and managed to
chance, bolted
my
start before I
was
full
down behind
him out
of breath, arms
;
and
however,
was
what
serious
In the meantime
"A
me very
black looks.
officer,
One
of the
soldiers
went to bring an
and
it
was quite
him
in his
Paris-cut uniform.
He
came up
but
I
to
me and
at once addressed
all
me
this
in French
there
by
time and
artlessly
" I
cannot
speak
Turkish,"
and
proceeded
all
on
be
to to
declare
that,
praise
Allah
there
only one
God,
Mohammed
gradually
house,
his
prophet,"
I
working
myself
up
till
at
last
saw an
old
friend
an
Arab
slave-dealer,
who
many
of
my
cigarettes
seized
his
and went
The men
slave- dealer
now
all
my
side,
could
On my way home
arrange
my
my
bolted.
off
home, getting
stiffer all
limbs.
had
luckily
lie
no marks on
my
face,
so
down
My
my
chief fear
now was
that the
affair
it
would get
to
noised abroad in
quarters
where
would lead
having a
visit
paid
me by some
inquisitive
63
whom
knew
I should
not be able to
humbug,
if
The Arab
that evening
whom
but
knew
that the
room
two months
in advance, so
Though the
fellow
was in an
rid of
him
To guard
I
my
companions
sick (I really
I
was
in a
good deal of
pain),
would go and
moved my
it till
and
blankets,
stir
out of
were
many
My
companions stuck to
me
like
giving out at
I
my
much
I told
when
after
64
knew
did,
he would give
me much
and
was much
edified
to
learn
that
their
My
for
all
but done
me, and
now
must appear
to
other
extreme.
It
me
a
small
of which
took the
first
night and
the dose
increasing
I
found
it
afl'ecting
me.
a day, brought
me by
when he
He knew
me and
upon that
go
could
recommend nothing
specific
better, looking
drug as a
for
all
maladies.
of
will not
"
and pleasures
opium eating
more
de
Groups
in the
of
devotees
sitting
under
Illah
;
my
ah
!
window
II
Haram chanting
" La,
Allah," over
PiR.
65
no tune
"
most distressing
themselves, in
to listen to,
my
English party
into
" La-de-da,"
air.
chorus
of
some
charming
unheard
know
a moment's
Our
I
As
can
kept an account of
the
money spent
Provisions
(1
People.
66
we had
rice,
ghee,
and tamarinds in
daily
we consumed
;
rice,
eight
pounds
This
is
quite as good
Amur's
I
table.
to
mention
I
little
Ismail, an
Arab
had made
at his father's
He was
and
I
a very
had taken
Now
found him
excellent
by the hour.
found a capital
and
place, as it
done to have
let
original of
This This
little
home
or he
my
"rattletrap rhyme."
of not only enabling
effect
me
67
Many
travellers,
travellers
in
the
East,
especially
lady
boys
and they
This
easily
such,
may be
accounted
for, as
many
of
all
their
lives.
home
for the
firfet
And
anything
who
has
all
individuality stamped
Mohammedan
children
owe
this to a primitive
Hebrew
may
not
all
"To
the pure
With
all this,
to
a degree,
their
intellectual
an
early age,
and
knowledge (such as
it is)
certainly in advance of
European children of
their
years
attained
of
an
ordinary
Mohammedan
68
education.
in
more than
perfectly
one language,
instructed in
faith,
simple
arithmetic,
are
and antagonism to
their
all
other creeds
is
instilled into
sinners
up bravely
as they as they
"
declare the
curse
amusing
way.
Bat
after
leaving the
is
harem
off
all
their
former
attractiveness
soon rubbed
by rude intercourse
creatures
with the
men
and
know few
more un-
boy to man.
in
He
has
all
the
vulgar
hobbledehoyhood
the
craftiness,
everywhere,
and
rapidly
brutal
cultivates
coarseness
those
chief
of
manbood
in the East.
On
the
new moon
in
December
Am6r
crockery,
;
glass-ware,
and
rifle
cutlery,
guns, and a
ornamental
wood
and
stone,
cups
and
saucers.
AMlilR'S
ABSENCE.
69
from Jerusalem
altogether about
;
" notions
"
and such
news
Each one
of the party
the.
and
horses,
the
splendid livery
of their
"
And what
"
asked an old
com-
pared to a rainbow.
They could
it,
but
but for
working as labourers.
great
satisfaction.
:
This
They
" chewed
over one
to
another
"
Many
beggarly
Christians
for I
under
the
Sultan"
much to my chagrin,
now
felt
perfectly
safe
and found
my
nerves
much
70
A
I
room would
behind
startle
me,
anyone
pass
it
me,
always
wore
it
off.
On
new moon
was
so
ill,
stopped
my
opium,
much
a prayer at Meccah on
this
day
scores some-
how many
it
is
supposed to
conspicuous
dress,
keeping
We
the scene of
my
they
unlucky encounter.
The
me when
saw me
I
in
such
good
alone.
may
be sure
I
let well
and could
all
my
curiosity to see
what
it
was
about
my
party, found
in,
my way
to the
and saw a
whole
of
round the
it.
wall, five
others were
at the time
getting
Two
each
stick,
71
into this
foot,
culprits
up
tightly into a
breast-high
by the
tutor
two assistant-executioners,
mercy
seemed to be a very
yells,
effective
mode, judging by
dis-
the
struggles
the rest
of the
class
the
same was in
and
as
some
my
most vindictive
not pity them
must say
I did
much
though
their tortures.
visited a
number
is
and holy
places,
the
name
of which
which
is
of either
Adam,
while
as
for
Mohammed,
the
lies
that
man I) would
his
off
Medinah
mausoleum
in a great
triple
SIX
the sides
at
all,
MONTHS IN MEQCAH.
shrine,
if
out of his
fact
for doubting.
"
What
are
for
you
"
inquire.
Oh
Mohammed was
fighting infidels,
etc. etc.
?
and God
"
"
Why
Oh
!
are
this
called
the
Prophet's
bread.
Mohammed and
his
them
in
to take this,"
etc.
etc.
Eocks,
dogs,
cats,
pools,
rats,
holes
the
ground,
she-camels,
mice,
Mohammed,
Mohammed,
Mohammed, Mohammed.
I
sit
down and
say over
the swearing
knew
if I
in five languages,
man who
he
believed
in
Why,
if
Mohammed had
trifles,
in milk
it
and mud,
on hand.
blished
No
nonsense
with
apart
cannot be esta-
that
Mohammed
dupe
his
followers
one
single
miracle.
All
/iy
73
these
wonders
are
the
accumulated
;
imaginings of
the
the
like.
Not one
my
with
minutest
circumstances
or
of
half-a-dozen
eye-
miracles
of yesterday, to
at
least
witness
one.
the
work
of the devil,
who appeared
in
We
an age
Are we not
Come
to the East
and
genuine
article.
as
did visit
the
will
now
of
First,
Haram
itself,
which
more minutely
described.
is
The Kaabah,
called the
in
the
Mohammedan
Mohammedans
The
Hub
in
all
of the Universe
towards this
deemed part
it
will
The
architectural design of
of no other structure
such that
know
74
SIX
MONTHS IN MECGAH.
comin
pare
it.'"
of
but
if,
as I
may now
notion of
its
Abraham
really fine.
offices of
the
Haram and
some ten
adjoining dwellings.
The tower
being-
feet
all
descend, at
incline,
flight
or
an irregular
com-
pound
of both, into
are about
fifty feet
and
stone
common
in
in
the
neighbourhood,
laid
small
The roof
pillars
is
sup-
on the
* Sale compares
it
to the
It is
by colonnades, but
75
Every fourth
pillar is
an
the
are
plain
in
round
pillars
a foot
diameter,
composed generally of
sandstone or limestone.
the
The
capitals
of these are
only ornamental
they are
devices,
carved
with
or
angular
respectively
and promiscuously.
The roof
from every
throughout,
dividing the
ceiling
round them
off,
failed,
and
so
bungled them up
portals,
where ingenious,
From
is
all
Kaabah
there
hang from a
five
cross-bar, reaching
from
pillar to pillar,
The square
itself is gravelled
sort
of
pattern.
76
to
equidistant
from one
another,
square.
All
Zem Zem
is
The well
Zem Zem
about
an irregular shambling
building over
it,
dome, and a couple of sections of a pagoda, and probably occupyicg an area of about seventy feet square.
On
more
On
distant,
Abraham's Stone
de-
small
wooden door
on
its
north
side.
This
is
stage for
Abraham when
ing up and
down
to
did not
by paying very
it is
it'
highly,
afford it
but
popularly
another
many
like impressions
11
About
eight yards
on each side of
two stone
thick
pulpits,
and twelve
mounted by a
Kaabah.
At each
high
fifteen feet
Outside this
feet,
circle
and
is
pavement com-
posed of
On
Kaabah
is
a horseshoe
its
an engraved
The base
of the
Kaabah
round
"
is
about two
and - a - half
this a
feet
foot high,
and into
number
of brass ringbolts
78
SIX
MONTHS IN MECOAH.
a heavy
Kaabah, which
is
near
this,
is
and
its
two
feet
to the
and
concealed
it, is
by the
kissing
rounded inequalities of
fracture.
surface, as
from fusion or
There
is
piece
of
its
obsidium from
exact
counterpart
three
shape
bulk.
and
appearance,
but
about
times
So closely do they
after
resemble
having carefully
inspected both
of the
months in sight
required
my
senses, there
this
most
likely
means that
it is
momentarily buoyant
79
being thrown
in,
if
it
contained a great
number
of cavities or bubbles, as
And
another general
its
but that
surface has
which led
me
to break
it
with a
showed
it
to be white like
any
is,
that
it
is
the angel
who
Eden
had charge of
in the garden of
is
much
polished
by the touchings
it
receives
On
the west
from the
from below
ing, to
the
sides.
is
The rain-water
off
the
flat
roof of the
it
Kaabah
discharged through
this,
and when
rains
80
SIX
is it
MONTHS IN MECCA H.
fight
there
free
among
the
pilgrims
to
get
under
and be douched.
and paint
all
The colours
and yellow
like rule.
and the
the
those in
The domed
kept in
is
cleaned out
by gangs
evening.
all
of sweepers
twice
a day,
morning and
The reader
will not
outer
The behaviour
in
in the
Haram
is
much
better than
crowds
to prayer,
when
all
join in
more or
less,
longest.
are
lit,
sit
round private
coloured lamps,
brilliancy, until
the
Haram becomes
deserted,
;
and
who
employed
in performing
by the attendants
of the Haram.
