46 Journal of Mr. Burckhardt's 



grimage from very remote parts of Asia and Africa on foot ; 

 but these are acts of merit not positively enjoined. The Pashas, 

 Beys, and other distinguished personages are so luxurious in 

 their harams, or robes of pilgrimage, as to have them often of 

 white Cashmere shawls, but they must be large and ample, as 

 it is forbidden to use any other than a perfect garment, and 

 without rent or seam. Arms also are suffered to be worn at a 

 moment like the present, when the holy places are encom- 

 passed with enemies striving for their possession, but in times 

 of general tranquillity the bearing of any species of weapon 

 is strictly prohibited. As, however, by far the greater number 

 of those who visit Mecca on pilgrimage unite commercial spe- 

 culations with devotion, and frequently make it the chief end of 

 their journey, they court no more difficulties or privations than 

 such as are absolutely enjoined them by the Koran, and quitting 

 Jedda in their usual dress, halt at a certain village at a short 

 distance from the city, where the haram must be put on, and the 

 rest of the journey performed on foot, in conformity witli the 

 prescribed rule of their religion. 



It was in this manner that Ibrahim wisely chose to journey, 

 and leaving Jedda about sun-set on a camel, he arrived suffi- 

 ciently early at the appointed halt, to enter the holy city in the 

 cool of the morning. His astonishing proficiency in the lan- 

 guage, his whole appearance, now rendered so perfectly Arab- 

 like, by a tanned skin, coarse hands and feet, and a long beard, 

 as well as his intimate knowledge of the precepts of their reli- 

 gion, and a practical acquaintance with its ceremonies, all con- 

 tributed to shelter him from the slightest suspicion of being an 

 infidel ; although by the gradual initiation which he obtained 

 from travel and observation, into all the mysteries of their 

 prayers, prostrations, and ablutions, he had escaped the other- 

 wise indispensable rite of circumcision, so that while still an 

 " uncircumcised dog," he passed as a true believer. 



His first duty after entering the city was to visit the Great 

 Mosque, to walk seven times round the Kaaba, which the Ma- 

 homedans consider to have been built by Abraham, and salute 

 the celebrated black stone there, with the other acts of devo^ 



