THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 511 



built by Sefoftris, in his voyage to Arabia Felix, and that 

 he was worfhipped there under the name of Ofiris, as he 

 then was in every part of Egypt. 



The great veneration the neighbouring nations paid to 

 this tower, and idol, fuggefled the very natural thought of 

 making the temple the market for the trade from Africa 

 and India ; the liberty of which, we may fuppofe, had been 

 in fome meafure reftrained, by the fettlements which fo- 

 reign nations had made on both coafts of the Red Sea. To 

 remedy which, they chofe this town in the heart of the 

 country, acceffible on all fides,, and commanded on none, 

 calling it Becca, which fignifies the Houfe ; though Maho- 

 met, after breaking the idol and dedicating the temple to 

 the true God, named it Mecca, under which name it has 

 continued, the centre or great mart of the India trade to 

 this day. 



In order to divert this trade into a channel more conve- 

 nient for his prefent dominions, Abreha built a very large, 

 church or temple, in the country of the Homerites, and 

 nearer the Indian Ocean. To encourage alfo the refort to 

 this place, he extended to it all the privileges, protection, 

 and emoluments, that belonged to the Pagan temple of 

 Mecca.. 



One particular tribe of Arabs, called Beni Koreifh, had 

 the care of the Caba, for fo the round tower of Mecca was 

 called. Thefe people were exceedingly alarmed at the prof- 

 peel of their temple being at once deferted, both by its vo- 

 taries and merchants, to prevent which, a party of them, 

 in the night, entered Abrcha's temple, and having fir A: 



burned 