Jebel Nur, lying about four miles north-east of
Meccah,
is
sand in the
own
as water would.
it
appears to
but in
the
ascent,
you pass
it
would
side,
on that
difficult
summit.
path there
.at
is
this season.
82
SIX
MONTHS IN MEGOAH.
small
dome
is
some eight
feet long
by three
have
been made by a
instrument,
slip of
while
performing
somewhat
nice
Mohammed
inspired
preparatory to giving
him
his
prophet's commission.
his
first
There
Mohammed
received
message.
Farther
down on the
Mohammed
Meccah.
Into
web woven
across the
mouth
led
of the cave
to
them
In
Mohammed and
his friend
Abubekr
its
bite
Mohammed.
Rather than
put his own heel over the hole and was bitten.
he found
his
friend
still
whereupon he of course
his friend
killed
the
serpent
and cured
by a
miracle.
m MEOCAH DURING
I
83
and
my
stories to
one
another in the
occurred in them.
of as
having
Umrah
east of
lies
Meccah,
There are
leading
down
;
to
it is
is
the
water,
in
which the
pilgrims wash
and
Pool of Siloam.
This
Mohammed's
meditation.
and
He
is
his muscles
Most
Arab
and
stockingless)
Mohammedans have a
the
left ankle,
callosity
on the
outside of
attitudes of prayer
sitting
with the
left foot
tucked
under them.
At
all
many
may
These beggars
may
the
In
beggar.
into obscurity,
and
may
The
professional
84
SIX
"
they
" bakhshish
cur,
till,
!"
" bakhshish
!"
yelps the
after
you
you get
effort
so
accustomed
it
that
is
it
costs
you an
of will to hear
It
who make
of
it
means
carrying
out
;
the
letter
the
prophet's charitable
commands
being an Eastern
beggars are Hindi
trait.
;
comparatively few;
seen.
is
never
Every day
all
who
go
High
authority of Meccah,
who
is
assisted in administration
council of
Moulahs under
final appeals
whom
military
possession,
garrisoning
the towns
and
They have no
control
whom
attempted to stop
85
roads,
and the
It
Mount
At
this time,
it,
was raised
calico,
adding greatly
gold.
to the effect
Pilgrims were
now
arriving in crowds
all
the great
till
in,
the
there
streets.
in such places
as Gracechurch Street on a
The crowd
here, however,
all
was very
Every-
yielding affability.
it
The London
rough
who
feet
thinks
the height
of pleasantry to
his eyes, or
jump on
Sit
hon
'er
'ead "
when
she faints
had no representative
is
here.
streets,
which
is
very creditable,
the
number
of different nationalities
and
brought
who
one another.
my
86
SIX
MONTHS IN MEGCAH.
fighting
in
once
saw serious
the
streets.
Two
who
and slapping
soldiers,
streets,
went up
to separate
One
of
and smote
cutting
off.
which are
CHAPTER
IV.
Haram had
then one
mixed, and
different nation-
proportions
* Turks
88
SIX
The
races
MONTHS IN MECGAH.
witli
marked
classifica-
tions,
the
Mohammedan
races of
All
contrast
these
in
different
nationalities
brought
into
this
way
one
give
a good
opportunity
of
comparing
them
with
I
another,
and
may
with
guide
the
following
of those
It
stock
yarn
of
the
the
Meccah
Arabs
of the
one
illustrative
is
stories
are so fond of
told
in justification
the
present day,
and,
like
so
many
first
of
their
stories,
may
be called
original
characters.
Bedawi Shaykh,
whom we
will
call
Shaykh
and ablutions
five times
daily,
and was
proportionably prosperous.
there came a
.
When,
in an evil hour,
tent,
Shaykh
of every-
But
on
Shaykh
Salaam's
waking
next
morning
89
God
To
hospitable than
the story continues, the Misri * stealing his camel, the Maghribi t his ass
;
until,
and
theft,
he
is left
who
falls
Sulaymani.
Last of
all
up
to
him a
Shaykh
whom
the good
woe
how
and himself
left
destitute
to
Whereupon the
This
is
more than
and
and
in the ragged
immense
inherited in a very
marked
degree.
t Moor.
* EgyiJtian.
90
on the
list
He
certainly
clean,
civilised,
is,
and
sensible of
them
all
bad
as
he
he
is
as
much
is
The Turks,
by
all
other
Mohammedans,
and
so that
name.
They do not
and by a
increase
their
unpopularity,
primitive
Individually I
little fellow.
like
the
Turk, he
a manly brave
never saw
felt
sentry
(the
"
How
do you
troops
like the
new
rifle,
old
man ?
"
Turkish
in
supplied with
the
Snider)
but
An Arab
shopkeeper
who
up
in statistics informed
me
that the
91
numbered
five .thousand,
which
is
if so,
more than
of
two-thirds
military.
must
belong
rest
to
some
branch
the
The
are
shopkeepers,
dealing
in
tobacco,
medicine,
generally.
This year
on account
me
much
respect
I
any time,
for the
little
have
seen a Turkish
officer
Haram from
off
which a Persian
spot.
Meccans, who
Blustering,
accepting
charity.
trained
an unknown number of
generations,""
and cadging.
for
them
* See
92
SIX
MONTHS IN MEOCAH.
first,
and discourteous
as
much
in the
same situation
paying his
majority of shopkeepers
and lodgingmost
house keepers,
many
of the mechanics in
Meccah
Egypt
or Syria.
They seem
industrious,
and turn out tolerably substantial work of the elaborately-ornamented and unfinished Eastern description,
Brummagem "
with
are
stocked.
Imams, muezzins,
and
civil
and nearly
all
posts of religious
authority
had no
intercourse, nor
had
their acquaintance.
I
The
settled
was
told,
maybe an
exaggeration,
my
numbers
statement
ing,
coming
as I did
from India
still
the
possible, the
THE VARIOUS
RACES.
93
population
of
which must be
almost
Arafat.
depopulated
Many
Hindis are in
lucrative,
Government.
and
independent
permanently
settled
in
reasons.
:
They occupy
also
the
following
positions
for
quite able to
its
own
against
all
Arab roguery.
bottom
underhand,
:
insinuating beggars
the Arab
for
most miserable
to be found in
Meccah
there
known
true
Afghans or of
of Persia,
the Sulaymani
This
name Sulay-
94
mani
comprebensive term,
Sulaymani
it
bas a
signification.
in great numbers,
considering
could
in
is
Meccab
known
bas become a
common Arab
expression, wbicb
may
be freely
translated
"No bumbug
yet close-fisted,
in
tbe
Malay," perfectly
describes tbem.
dealings,
tbey
may
be called tbe
Tbe Negro
place,
is
to
are
tbe porters,
and performers
of
most of tbe
real labour in
Meccab.
Happy, bealtby,
95
is
thousands of
human
beings,
and but
for it
hundreds
of thousands of souls
their exist-
better than
animals
it,
at
least,
men
too,
safety, it
might
it
many
human
India,
into trans-
to believe
state of things
is
compared
humane
in the extreme.
the
West
Indies,
coolies
worked in a manner
killing to
the
of which
return passage.
At
saw
India,
96
SIX
MONTHS IN MECCAH.
characters
exceptional
among
the
It is in
met
that
" Wutless
is
to
!
be found
cheerful,
No my
company
as that
Having been
I
Arab
slavery,
may,
hope,
be permitted to offer
my
humble
all
opinion
due
deference to such of
my
reverend signiors
differ from.
" as I
may have
the misfortune to
trade
of
"
?
at present producing
To both
empha-
these questions I
tically,
must answer
While every
rule
"No"
all
most
" No."
settled
town under
Turkish or native
slave-market to
in
be
stocked,
our
* "Worthless Bardihan.
West Indian
patois.
97
now
fetch
sixty
dollars.
Were our
of
doubled, the
weekly landing
slaves
among
the
not be prevented.
shore, the crossing
need be but the work of three days under favourable circumstances, of which the well
Arab
slaver
knows
how
to
take advantage,
I
as
could
testify,
think,
if
tales
of
me by
Yemen Arab be
peaceful
What was
now become
of slaves,
before
a legitimate
trade
has
of their kind,
and the
ill-treatment
practised
on
carrying them.
tar" will
by a Yemen "jackin
which
he
was
who had
for five
would
had
it
been offered
them.
On
of Ormuz, in a
98
SIX
MONTHS IN MECCA H.
boarding.
every
man
overboard
here
my
and
have no
lieutenant
and
interpreter
found
everything
very satisfactory on
evils
in
Arab slavery
do not
Negro,
deny, though
not
affecting the
is
once a
slave.
The exacting
in
slave-driver
a character
slave
is
wholly unknown
the
East,
and the
transferable
and of money
or
injure
his
value.
The
would
abuse
slave
wilfully
deteriorate
the
value
of
his
assuredly
knows what
is
to
his
own immediate
And
99
and he
may
moment
if
(a state
above which
a
left
to
himself), to
member
of
society,
strong
tractable
made him
know
the
other
step
where
have
one
are
procured,
ere
and
we
cease,
must
but
Livingstones
they will
of
towards
the abatement
them would
be the recaUing of
those
our
police
de I'univers from
barbarous
the immeof totally
form.
We
are at this
moment opposing
principles
religious
and independent
harmless to
all,
races
customs
will
not only
to
almost
but
actually beneficial
thousands
itself.
with
The only
this
be to produce
this slave-
done
so,
100
SIX
MONTHS IN MECGAH.
and hundreds of valuable
doing
so.
of thousands of pounds
lives,
for
a sentiment, in
Let us hope
the
matter,
and
issue
another Slave
Circular,
applicable to
the
of
and not
meet the
spark of
fate
the
official
intelligence
or, if
England must be
:
" If
you do a
t'ing,
do a t'ing
annex
;
Arabia, blow
a ]3etty plundering
its
to
the
180,000,000 of
I
Mohammedan
for
inhabitants.
off into
must apologise
this tirade,
of
my
narrative.
many
free Negroes,
The
attendants of the
Kaabah
are
among
who
The Kaabah
itself
is
alone.
They
office,
by
virtue of their
101
and
are
veritable
jacks-in-office.
There
also
a scattering of Negro
countries.*
Mohammedan
The
Persians
move
rather
under a cloud
in
Meccah on account
they nearly
all
come by
land,
They
are
necessarily
well
conducted while
inoffensive
in Meccah,
lot,
and are
many
itinerant
dealers
mal-odorous
brawling
horde, principally
faith,
The
Moorish
credit
magician exists
of
(but
let
us
hope, for
the
the
Oriental
novelist, in
deal of faith
by the Hindis.
myself
medanism
is fetisch.
