5 2o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



the Arab, of patience and felf-dcnial, fuperior even to what 

 is made necefifary to falvation by the gofpel, his religion, 

 at the bottom, was but a fyftem of blafphemy and falfe- 

 hood, corruption and injuftice. Mahomet and his tribe 

 were moll: profoundly ignorant. There was not among 

 them but one man that could write, and it was not doubt- 

 ed he was to be Mahomet's fecretary, but unfortunately Ma- 

 homet could not read his writing. The ftory of the angel 

 who brought him leaves of the Koran is well known, and 

 fo is all the reft of the fable. The wifer part of his own re- 

 lations, indeed, laughed at the impudence of his pretending 

 to have a communication with angels. Having, however, 

 gained, as his apoftles, fome of the bell foldiers of the tribe 

 of Beni Koreifli, and perfifting with great uniformity in 

 all his meafures, he eftablifhed a new religion upon the 

 ruins of idolatry and Sabaifm, in the very temple of Mecca. 



Nothing fevere was injoined by Mahomet, and the fre- 

 quent prayers and warnings with water which he directed, 

 were gratifications to a fedentary people in a very hot 

 country. The lightnefs of this yoke, therefore, recommend- 

 ed it rapidly to thofe who were difgufted with long fall- 

 ing, penances, and pilgrimages. The poifon of this falfe, 

 yet not fevere religion, fpread itfelf from that fountain to 

 all the trading nations : India, Ethiopia, Africa, all Afia, 

 fuddenly embraced it ; and every caravan carried into the 

 bofom of its country people not more attached to trade, 

 than zealous to preach and propagate their new faith. The 

 Temple of Mecca (the old rendezvous of the Indian trade) 

 perhaps was never more frequented than it is at this day, 

 and the motives of the journey are equally trade and reli- 

 gion, as they were formerly. 



3 I SHALL 



