50 Journal of Mr. Burckhaidt's 



bidden for any one to enter it in any other way, not exempting 

 age, rank, or sex, even though they may have entered it for any 

 number of times before. 



During his first short stay at Mecca, Ibrahim observed the 

 town with considerable attention, and, as usual, related to us 

 innumerable anecdotes descriptive of the manners of the various 

 classes there, which were full of interest, 



Jedda, Saturday, December 3. 



The period which my kind friend had limited for his stay 

 with us having expired, as he was naturally anxious to secure 

 the benefit of joining the Medina caravan, whose departure was 

 fixed for Monday next, we received from him at breakfast the 

 unwelcome intelligence that he must leave us to-day for Mecca. 

 It was as painful as it was unexpected, as he had purposely 

 avoided saying any thing on the subject of our separation until 

 the hour itself should come. He remained with us, however, 

 until noon ; and it is impossible, while I remember him, that I 

 should ever forget the kindness of the solicitude which he ex- 

 pressed on my behalf, and the interest he evinced in the success 

 of my present pursuits. For myself I felt all which the partings 

 of the warmest and most sincere friends could inspire, and 

 those feelings were heightened by the consideration of the ha- 

 zardous enterprise he was about to enter on, in exploring the 

 wild and savage countries of interior Africa. 



On leaving the ship's side, he told us there was a possibility 

 of the caravan's departure being postponed, and thus consoled 

 us with a hope of his return at sun-set, if such should be the 

 case. After his departure, however, we scarcely suffered our- 

 selves to indulge it, and both Captain Boog and myself felt as 

 if we had parted from a very dear and long-tried friend, rather 

 than from a stranger-guest of a few days. 



At sun-set we were both on the quarter-deck with teles- 

 copes in hand watching eagerly the movements of the jolly-boat 

 as she came from the shore. On her approach we discovered 

 by his white turban and holy green Jubbe, that Ibrahim was 