102
underwent an exorcism,
boil
thief,
on
my
forehead,
at the
recommended
to
me by
It
consisted in
squeezing
and stroking
my
head
and shoulders,
at the
in a solution
out) with
I
common
I
salt
(so far as
could
make
;
which
record
result,
and
or
must
here
that
as
coincidence
certainly
a curious
subside
the
swelling
did
admit
it
list,
but
many
come from
Syria.
many
human race,
as
Meccah
itself.
Amonof
numbers of
whom
pil-
grim season.
They bring
their
somewhat
large knife-
103
The Bedawi
element.
look,
in
Meccah
is
He
who would go
into a nervous
he
in
I
him
is,
powerful,
well-built races
men
cheeks
come the
six
and
They perform
in their thick
and
are as dirty as
any others or
dirtier.
The
last
on the
list
God knows
where.
The
or
pauper pilgrims
passing
jide
religious
mendicants,
hves
in
104
They
dress
in
as
behave outrageously
most of them
affecting madness.
his amulets
of talismans
stones,
and and
and festoons
of knuckle-bones,
rags,
his full
them carry
to high
and low
for
alms
give at least
when
list
may be
mangy mongrels.
of the scale of
is
while
my
hand
in,
pass on to
am
afraid I
downwards
life
to
to be found in Meccah.
CHAPTEE
V.
MECCAH
ITSELF.
The camel
has no hump.
little
hump, a mere
slight elevation of
fits.
The
the
sacking about
when put on
it is
doubled round
at
above the
shoulders
tail
the
by a wooden
much on
This huge
ungainly brute
is
temper
is
diabolical.
it
106
never recall to
my mind
an operation, for
it.
which
It
its
it
Bedawi
some
will
their masters,
by whom they
are
brutally
treated.
They
raw
die in harness.
sufiferings
trackless plain,
was
literally
;
marked out by
lines x)f
many hundreds
of which I
The
is
about two-and-
a-half miles
an hour, and a
fair
load a quarter of a
ton
they
may
a day.
from thirty
fancy
but there
are, of course,
prices
given
for
first-rate
animals.
The Turkish
is
a third
LIFE.
lOT
either of the
it
Hejaz
endurance.
have been.
was
possible,
on
scarcely be called
country of
as there are
hardy
little
They
but
Arab an abnormally
perfect
contact with
No
frog
no foot
" is
and West,
for here
when
flat
removed,
state of decay.
A good
Meccan
for
horse
can
be
purchased
one hundred
dollars.
few horses
very few,
108
SIX
MONTHS IN MECCAH.
are
The marked
The donkey
that country.
I
I think, peculiar to I
am
form
it is it
totally different
Egyptian.
place
In
may
be said
to
the
among donkeys
;
among
horses
but with
this difference
it
is
"good
'un to go,"
it
and very
aft." Its
most donkeys,
" steers
colour
is
defined.
good donkey
may
thirty
dollars.
and Jeddah
start
sunset,
and reach
forty
miles,
either
carrying
men
or heavily laden.
Donkeys
for
it,
also
small
common
as the
white
LIFE.
109
or of the.
common mouse
colour.
is is
large jackasses,
a very
seldom
over
the
height. as a
Medinah
I
as big
there,
horse,
I
when
was
though
indeed.
I
have
seen
them
in
told
this
am
inclined
to
account for
bushes
did see
can be called
little
and
mio-ht
be
driven
about
dark
lanes
of
Meccah
at night,
to advantage.
There are
the
many
varieties of sheep
and goats in
sheep like
Hejaz close-haired,
straight-horned
goats,
like sheep, so
tail in
;
the
sheep
is really
mark
this
not
unusually weighs as
much
or
The
price
of
sheep
goat
ranges,
according
110
to
size
dollar to five
dollars.
tlie
horses
are
manner
of fanciful
engaged
for
Meccah
as in Constantinople or
their
anywhere
numbers,
rabies
is
and notwithstanding
the
great
heat,
and
I
scarcity
of
water,
almost
unknown.
heard
vague
rumours
of
came
across
it.
The
monkeys
in
this
country
are,
little
without
creatures
I once
of these doglike
allow themselves to
be caught.
thieving
Stories
by
the
Arabs
of their
and
imi-
LIFE.
unless
Ill
propensities
you
know
it
is
universally accepted
as
fact that
monkeys can
talk,
;
though
I believe this
by the unsupported
evidence
of
only one
sailor,
who
stated
till
?
that
he
out,
roasted a live
monkey
in an oven
it
cried
" Could
this
"
However,
be
it
Shaykh of Arabia
ago when
settled
talk,
monkeys could
One Shaykh
yard
Ali
to
^you
are
monkeys
piece
(this is
any
of the dozen
it
to a stone, addressed
some-
"
Now
or,
then,
I I
want you to
move
I
much| as
may
regret
it,
shall
come,
agility,
walk round,
exhibit,
show the
ladies
your
But
112
SIX
MONTHS IN MECOAH.
Quoth the Shaykh
:
preoccupied
"
My
lie.
conviction
head, and so
on through the
enceinte
last,
which
up and walked
;
explaining that
now
it
was the
it
did not
mind
confessing
could
with
"
May
dogs
said
defy
your
great
grand-
mother's
said the
beard!"
the
Shaykh.
"Certainly,"
its
!
monkey
but
it
taught none of
progeny
There
wonder
if it is
true
many
;
in
Meccah
men
objecting to a stranger.
can understand
their
Solomon's time.
as
Bedawi
and
me
a large
pair
of wings;
hawks
of
many
species are
numerous.
all
in-
LIFE.
113
localities, or
no
lack,
Fowls are
seldom being
dear,
by Bedawi
children,
sticks.
who
snare
them
numbers such
where.
I
met with
else-
amused myself
for
smaller flocks
so
estimating
in the
the
number
to
be seen
at
one time
less
than
between
and
six thousand.
They
are
so
tame
The reason of
extreme fearlessness
is
They
are considered
have
occasionally
gone
out
into
the
tlie
special
favour sliown to
all
other
Meccan
creatures a
common
to the
114
SIX
MONTHS IN MECGAH.
manner
of the
Haram
pilgrims,
who purchase
damaged
air
completely obscured
is
by the cloud
of birds,
whisked out of
wind from
their
wings.
The
noise
is
deafening,
escape.
Or
turmoil,
and
let
me and
struggle
fluttering bodies
when the
grain
is
observed
among
these
number
My
attention was
my
arrival in
Meccah, by
saw always
in the
same
flock, as
it.
knew by
the
number
of birds composing
distinct,
This bird
I at first
supposed to be
bird in some
room
room
LIFE.
115
would soon
I
saw
were
many
single,
in
tail
feathers,
altogether; while
is
strawberry
not at
all
uncommon.
is
The
to be
seen,
and appears
to
to be used as a
means
flight.
of suddenly
stopping
alight
during swift
As
these
from occa-
sional
are
more
The swallows
and
Haram.
feet
The
beautiful
Saracenic
arch,
about
is
fifty
high, forming
the
Gate of Abraham,
masses of
mud
held on account of
in the
is
Mohammed's
birth.
The
tradition
I
116
8IX
MONTHS IN ME OCA H.
that
God
till
alive,
who
fled
telling the
news
to
when one
following
its
had
observed
him
and
me,
overhead
from
Meccali,
dropped
It
stone
killed him.
occurred to
as
a possible
explanation,
that
if
particles
this,
mud
together
rise to
with
sudden
panic,
might have
given
a solid foundation
note
in
Syed Ameer
All's
"Life of
Mahommed"
the foot
London,
in
1873).'"
To the statement
the
note
at
of
how
legends grow
among uncultured
nations.
pestilential epidemic,
probahly small-pox
al-liasahut,
which
signifies
heaven can
easily he traced.
LIFE.
117
may add
in
that
if
a Sepoy
army were
it
encamp
the
in
valley of
Meccah to-morrow
if
would be quite
hence
it
the
ordinary course
week
go
"
from
the
to.
Meccah
disease
which
The above
tradition
had matured
life
of "Mohammed
The cosmopolitan
little
house-sparrow
twitters
it
not
Snakes are
all
some
are very
venomous
One
of our party
cumbed
about
weeks.
and a
little
yellow fellow
for
who
amused me
hour, watching
him hunting
flies
on the
ceiling.
118
SIX
MONTHS IN MECOAH.
and
all
Cockroaches
an
inch-and-a-half
long
may
be
more or
less
them
as a great treat,
buying
halfpenny-worths of the
and
spines,
oily.
and
I
in taste,
which
is
rather fishy
and very
gave them a
fair trial,
but could
fire
had
alighted,
and
so suff'ocating
them by camel-loads.
receive
When
caught in this
way they
no other cook-
smoking of the
which they
fall.
The honey
of wild bees
is
to be
bought in the
LIFE.
119
districts,
of every description
are a pest in
Meccah,
though
not
equalling
the
perpetual
fly
plague of Egypt.*
many
my
to
" strain
at
my
gnat."
man-eating invertebrates
it.
and
This
finishes
the
somewhat
limited
fauna
of
Meccah, nor do
I think I
came under
my
notice.
The
flora is
Though the
is
no part abso-
and
like
in
others
small jungles
of gorse
and broom-
close
* Probably the
flies
Meccah
1'20
SIX
MONTHS IN MUCOAH.
all
good grazing
for camels,
of
desert
spikes
of
which make
stilettoes
among
adornments of the
its
deserves
mention
for
remarkably sweet
The whole
of
is
most
thorough
fertility
where
wheat,
dates, apples,
are perhaps
One kind
they
of pomegranate has
that
may
be
is
eaten
with
pleasure.
procured by
is
nor
is
it
mark
of
Mohammed.
LIFE.
121
by some
every kind
is
grown.
The thorny
acacia
Beams and
made
of
the split trunk of the date tree, and laths for roofing
from
I
its fronds.
suppose
dented were
however
;
small,
on
and
admit my-
them
them very
close.
Still I
so dates
may
be allowed to be
kinds
;
the
There are
many
but of
trifle
At
times,
and
in places,
women aud
sell
miserable
Hindi
most
122
SIX
MONTHS IN MEGCAH.
The
largest
them
so as to be easily masticated.
and
laeads.
depends on external
a
I
town three
did not
visit.
days'
Meccah, which
It is the
of Meccah, where
many
of the rich
Meccans spend
"living
cool
breezes," as I heard
put.
