96 MEMOIR OF BURCKHARDT. 



He had several interviews with Ali, who sup- 

 posed him to be a spy or a man of rank, and knew 

 him to be an Englishman, although he had assumed 

 the name of Sheikh Ibrahim. He offered no objec- 

 tions to his performing the pilgrimage ; but declined 

 giving him a firman authorising him to travel 

 through the Hejaz, alleging that he did not wish to 

 interfere personally with his afiairs, and that his 

 perfect knowledge of Arabic rendered a passport 

 unnecessary. 



From Tayf, Burckhardt returned to Mecca, 172 

 miles, where he passed the months of September, 

 October, and November ; during which he had 

 ample opportunity to observe the appearance of 

 that renowned city, its buildings, shops, trade, and 

 manufactures ; to study the manners, character, and 

 customs of the inhabitants ; their forms of govern- 

 ment and worship, more especially the grand so- 

 lemnity of the pilgrimage ; having been the first 

 Christian that ever ventured to mingle in the sacred 

 ceremonies of the Kaaba. For the description of 

 these particulars, the reader must consult the volume 

 of travels on this subject, which was published in 

 1829, under the authority of the African Associa- 

 tion. All that can with propriety be done here, 

 is merely to give such an outline as will maintain 

 a sufficient connexion and uniformity in the nar- 

 rative. 



Mecca, dignified by the Arabs with many high- 

 sounding titles the Mother of Towns the Noble 

 the Region of the Faithful, &c. lies in a narrow 



