45^5 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



It muiI be, however, remembered, that this, though a 

 pretty general obfervation, does not hold without excep- 

 tion ; for the Arabs of Mahomet's own familj-, the Beni 

 Koreiili, moftly lived in towns, fuch as Mecca, Tajef, and 

 Medina, efpecially after the expulfion of the Jews and the 

 eftablilhment of his empire. Many alfo of thefe, who 

 came over to Beja and the eaftern part of Nubia, continued 

 their pra6lice of living in fmall towns or villages, and were 

 diilinguiflied by the name of Jaheleen : This appellation, li- 

 terally interpreted, fignifies Pagans ; but by extention, the 

 ancient races of Arabs converted immediately from Pa- 

 ganifm to the Mahometan faith, by Mahomet himfelf, 

 without having ever embraced Chrillianity, or any other Pa- 

 .gan fuperftition befides pure Sabaifm, and this was the old 

 religion of Arabia, and of the whole peninfula of Africa to 

 the Wellern Ocean. Thefe Jaheleen are generally known 

 by their name, referring to men of conlideration in the time 

 of Mahomet's life, whom they call their father, or to fome 

 circumllance relating to Mahomet himfelf. An example of 

 the firft of the race is, Rabatab, that is, Rabat ivas our father, or, 

 •' we are the children of Rabat." An example of the fecond 

 is the Macabrab, or, the fepulchre is our father^ meaning the 

 fepulchrc of their prophet at Medina. 



These Jaheleen are, as I have faid, truly noble Arabs of 

 the race of Beni Koreilli. Though they live in villages, they 

 are the mofl dangerous and mofl fanatic wretches a travel- 

 ler can meet. All this country, though nominally fubje(5t 

 to Egypt for the fake of trade, had their own prince of the 

 race of Beni Koreifli, whofc title was Welled Ageeb,5o« of the 

 Gooa', which was his general inauguration name; and, be- 

 fides this, he was called Ali, or Mahomet Welled Ageeb, 

 3 ' which 