Though
geology, so to speak, a
man must
this
through a country
like
blindfold
If the
reader
remembers, on
our
way
to
rocky region.
down
the
and
is,
on a
fair average,
have at
probably
LIFE. the
123
hundred miles of
it
this
part of
country,
of
and found
sea -beach.
everywhere of
the
nature
dry
On
entering
this
most
unpromising
miles past
fragment
of
the
shell
of
some
and
ere
Turn your
will
camel
from
the
beaten
foot
track,
as
and there
be
a crunching
under
though walking
over
this
cups.
of large
or ditto of small
shingle
and
shifting sand,
stirred
up by the
lightest breeze
or at the bottom of
undulatioij
clay two
inches
thick
greasy yellow
oven
like
of to-day
baked hard as
pot, cracked
and seamed
the
little
the
all
them
curled
up
In such places
for,
when
124
SIX
is
MONTHS IN MECCAH.
slip
it
wet, they
it
and
often sprain
themselves badly,
if
lamed so
as to
be
rest,
the
sea
harder
and
have not
something
will
little
grow.
hundred yards a
high,
or small
as
startling
seen
plain
with
nothing
more substantial
to
obstruct
flitting
the
whirl-
winds.
hottest days,
is
too great
;
to
if
but
and
changing forms
may
LIFE.
125
my
dreamy eye
its
shifting sand,
unimpeded
aloft
sky.
And, borne
This
by the sustaining
hlast.
little
golden thread
A
And
form
of fear
and dread.
its
Longfellow.
the water
coast,
on the
where
reefs
came nearest
creeks
in
such a
way
that
there
;
was
no defined
in places
and besides,
the mirage
is
so
man would be
fool
So much
not geology, I
am
afraid,
and
has led
me wandering from
!
Meccah.
!
The nature of
the strata
save
the
mark
its
much
stratified
components
in a
126
about Meccah
a
possible
composed,
suppose there
plutonic,
not
mineral
combination,
of Meccah.
How
would revel in
it
mother
earth,
compound comminuted
marrow
bones
;
of the world
them
you on every
falling apart,
naked rocky
ribs
fantastic
the
sides
clothed
off
selves, to
be cast
only to
make room
for others,
and help
up
like
an ocean
in
Of
all
world
which
so
have been
for
have
beheld not
conditions
of rock
as
favourable
rapid
disintegration
the sudden
and
work
as
when
felt
in the act,
on them
be very
may
much
similarly situated,
LIFE.
I
127
have lain
on those rocks on a
crack
face.
chilly night
and
felt
the
dust
from
them
on
my
Sitting
one day on a
feet
hill
and
fifty
high, perhaps
to
the
on the
as very
me
me
speculating.
touched the
to the point
left it
a
of
extended
side
by the
of
high
ran a
and
between
it
and the
for
two laden
way
in
which
as
this
stone-walk
heap
had
been
made,
Bedawin,
they
stones
over
a
the
certain
feet of
size
which
would
if
be-
likely to
hurt
the camels
trodden
on by them
vast
unexpectedly,
and in
this
way
it
this-
To prove
took
128
down
into
the
and
the
gave
me
him do
share
in a public
work of
larger than
a walnut that
from the
hill,
and
as
depositing
its
them
in
to
heap by themselves.
If,
name seems
the
other
made
the
since
hill,
Turkish
things
occupation
of
the
to
Hejaz,
considered, looks
its
have shed
about one-tenth of
years.
hundred
have seen a
sand-storm, by forming
alter
a landscape in
a few
hours
on
the
with which
is
the air
is so
loaded
yellow fog
nodules
very considerable,
lying
surfaces,
as
all
the
are
harder
of
stone
in as
the
valleys
though water-
worn from
this cause.
valley
of Meccali
six
due
could not
it
account, unless
it
had
LIFE.
129
But now
"Araby
the
Blest"
may
all.
Say
five
after
having passed
through the
down
to the well-
watered lower
with
scientific
levels,
might
it
not be in accordance
principles
if
Arabia
?
had been
so
country of richly
fertile valleys
how much
may
is
not say
how rich
I believe
the Hejaz to be in
my
as
little.
I
is
know, however,
that gold
is
procured by the
large sale
in
Meccah a
moreover, the
Arabia of
Scriptures
the ancients
is
also
the
Arabia of the
then
why
?
should these
concurrent testimonies be
doubted
For
my
part
130
think
and during
ruins
of
the historic
its
era,
been
mountains.
to-day and
described
the
Arabia
ancients
known
Solomon, and
by the
they
were
designedly
misled
by the
traded
to
Egyptians
only
in
and
Phoenicians,
who
themselves
the wealth
feeble.
of
India,
seems to
me
be utterly
The
all
which
have given
the prices,
"jinni")
and
the
Turkish
:
piastre,
the
standard
known can be
readily changed.
is
The most
preferred dollar
I
the Austrian
that
as
pilgrims
bring
'of
only gold
and
silver,
sell
you
offer
to
pay
LIFE.
131
The money-changers
the
The shops
on which samples
in a
of his merchandise.
as
the rule,
in
other
dealer
European
com-
anything
who
stick to a
All things
considered,
up
to
common
as
might be expected.
No
indications of
from
existing
legislative
prohibitions,
would
Spirits
not
or
indeed be tolerated by
the pilgrims.
uninitiated
though
132
SIX
MONTHS IN MECGAH.
spirit,
it
was discovered to be a
street
when
all
his stock
and
his bottles
smashed
his
life.
very bad,
is
plentiful
that
is
of the place
is
wonderful,
of
cesspool the
valley
Meccah
and
of the well
of its
virtue
to
ammonia,
it
and indescribable
filthiness
is
of
the place,
to have
believe
known
visited Meccah.
which dead
flesh generally
dries without
decomof
posing,
and the
facts
that
the
majority
in a
to
the
population are
physical a
perform
long
journey
consequently
of
much -
enfeebled
;
con-
stitutions
among
and that
mind
is
such as to render
LIFE.
133
for,
if
faith
works the
wonders accredited to
men
in
Meccah.
is
reason
that
usual
precursor
is
of
pestilence, cannot
reach
in
Meccah,
absolute
are
since there
no
the
great
lower
class
destitution
" beggars at a
fair,"
It
is
Mohammedans
of mortality
among
the
community
to
a perpetual
"Meccah the
occasional
inviolable."
The climate
is
subject to
The temperature
is
extremely variable.
have sat
with
cold,
my
lips
would have
shown some
am
it
to have passed
134
througli
fire,
flood,
and sword.
all
The pilgrimage
to
Meccah
it
and
were
of
almost
ancient
the
customs
the
Arabs
at
the
time
to
believed
by him
be of
faith.
CHAPTER
Vr.
THE PILGRIMAGE.
Friday,
December
14tli,
1877;
was
the
day of
off
standing to Arafat.
on
is
Friday
is
called
On December
13th,
all
the gathering
of
idea.
In twenty-four hours
strong,
this
army
of two
hundred thousand
every-
one his
own
own commissary,
miles
east,
plain
of
at
near
Mount Arafat;
march must
his worst to
make a
rout of
it
(for it
is
intended
to be figurative of
Mohammed's
flight
from Meccah)
136
SIX
MONTHS IN MECCAH.
name
for
it.
confusion was no
Our preparations
had
as usual
character.
after
The
at
the
door shortly
o'clock
morning prayer,
tents,
was
eleven
before the
baggage,
Some
of
water-bottles,
to
new
pilgrims'
garbs,
etc.,
which
pil-
had
The
first
entry
;
of calico
we
now found
this being
nothing more or
than a couple of
at the
first
We
and
it
mile
through
with
so
closely
were
they
thronged
camels
sometimes
the
shugdufs
off,;
the
if
men,
guard which
so
solemn an occasion
added
my
thing gleefully.
the shugdufs
THE PILGRIMAGE.
be
all
137
made
for
some
one
miniates
but
as
the
at
crush
last
tended
out
in
direction,
we
were
carried
of the
town
into
one
miles
continuous stream
men and
Muna, a
at
village
some
five
east
p.m.
of Meccah,
Two rooms
of
us on the
ground-floor
to
Arafat,
and here
towards
we
put
up
for
the
night.
The
road
Muna had
one
or
We
it
passed over
cuttings
two
the
at
viaducts
altogether
I
and
some
between
attempt
was the
the
best
made road
or
saw in
country.
We
also
two
with water.
The
village
of
Muna
lies
in
pass
rather
and
half-a-mile
long,
A
at
built along
the pass
is
of
about
rows of provision,
set
or
up,
for the
138
STX
MONTHS IN MEGGAH.
fair.
up
my
women do
pilgrims'
garb,
so I inquired
from
was
told
the
"Sher^f"
was
coming,
and
in
As
in
it
passed
my
window
order
First
vanguard,
armed
Bedawin, a spearman
collection of
filth
pleasure
of
Their
animals
were
huddled together
the
flock of
sheep, filling
up
whole
street,
forcing the
stalls
though the
rao-a-
little
headway, their
barbarous,
savage exhibition
THE PILGRIMAGE.
their
13&
the
of
twenty-five
ostrich
foot
spears
surmounted with
of
tufts
feathers,
which some
them
carried.
In
rear
of
these
playing
on
reed
instruments
like
short
flageolets,
much
and
an
noise
place,
Irish,
bad to
on
be
as
listen
to
played
merrily
half-a-dozen
Highland
the
would
as
perhaps
much
like
Sherdfs
a led
band
anything.
After
them
gold
followed
the
-
Kaabali
what was
visible
was
pianohigh,
bells
case
shaped
with
structure
about
four
feet
lot
covered
red
cloth,
and
of
hanging
on
its
front
side
which
made a
great
Behind this
on
foot,
a rabble
of
armed
and
functionaries
breech-loading
swords,
revolving
guns
kill
and
with,
spears,
and anything to
battle-axe.
from a Deringer to a
twelve
led
horses
in
gold
in
and
line
trappings
following
one
another
too
light
bays
for
and
work,
each
chestnuts in rather
good condition
little
animals,
140
SIX
MONTHS IN
last
;
MECCAII.
and
day,
if
all
you could
not
giving
the idea
of
light
the
mob without
as
much
head.
The wonderful
docility
of
to
"
these
evidently
at.
high-mettled
look
The
;
model
of
them
to
all
it
seemed
burden
for
to
be diligently persevering
carry
its
easily
and not
object.
to
haA^e
look
or thought
any other
the
in
light
blue
tassels
on
his
silk
head-dresst of
ring;|:
by
a camel's-wool
is
round
He
medium
his
complexion
Bedawi,
head,
for a
He
bullet
cast of countenance
which provokes
* Aba.
t KufiyaL.
Aahal.
THE PILGRIMAGE.
you
to say he has a face like a
his
141
monkey, notwithexpression.
standing
very
shrewd
intelligent
years
of age.
he
the custom of
many
:
Meccans.
the
little
matter to
add
High
Sheref,
Mohammedan
English
in the
world, was
mounted
an
saddle,
The
soul
it is,
must be
It does
not require
awful
portent
to
Mohammedanism
in
this.
At
nephews or sons
elder
(I
was
differently informed).
The
came
first,
about
and dressed
Sheref
At
this part of
the
procession
of
bearers
wands
and insignia of
ofiice,
mounted
and
foot
in pilgrims' garb
At a
distance of
142
SIX
fifty
MONTHS IN MEGGAH.
some
officers in
believe, in con-
line of
Mamelukes
(all
called
Mamelukes
armed
" Winchester
"
repeating-carbines,
;
this line
would draw up
until
he again
fifty
became rear-man.
between
in
with coachman
and
foot-
men
the Park.
their surroundings
had become
to think of such
;
things as belonging to
me
back with
a revulsion.
brass
Close
after
twelve-pounder
a
field-guns
drawn by mules,
their
and
regiment of infantry,
carrying
all
arms
being
sloped
and bayonets
fixed,
the
ofiicers
THE PILGRIMAGE.
in
uniform,
143
but
the
privates
in
pilgrims*
garb.
of
men
of
and
animals, with
Turkish troops,
kept
two
A.M.,
when
lay
down on my
in
corner of
Amdr and
till
the
stir
of
up rugs and
carpets
awoke me.
found bright
So taken
up had
my
absolved from
all
had
been overlooked.
forgive-mes
"
So
all
said
a great
many
and
" God-
with
due
contrition,
after
my
that
was going
on.
We
fell
on one anlittle
and confessed
all
petty
offences
in tears.
items,
at first relied on
my
imagination for
but
my
me
of
numbers of ways
which
unconsciously or otherwise.
They seemed
it
themarticles
little
144
SIX
gone
that
MONTHS IN MECCAH.
I
had
had missed
from
my
bundle.
of course, gave
grace
possible.
all
We
were
now supposed
to
be at
peace with
the world of
consciences
True Believers,
appear
at
and
might with
clear
Arafat.
Though
night,
the
their
crowds had
been pressing
not seem in
past
all
numbers
did
the least
diminished.
I
remember
morning,
I
feeling
very
uncomfortable
of
on on
of to
that
the
to
morning
the
the
day
title
which
Haji,
was
acquire
honoured
it is
and witness
a scene, which
given
generation).
I
felt
sort
of depression,
as
though
point.
Perhaps
I tried to
wear
this off
by extra exertion
in assisting
to
I
at
fro
loading the
camels;
and
twice
fancied
woman
in
the
my
attention,
pronounce
my
name.
I
at once
stirring
dawned on me.
my
memory,
my
THE PILGRIMAGE.
and " God be praised
!
145
"
my
so
heart,
when
she
now appeared on
opportunely.
She told
as
me
in
who was
pilgrimage.
She
also
said
the
been twice to
my
We
had
not
much
opportunity
to
talk,
but
hastily
got
her to give
me
a programme of the
forthcoming events of
the
next
three that
days,
and
we
Haram on
day week.
the
made by
men
we were
About
In a shug-
own
animal's
head and
so as I
ably freshened up by
my
Venus,"
preferred to
walk by the
and
my mount
to one
my
companions.
valleys
became more
open,
and
on the day
before.
146
8IX
MONTHS IN MEGCAH.
after
About an hour
nised in
fine
leaving
Muna,
recogof
dead
horse
I
the
carriage-horses
had
seen
the
day before
Its
throat had
is
been cut, as
the custom
;
when an animal
and though
it
thought to be
past recovery
skin
was
becoming
air
like leather,
sand and
of the
desert absorb
moisture.
The
many
by the way.
fourteen
counted
fresh
dead camels,
last
and
also
saw many
graves
of the
night,
probably those of
men
whom we had
owned by him
Hindustani
Bedawi.
or
some of
He was an
by any means a
sample of that
The
short,
his-
ordinary Bedawi
is
slightly
on a crutch than
muscular,
any day.
This
man was
tall,
and
full-
THE PILGRIMAGE.
147
and seamanlike.
considered
He
the
confidence
of
an
efficient
along"
air
of a
Yankee boatswain.
him and
his
companions, that
the
see
I at
Bow'sen,"
him
give his
all
he
had worn
a
what he and
Bedawin
consider such
article of
very
apparel.
He
walked
his
for
some distance by
about
nine
my
side,
mounting
on
his
little
son,
years
of
age,
riding camel.
tions
one of the
me
inhabitants
all
Mohammedans.
which struck
to
it,
me
as being
somehow
so
I pointed
"
Good ?"
He
at once
drew
and holding
!"
it
out
Well, come,
this is
worse than
my
"Lady Venus"
carving-knife,
an
unmistakable
Eodgers
to
L 2
clean
and
bright,
calling
mind
148
SIX
MONTHS IN MECGAH.
off a
ham.
"Eoclgers
!"
I said.
"Where's Rodgers?"
ignorance.
I
He was
I
astonished
at
my
Did not
know
a Eodgers blade
when
saw
it ?
And
and
were
ficant
explained
knives
with
that
mark
steel
point a signi-
name
of
God
"
!
"
God
is
great
"
!
and "
Infidel
'.
A
but
afterwards found
English
blade
characters
of
on
it,
or
even
native-made
well-proved
metal
generally
I suspect
and
you would
ha,ve
some
difficulty in finding a
Meccan
who
tell
derivation
of the
word
or
when
it
was introduced.
There are
current.
many
same kind
all
applied to
wares
of well-known or
the
either
to
by courtesy
or
from
is
difficult
all
European
manufactures
Egyptian
or
THE PILGRIMAGE.
Turkish,
or
utterly
oblivious
to
;
149
glaring
Manchester
will
labels
and a Bedawi
pronounce an
to be Frangaia or Anglais at
About eleven
a.m.
we reached
a large sandy open, appearing to be somewhat below the level of the approach,
of
some four or
is
of the plain
"
Mount
high,
Arafat," a small
about
two hundred
feet
of gray granite,
little
We
a
Am^r and
about
as
men, another
the
third of a mile
south of this
I
As soon
this
took
off"
good
bearings,
marked the
of
I
went
Mount
Arafat.
my mind
the plain
on
my
death-bed.
The depression
of
gives
an
amphitheatre-like
appearance,
and
you
mighty
theatre, miles
of audience
before you,
and
"
Mount
of
Mercy
behind you.
150
SIX
had
all
MONTHS IN MECCAH.
We
it,
and
down
noon,
when
the "
Lady Venus
I
had told
me
it
would begin.
As
looked
down on
and white
bodies, extending
hill,
men
to
was
almost of awe.
It set
one thinking.
all
Could
all
?
this
be of no
avail,
and
to
this faith
be in vain
If so, it Avas
enough
make
man
At noon
and pressed
the
my
hill
my way
preacher would
to
be seen.
to be to
The
practice
among
hill,
come up on the
and return
call
to
At noon
pilgrims
there was
no general
to
tents
On
is
THE PILGRIMAGE.
151
one
little
irregularity
of the surface of
Inside
it
was very
difficult to
get from
to rock.
On
are a
number
of platforms, built
up or hewn
bottom to the
top,
much
At
of which
is
composed of
hill is
and a
is
and there
they are
another
of
these built
(as
called in
India) about
the
first.
The
sides
both
these
tanks
were
" lesser
" ablution.
man
him
enter the
edge,
water bodily,
I
and he slipped
I
the
stone
think,
I
as
noticed
those
near
laughing.
Though
hill until
nearly
and
dirty
Arab,
152
SIX
MONTHS IN MEGCAH.
all
come
so
far to hear
is,
doubt.
The probability
great, the
seeing
the
did not
inquiring of strangers
whom
did not
know
bear you up, and those on the top had the greatest
difficulty in forcing their
way down.
beins:
Many women
much
crushed,
hill
and were
foot
I
and forced
the
crevasses
of
the
it,
rocks.
managed
to
to
for
battle
my way
I
out of
and began
make
our tents.
for a quarter
of the
thick
crowd,
to
when
was "brought up
behind
taking
all
standing" by
confused
all
roaring
me,
and,
on
looking
back, saw
cloth
the
men
off their
upper pieces of
"
Mohammed!"
to
It
seemed
the
begin
at
call
preconcerted
signal,
whether
afternoon
THE PILGRIMAGE.
to
153
prayers
or
the
did not
know.
at its
of waving
rise again,
white
almost
all
subside,
then
almost
silence
about
half
excitement,
pressing the
quite
frantic,
greatest
emotion,
while
some were
pandemonium.
almost
horrible, about it to
I felt like a sane
man among
I
lunatics.
However,
shouted, flourished
my cloth, my uncanny
that I had
was the
reminded
me
better return to
to be rased
my
party.
camp
in a few
minutes.
had much
difficulty in finding
our people,
moving
oflf.
154
had
them, and
congratulated
me on my
we waited
to follow behind
rockets.
The breechloaders
to
remove
alone
balls
from the
fifty
cartridges
the
Amdr
expended
distributed
but as
range,
he
I
fired
high
and
the
guns
had a long
though
in remote parts.
The two
fired,
round
after round,
they were
point-blank, and at
nobody seeming
to
be hurt.
One
fellow
re-
peatedly exploded an
in the
barrel
old
that
off in
could
be
!
distinctly
perceived
twenty yards
rockets
the dusk
Immense Congreve
all
parts of the
whose
sticks as
they
fell
could
THE PILGRIMAGE.
not
fall
155
but have
of a
hurt some
one.
is
For
though the
small rocket-stick
so
an indirect wavering
I
flight
and
harmless,
after
still
think
of
twelve-
foot
rocket-pole,
feet,
a descent a
nearly three
if it
thousand
might hurt
man,
did not
Though
through a
know
every
of
man
there
was living
I
succession
narrow escapes,
I
must
afterwards
privileged
is
heard of a good
to
he
said
to
past
have been
by the
Tcich
of a
camel.
half
That
before
lifah,
night
we came
Muna,
at a place called
Muzda-
to be
devil-stones at
Muna
gathered on this
tain
size
spot,
and ought
to
be of a cer-
(about that
of a buckshot).
this,
Some were
very particular as to
part
of the
as they supposed
be of the proper
size.
This
site, like
site described,
has
it.
156
SIX
MONTHS IN MEGOAH.
less punctiliously
knowledge or
belief.
We
spent
a
much
of the
stranger Moulvi
in
which
he
call
prayed
literally
"that
all
who
profess
and
by many
all
much more
to the
same
effect
straight
Service,
we responding
"Amen"
It
Muua, being
I said
among
the
first
my
morning prayer
for
ofi"
was anxious
to
reach the
life
and
knew
it
would then
in this,
be.
out of the
the
way
and
my
Meccah
and
grimage,
as
on your
THE PILGRIMAGE.
first
157
arrival
at
the
"
Holy
City,"
discarding the
pilgrim's
garb.
were
on
foot
so
early
On
had
of the
town a few
coflfee-shops
already been
opened,
we came
more
into the
town the
streets
the
shops being
aspect,
which
to for months.
As
we approached
been in extremis
grimage
dead,
:
or
too
feeble
to
join
such as were
alive, for
greeted us
food
It
soon
had
of
one
or
two
exhausted
wretches.
into
One
we went
the Haram.
158
SIX MONTHS IN
I
MEG
AH.
who had
the
that
night,
from
the
Arafat
during
pilgrims
of the
and
who
were
only
Some
Arabs who
in
the Haram,
which
the
is
renewed
at this
finishing-touches to
is
their
work.
This cover
is
by
and
seven
tawaf,
is
hundred
virgins.
our our
prayers
we
did
El
Sai
on
donkeys,
which
we
easily recon-
haste to do
it,
very
tired.
streets, letting
There
was a kind
of
my
com-
made the
original remark,
else
:
" It
in I
off
me
my
beast.
Overhead,
THE PILGRIMAGE.
board, and painted
15&
on
it
LODGINGS.
"Jack,"
said,
"let's
go back."
I felt as
if I
had seen a
ghost.
However,
I recovered the
shock
future
investi-
gation,
the road,
now thronged
When
the cold of the night and the sun in the day, which
struck painfully on
my
Most of
returned
our
into
Meccah,
but
before
noon
to
purchase
and
kill
the animals
of
affi)rd it,
at
least
the
occasion.
than of a
sacrifice,
though
:
all
the
necessary
practice
in
the country of
purchased a
little
black
ram
for
two
dollars,
and
killed it at
home
160
SIX
MONTHS IN MEGCAH.
name
of
God
its
while cutting
There ought
short prayer,
it
know.
Besides a good
many
camels
rams and
killed
to
the
followers
and
of
the
poor.
They were
killed
at
the east
end
a level square
set
space
for
of
about
an acre
had been
aside
it
butchering,
for
the
blood.
of
animals to be killed,
as
most of the
the
village.
:
flocks
The
mode
of
killing the
The animal
the trench,
up
to
legs
made
absolutely incapable of
moving them.
One
man
short
sheath-knife,
round the
neck, close
up
body.
The cutting up
is
carcase, the
down
the centre of
THE PILGRIMAGE.
the back.
161
all
through
the day.
We
thrown
first
also
on
of
this
day
got
rid
of
the
first
twenty-one
our
stones,
seven of
them
being
The
is
place
at
the
eastern
extremity, and
small
circular
obelisk
with
low
the
wall
round
the
base,
inside
which
the
obelisk.
The second
first,
but
rather larger.
village.
The
is
last is at the
This
a high
stone
wall
on the right-
hand
and a particular
stone in this
It
the object to be
difficult to
hit.
was very
get near
them on account
of the crowd.
Many
had
to
throw
their stones
at
the advice
the
Y/e re-
next days.
of
shingle ballast
in the receptacles
I left
Muna.
162
be
a couple of pilgrimages.
The popular
by
angels.
Little
occurred
specially
worthy
of
remark
we
revelled in butcher's
and
flies
became
a great nuisance.
dear,
having to
CHAPTER
IN
VII.
On
we
returned
lodgings.
As
wended
my way among
it
began
think
came
to the place
veritable notice, I
on
my first
meeting
There was a
to
little
tobacco-shop
opposite the
house,
purchases, getting
premises opposite,
place.
for
about
my
164
SIX
MONTHS IN MEGCAH.
asking
a
in
him who
a
tall
lived
when
heavily-
built
man,
whom
I at first
the
shop,
whistling
merrily.
That
was
Do you
speak English
Good morning."
stood for
We
another,
at
one
and
thought
fellow's
sort,
out and
declaring myself
when
he said
"
You
you
"
with
me my
cue.
"
Oh
am
Englishman.
am
speaking the
the moment.
Though he
said
" Englishmen
turn
here
and
see
what
* Half-caste Indian.
165
There are
three here
now with
hills."
did
not
tell
him
with
lie.
He
the
walked
morning,
a
about
I
me
the
greater
part
to
of
talking
broken
English
him.
He was
English-speaking
Mohammedan
community,
to
who
pilgrims
Mcccah.
He had
said
his
been living
people
had
when
The
in
authorities
had
only
allowed
them
to
live
Meccah
on
an Arab
had
retaliate.
old
Pacha of
the law
me what
summary
idea,
is
a great
by
166
SIX
MONTHS IN MECCAH.
is
now
outlived
all
prejudice,
my new
friend told
me
that he
making money.
He had
in his
youth been to an
his beer
and
potatoes.
He
of
my
I
antecedents and
what
was doing.
Hindi,
I told
him
a rich
giving
the fellow
knew a
much
to be pleasant at
company, and
the
worst
Mohammedans
heart
is
no danger to themselves.
my
dodge
began
Croesus.
my
After this
see
He
recollected he
had business
to attend to,
and went
off
"
Upon you
I
be peace."
after,
but
he never
granted
me
167
my
following up
our last
conversation.
On
one
occasion
he
told
me
lie
had
lately
imported a
sewing-machine, which
and
he wanted to know
whether I
On
this
for those
who had
I might
my
story,
and
when
I ever
markable
circumstance
however,
as
I
it
is,
the
when
say crowded,
mean crowded.
Every part
of
the
be
took
me two
to await
parties,
hours to force
my way
up
to
the steps
let in
my
turn,
were
by
the steps
being wheeled
up
of
to the
door
and
the Haram,
who
for
them with At
last
their sticks as
I
we
pressed
is
admission.
got
in.
There
no
168
SIX
MONTHS IN MECCAH.
The heat was
I
was
intense,
the
atmosphere
out
as
unendurable.
a
instantly plunged
to
my way
after a
man
struggles
the
surface
to
dangerous dive.
Inside I
give
is
Nobody
You
was
man who
ever
did
so
struck blind.
were
flat
and
ceiling
supporting the
of
On
I
sometimes by boys.
It
all
was
often
repeated
by
hundreds
of
voices
They give
a prolonged cry in a
thumb
inserted
;
or a
vibration
tono-ue.
is
given
to
the
cry
by means
of
the
to
Some
of the
women seemed
almost
Then came
my
169
my
we
window, where
recognised
I
was to
till
one another.
off
went
under her
so great
that
we were
company
till
near the
of Korans,
went
in.
child
came up
leading
to
me and
invited
me
into
the
shop,
me
where
left
us to ourselves.
We
last year,
almost as
on her
first
veil
back
and
exposed
her
face
some
time
witnessed by any-
to declare her
to
my
had time
observe
her
features
short,
forty.
any means
all
ill-favoured
now.
things considered.
sallow,
somewhat
She had an
170
SIX
MONTHS IN MEOCAH.
I
can at this
moment
see her in
my mind
as distinctly as if she
sad, indulgent
little
were before
smile
at
me
in the flesh
the same
my
:
attempts
English,
Anglo-Arabic
saying
" Speak
an English-
woman
years
;
existing in the
way
and
I
must confess
moment
when
brimful
before
giving
her.
good
very
cry,
first
which relieved
tite-d-tete that
efli'ect,
any reference
had a painful
subject,
and so began to
name,
my
and
christian
why
had come
the
like,
some
when a
noise outside
made
and
me
smoke
first,
because
I
wanted a smoke
secondly,
because
when
going out of
This
little
look round.
171
she
knew
the Cape
of their
letters
women
whom
way
since.
to
talk
about
as
herself,
now kept
could, but
her at
it
it,
dry as I
As
well as
my
me
that her
name was
Lucknow
at the time of
She avoided
captive.
She
who
price
on
his
with him
that he
had
died
eight
years
before,
now made a
by embroidering
skull-caps,
rich
172
letters
in
who was
and knew
gave her a
All this I
managing
him
in India,
her,
them translated by
room
my persistent
question-
at last I
was obliged to
desist out of
pure
After this
got her to
She
whom
men
living in
said
me
heads
perfectly
the siege
and
relief
of
Lucknow.
She also
lived
let
drop that a
young Frenchman
had
eighteen
months
in
my
she
of.
To which
God knows
God
giveth and
God
taketh away.
Blessed be the
173
And
then told
me
the following
very intimate, and had often seen him just as she was
seeing
me.
He had
was a
Mohammedan from
first
conviction,
gone to Constantinople to
father,
wealthy, had
made such
to get
Cairo.
who
money and
influence could
He seems
to
lad, for
him
off
how-
friends,
who
It
from them.
friends
'
'
preserve
me
from
my
with
youth,
so
'learned in
all
Egyptians,'
much
so
that
174
SIX
MONTHS IN MECGAH.
'
Lady Venus
the
'
said,
'
made
many
enemies.'
He
repudiated
Frenchman,
asked
if
He was
beyond
that nobody
knew
what he might
be.
She
on
and
and on the
disliked
by
a certain set
who made
so hot for
him
died,
and
she had no doubt but that there had been foul play,
coflfee.
sum
"Lady
parting
Venus" on
On
me
a peculiarity in the
make
of
the upper part of her veil by which I might distinguish her from any other
any day
as
we might
I
see
much
and that
might
;
my
prospects of getting
away
for
some forty
175
world
old
ships
knew
well,
and whose
officers
were
shipmates.
mutilated
name
of
craft,
and
my
life
me
over the
little strip
of
Venus " could not help me, and there was nothing
it
my
true
eyes open.
Sometimes
would think
road for
it
"humping my
the
is
swag,"'"
taking the
style
downer "f
at
here
runs
of
being
potted
from
behind
every rock,
as
a Bedawi would
little
attention
of a
casual
snap-
hit,
but
then nothing
of
the
impossible,
is
Hejaz Bedawi
he
never
robs
* (Colonial) Shouldering
my
kit.
f Colonial name for a tramp ; so called, from their way of going from farm to farm, timing it so as to arrive at sundown,
in order to ensure a supper and bed.
176
SIX
MONTHS IN MECCAH.
living
of
a short
sharp
influences
or
be
our
should
ungenerous,
hesitation
Bedawi
stripping
has
not
the
slightest
about
feeling
deprived, generally
with careful
Also
my
at
position
present,
though
solid
enough
had
in
I
delicate
failed
desert
him
or
an
No
it
would be a pity
when
I
think
after
the
pilgrimage
that
inundation
occurred.
Such
Meccah
the
Haram.
This
sandy,
smoky appearance
by a heavy downpour
of
rain.
177
the sky.
It
did
though
towards
into
it
some time
Muna and
valley
the
of
Meccah
at
had
overflowed,
and
already
the
streets
the east
end
and in the
the flooding of
of
an
ordinary
stood
of
at
shower,
the
and
of
the
stalls
in
the
bazaars
centre
torrents.
sides
streets,
down the
in
little
which
people
were
wading
As
soon
as
it
began
to
rain
returned
it
to the house,
shortly after
in
to
east,
accompanied
tionally
by heavy
for
rain
not
much
excep-
heavy
the tropics,
but
harder
As
came
the
in for shelter
and
filled
In
Haram
had often
178
SIX
MONTHS IN MEGCAH.
in
seen
them
before,
the
Kaabah
clear
still
continued to
come down
as
hurricane, flapping
Kaabah
certainly
this
as
though
would blow
it
it
away, which
it
At
time the
Amdr
in
and
out,
and said
it
Some
of us
among
the rest.
it
said
it
had
;
come
if
in like a
direction of
Muna
so,
and
it
late
slaughter, it
It
flood.
muddy
streams, three
down
the streets.
Haram
there
for
is
raised
stone parapet,
apparently built
the
179
of
I
keeping
took
the
water
out
during these
my
stand
steady
watched
the
strong
empty
stalls,
dogs swimming
about,
up
as
it
floated past.
Most
of
already flooded,
and
been time
to
stock,
which
was being
the owners
as
were
as
many
steps
standing room,
as
were
all
and
isolated
dry points.
of the stream continued
increase
visibly,
and
it
became a
in
business
of
swimming
The
flood
for those
who plunged
after salvage.
in
under our
feet
down
into the
Haram behind
N 2
us.
180
SIX
MONTHS IN MECGAH.
Haram were now
them which were
became
close
The
shut, but
left
these had
till
doors in
open
it
the
rush
of
water
so
strong
that
some
of them.
This
The
rain
showed no signs of
to
easing,
and the
wind continued
in
the
same
direction.
rushing
into the
Haram
at every gate,
any obstruction
debris.
and merely
this
filtering
it
of the
coarser
At
Haram
as
taking in green
and
aft,
except that
About two
P.M. the
wind suddenly
shifted to the
Kaabah
couple
of
only giving
flaps
it
time for
it
tremendous
and
bellying in
rain
opposite direction.
continued to
gusts,
with one
or
two
parting
181
and stopped flowing in from the outside very quickly. During the whole storm pilgrims had been performing
the tawaf and kissing the
and now,
when
Stone
at its highest
immersed,
many
uniformly
so,
and
it
passing
away
to the north.*
The whole
into
in
now turned
the
eastern arcades,
a plain in
showing
dry,
square
looked
when
was
considerably
inclined
these
directions.
to
;
it
travelled
up
a
182
SIX
MONTHS IN MEGCAH.
rejoicing
rise,
There was
great
among
us
when
the
water ceased to
feared that
it
for
it
was beginning to be
it
had
is
done
in
the
as
great
flood
and
this
looked upon
unfortunate
or
ominous in some
as quickly as it
way.
had
by the time
from
the
of sunset
prayer
it
had
retreated
sides
arcades
on the three
at
higher
of
the
square,
and
the
evening
prayer
left
dry
all
round.
The next morning opened with an azure firmament, and when we got up for early prayer there
anywhere in Meccah
it
had
left
clayin
many
this
places
it
deposit
was
inches
In
the
Haram
plea-
It
was
sant
soft
and smooth.
I did the
183
exercise
than
had
taken
for
many
had a walk
after
daybreak in the
for
streets,
though the
by the
flood
into a tenacious
unearthed
all
kinds
of little
of a
articles
of
property.
was curious
by
side
of
wildering variety.
Three
old
tottering
ruins
in
last
received the
fallen, killing, I
was
heard of no
other
human
lives
being
lost directly
dation.
all
Much
destruction
damageable
property
ground
-floors
184
SIX
MONTHS IN MECCAH.
still I
heard
to lose
these
made
and busi-
With
these
" all's-for-the-best
indifi"erence
to fate,
people barely
subject of a
of the previous
day the
defiling
call's gossip.
The mud
the
Haram was
great
work removing
many
or
fishing-mattocks,
together
with
working-parties
supply of labour
out,
it
all
and place
it
in
the
immediate
till
up the way,
the
still
the
soldiers
had done a
towards levelling
;
the tops of
soft,
for
notwithstanding the
of the camel,
hill.
catlike, feet
it
can
neither go
water in
all
the
185
if left
standing
all
The
was
water tasting
the
Zem Zem
of
itself
much weakened.
was some moisture
couple
days
left
there
in the air,
and bread
on a
The worst
result of
the flood
cholera, small-pox,
Mohammedan
good deal in
different countries,
stances
from the
and
Syria, to the
in the desert.
bier to
In
of
Meccah
the
it
is
iisual to take
the
a part
may
recited
face
towards the
Kaabah.
coffin
is
never used
by Mohammeand wrappings
186
SIX
MONTHS IN
MEGCAII.
are,
made
of fine
common mourning
colour.
number
of
funerals
after,
increasing
Haram was
so great as to
One
day
No
by
no
number
of deaths
far the
which
really
who
died had
friends,
of carrying to the
to the burial-
ground.
Men
in
cholera
might
Smalldiseases,
way.
In one house
cases
I visited
pox
died,
down
at
the
and yet
five
other healthy
men
continued to
eat
and
sleep in the
same room
If there is
any foundation
how Meccah
escaped deci-
187
Somehow
;
I did
not
apprehend anything
exactly, but I
myself
don't
know why
though I
slightest fear,
certainly
expected
some
of
up,
so
many
of us
two
Still,
filthy.
localities
and among
infected
people in
the
most
reckless
ill.
This
was attributed
to the
charm.
wore
mine round
my
neck
till
my
first
away,
opening
it
it
was made of
size of a
It
was a
bullet,
about the
No. 12
with a
little
on which
but
it
was now so
of
it.
I could
make nothing
soon
The
run
on
the
oS",
graveyards
pilgrims
crowded,
and we now
starting
for
with
caravan to Medinah.
"
met the
188
SIX
MONTHS IN MECGAH.
conversations
the Haram,
and had
with
her
for
words
during a moment's
ten
minutes' talk
give ever
her,
saying
so
many
years
old,
which she
thumbed
on
each
treasure
only
I
five
pages,
one
month
but
page.
the
year,
saw the
"Battle
turned
sort of thing it
was
etc.
" Coronation
etc.,
Day,"
reit
of
^it
Waterloo,"
her
and
her
then
that
to
carefully,
telling
was
not
it
bad
did
reading
occur
under
to
the
circumstances,
though
value
a
me
how
she
would
poor
beggar
wrote
in
in
English
my
christianbit
name and
blue paper
address
Eno-land
it
on a
little
of
and
gave
off.
to
her,
and
if
heard
her
read
letter
it
it
straight
told
her
she
wrote a
to give
it
to
in
one
of
the
ships,
would
be forwarded.
She
had
little
trust,
189
who would be
they promised.
her
she
likely to
if
The
last
met
was very
queer,
hysterical
!
I thought.
"
Ah, child
see
you
and
don't then,
know what
is
to
me
to
you,"
me and
moment
catching
hold
my arm
expected
as
we walked along
scene
so excitedly that
:
every
certainly
in
London the
looked
as
unconcerned
as
could,
;
talking
till
in
at last I
my
?
to raise a
row
"
the day of
my
she would
had
looking Arab
make
Christian.
Amdr
banded
loafers,
began
quite
to
curtail
little
his
retinue
of
he
dis-
army
spongers
to
and
on
who had
or
attached
another.
themselves
us
one
very
pretence
useful,
always
ready
or
do
any
190
SIX
thing,
little
getting
or
steal,
return
is
only
what
they
really.
could
beg
which
not
much
for
new
into
the
best
pair
on
the
threshold (where
left)
when they
to
go
out
of
the
house.
My
after
boots
I
seemed
a
be
of
especially pairs
coveted by them.
lost
couple
to
came
it
Meccah.
If that
of thing so
I
had gone on
would have
self-defence,
been disastrous,
was obliged in
to
I
whenever
old
pair
my
left,
put on the
make
call
where
knew
early,
there
and
came
In
this
way
seldom went
fortnight.
about
in the
same pair
for
more than a
slippers,
They
turned up at the
heel,
and
worn
down
about
at
the
and
of
there
if
was no
difficulty
the
I
matter
fitting
had
my
and
so
deformed that
should
it difficult to
191
this
Amdr
he
and a few
dollars, as
others,
and indeed
I did
not think
at all unlikely, as he
my
in
eat
and
sleep,
neither of
I
making
myself
too,
useful nor
amusing.
Some
my
companions,
The
fact
was that a
fanatic
Moulah had
raised
men
to go to
Turkey and
the Eussians,
by
preaching
a jehad
would be performed
only,
ness
and
had
in
good
him.
Moulah
But
away with
thing,
and
as the
half-hearted encouragement
scheme
fell
through
for
the
made a
call for
volunthirty
which
had
been
responded
to
by
192
SIX
MONTHS IN MECCAH.
men.
thousand
untrained
They were
all
imme-
when
tell
from Constantinople to
was
grateful
to
for
their
oflfer,
them
trifle
endanger their
lives,
was not
believe
war
fever,
after
the pilgrimage,
it
though
"
By
the
help
of
G-od
the
to
and no further
matter.
interest
seemed
be taken in the
Well,
I let this
story of
my
wanting to
enlist pass
how
Am^r would
it
like
it
(I
never
knew whether he
I
heard
lided.
then inva-
had noticed
pretending
all
my
be
at
rest,
to
from what
for
me
to
take
my
and
so
to
which they
193
not
cure.
lay
on
my
blanket,
got
off
my
my
I
feed,
sleep all
said had.
The giving up
of
made no
had
become so
dietary
felt
that
I could eat
a craving
for a
slice
bread or
salt
beef almost as
were going on
in
earnest,
making immense
assist),
tins
would not
cleaning
How
those niggers
!
Four
months
before
have amused
me
and displayed
slashes
by making swinging
tree or in a balloon, if I
resist
should
of
his
have jumped
paws,
clubbed
whipped
the
rifle
till
out
"God
I
save the
Queen"
it
bayonet.
if
suppose
to
was
because I
knew
that
had
offered
explain
194
SIX-
MONTHS IN MECGAH.
in
fifteen
that five
sidered
rounds
sharp practice
with
Martini-Henri,
I
it,
should
as to
one of them,
time
was out of
Their
this, I
own weapons
look
at,
Take the
so
real
swords for
The
blades
that
are in
much
work
would require
half
your attention
to
prevent
them turning
in the hand.
The
hilts
mind
of
of an Eastern
swordsman.
For
all
the
rest
our
impossible
195
may
be seen in any
museum
of antiquities.
description here
is
the Arab
Jambiyahs
are
slightly
make
and are
known by
is
the
is
The
iron
of the jambiyah
is
exceedingly
soft,
and
of jambiyah being
This gives
know
for severing
skin
and
hair,
to
anything hard
instantly
disappears.
With a newly-sharpened
at
At
I
this
time
if
for
though systematically
snubbed for
my
bit
of a reputation
mechanic.
was too
is,
196
SIX
MONTHS IN MEOGAH.
water, which
there
is
is
ablution without
allowable to the
very
I lay
sick,
or
when
no water to be had.
on
my
to
anyone,
but
taking
keenly.
in
everything
Tales
of
going
on
around
me most
robbery
and
were being
and long
stories of past
adventures
Amdr
into
half-an-hour's
passionate
weeping and
praying,
to
pass
"
off
in
a second
the
Bow'sen
(the
Arafat)
appeared Ton
to
bargain
and
arrange
require
;
about
the number
of
camels we
all
should
then the
Amdr and
his
his
uncles
smile,
and
cajole
relations
composing
" the
suite
would
the
desert,
Some
among
to
work
to
persuade the
Amdr
home
197
of
his
purchases and
all
the
the
desert
and, above
that
his
letters
home might be
it,
carried
by
safe hands.
This settled
I
and he decided
his
to let
them
go.
could quite
his
understand
friends, for
anxiety to
all
communicate with
he and
his party
most
fully realised
who
exag-
did
of
not,
peril,
amount
down
the Hindi
would have
me
As soon
were settled
promised to
warrior" that
services,
I I
some
traces behind
Am^r
answer
if
told
the
"first
the
Am^r
proposed retaining
my
till
should like to go at
once to Hind to
the Amer's
his
return
come back
I explained that
my
life
was
to
perform the
tomb
of the Prophet
was now so
only be
198
SIX
I
MONTHS IN MEQGAH.
this
As
expected,
came
at
ears,
and
lie
called
me
to
I
and
to
asked
me
or
whether
return
to
go
Medinah
to
would not
;
so,
after
whys and
wherefores, I asked
till
him
to allow
me
not to decide
the
when
finally
fixed,
number
I
of camels
required was to be
and when
hoped,
please
God, to be well
;
not,
then
!
God
is
great,
and
am
ill-fated.
"
Good
ham and
eggs in the
Bombay
Home.
the day for giving
When
told the
dry," "
my my
answer came,
"
Amdr
my
blood was
my
stomach twisted,"
;
and "
as a chicken
"
but by
world-famed
;
air
and water
" Meccah
its
the fortunate
waters
"
here
gifts.
"
its
climate
"
!
here
outbursts of admi-
Still I
a sinner to derive
199
my own
He
shall
me
better.
soon cut
my
you
to
sustain
my
part
by expressing proper
grief
and
my
blanket greatly
Next
day
by
and
all
his
Waddy
ings between us
we
I
Hind
I felt a certain
amount
was sorry to
had
with
whom
really struck
up a
friendship.
for
We
I
evening
Jeddah.
my
and now
as I
to
make
a few
little
reminders of Meccah, as
this is
my
to
what
I told
the "
first
went
at once to the
Haram
200
SIX
I
MONTHS IN MEGCAH.
her.
I
as
sitting long
when
she came
up
to me,
off together as
we had done on
other occasions.
on the
Muna
an Arab
here
told
and shortly
after
me
that
the
man had
disappointed her
and was
inside
women
how-
always
walking
as if
I told
had a
talk.
how
had worked
it,
and
met
in getting
and
come back
to
for
you
will
you go
to
England with
me ? "
which
as the
much
in the
same tone
you
so
eat a
bun
"
You, understanding
many
make
living in
England," and
not that
to
I
mentioned
the
" Asiatic
it,
Home,"
occurred
but
it
me
at the
moment
as a place
I
were
many
rich
people in England
who would,
if
201
her
existence,
released.
To
this
she
replied
"
How
you
talk
!
"
!
(events have
shown how
did
talk, to be sure
Yes, I
;
am
I
afraid I
be in England in
less
much doubting
we
on our
last
meeting,
to say
and
it)
behaved so
I
foolishly that (I
am ashamed
times
doubted her
for a
Frenchman.
peace " and
of the
"
With you be
me
to the gate
to her
Haram, and
had
to go back
and speak
and
tell
conduct.
The
last
time
went back
"Good-
As
down
number
of children
time
As soon
and passed in
first
warrior
"
202
SIX
MONTHS IN MEGCAH.
in the inner
was not
who
me
he had brought
Amdr
In half
late.
The
had
first
left
Lady Venus"
to
tell
happened and
I
me.
When
and
?
was gone.
crowded
I
street
What was
whim
to do
now
My
at
moment by
the
of a nigger
I
is,
was savage.
good rule
for a
pipe.
and
sat
down
to consider.
At
myself laughing at
time
I
had
my own awkward fix, and by the finished my smoke I had fully decided to
Jeddah and run with the donkeys.
1
1
Arabs did
tainly
hours.
it,
though
I
I cer-
then
went
into
the
my
mind.
should
203
tomb
of
this
Mohammed,
would not
I thought,
and
kill
changed
my
mind
I
again, felt
how
was of
for
and thought
had seen
!
sights
enough
one
while.
Jeddah or nowhere
When
Haram
nearest
my
little
hung round
dollar
my
neck, to look
:
my
money, one
dollar deter-
four piastres
mined me.
rLess,
Christianity, cleanli-
and something to
Medinah
the tomb
Up
went
it.
of
Mohammed and
the dollar
cap
there
Oh
up again
bird.
moved
dropped
my
dollar
on
up
of
cap.
Medinah
it is.
And now,
for
.
reader, I
must take
rest
the present.
The
of
my leave my career
of in
you
the
Hejaz
that I
became one
hesitate to
such
incredible
adventure
it
;
publish an account of
but
my
me
a
to
do
so,
narrative
of
and
strange
204
SIX
wliicli
MONTHS IN MEOOAH.
appear
life
incidents
marvellous
even
to
me,
who has
lived a
CONCLUSION.
THE LADY VENUS.
I
the pub-
lisher
Lady Venus
But
now
which
to be regretted, as
it
of intense interest.
think the
reader
of
will
see
when
have
On my
return
to
206
1878, I told
my
story to a
either
number
of
gentlemen
India or
who
were
liad
been
long residents in
in
well-known
travellers
the
East,
and
Meccah
was
brought
to
the
notice
of
the
Government
authorities.
The Foreign
Office
then
Mohammedan
for
agent
into
Meccah
and
make
inquiry
the
supposed
captive.
The inquiry
found
my
statements of
she
correct;
but
had
Meccah
short
time
whom
was
Foreign
she
had been
no
longer
living
in
Meccah.
range
As
of
she
the
now
within
the
the
Office
(Consular),
India
Office
was
moved
to
and
with some
and
at last found.
Whether
she
is
really
an English
lady,
now
her
real
identity,
is
open
to
doubt.
hours'
now
told
by
her.
And
reading
"THE LADY
VENUS."
207
hope
shall
it
"Semi-Official,
trict
from
the
Foreign Office
Authorities.
my
the
inquiries
through
my
for
wife
but
finding
required
off,
interview was
I
on one
sent
Mohammed
from
myself
on the twenty-third
is
instant
which
station,
at
once told
him what
had
heard
about
an
if
Englishwoman
so
I
required
an
interview
between
the
her
fact,
and
my
wife.
He
he
frankly
admitted
and while he
he
said
her
made no
objection
let
my
to
my
bungalow,
where
my
wife
conversed with
story.
208
There
is
the lady
referred to
by Mr. Keane
an Englishduring
ravished from
to
all
her friends
Mutiny,
her
forced
ravisher,
turn
Mohammedan
details
and
Mt.
as I
marry
other
of
And
was
have
carefully
kept
all
the
correspondence
view,
it
sealed
utterly
in
for
set
her
tale
;
to
have
been
prompted
as
any
and,
moreover,
she
con-
the truth
of
her
own
story
except,
perhaps,
may be
loath to divulge,
and
wife.
my
"The
facts referred to
are these.
She went to
Meccah soon
there, or
after the
Mutiny.
at
ago.
small
Englishwoman
in Meccah.
(i.e.
She
is
about forty
She was
209
She appears
to
be an intelligent and
educated Englisliwoman.
Mohammed
be an
She
had
interviews
with
Europeans at
to
Meecah.
She was
known
in
Meecah
she was
^
is
exposure,'
her face when she raised her veil and shook hands
at
parting,
corroborated
by
my
wife,
who had
her in
strict privacy,
much
as
a reduced gentlewoman.
is
is
difficult
if
not im-
to
believe
that she
an Englishwoman,
for
although
fair
enough to pass
is
one.
all
And
yet
hardly at
East-Indian,
it
so fluent
her mother
tongue.
Could
I
have had
five
should probably
;
have
satisfied
but
had
promised
Mohammed
210
her,
shrank
wife
from
seeing
me, a
suggestion which
settle
my
made
to her in order to
the matter.
"
is
Be
is
no doubt she
is
She
is
under
no
whatever, beyond
such as
imposed
as
her
own
account,
and
is
treated
more
as
Mohammed's
"
family.
is
My
own
impression
whom
her
whom
anything to her)
may
Kashmirin
that
she was
brought up to
speak English
adult,
that,
after
the Mutiny,
veil still
by some
hangs (her
which a
own
was
"THE LADY
" It
barring
is
VENUS."
to
211
only just to
Mohammed
say that,
or
his
putting
off
my
wife
two
three
what he
tUl I asked
him
to introduce her to
my
wife,
and
the
that
all
that he
that
and
called her
a Feringhi *
in
Meccah, and
I
an Angrezint in
this country.
Of course
have in
according
to
mutual
fact
accounts,
being no connection.
But the
the
was sent
for
alarmed
family,
and
only this
charge
morning
of the
Mohammed
begged of
me
to take
lady,
no occasion
all
any
him
to let the
lady live
on with him
as she
had done
which
* Frank.
t Englishwoman.
212
SIX
MONTHS IN MECCAH.
size,
hair
short
;
and
thin,
small-pox
manner quiet
that
of
and
self-possessed
general appearance
;
reduced
well,
gentlewoman
accent
speaks English
slightly
remarkably
;
with an
East-Indian
;
reads
is
said to
speak
is
true, or, as
some
may
feel
about finding a
and
seclusion.
knowledge of English
her
At
all
events,
have
fulfilled
my
promise made
to'
her in Meccah.
THE END.