88 PRISHTTVE INHABITANTS OF ARABIA. 



truths. They form the annals of his country,— the 

 only remaining traces he has of its origin and his- 

 tory ; and, however extravagant they appear, they 

 unquestionably merit some attention. They mix 

 vs^ith the national habits, and often influence the na- 

 tional character. The present generation have their 

 faith strengthened and their duty taught by means 

 of the fables of antiquity. Tlieir bravery and their 

 fanaticism are alike stimulated by popular tradi- 

 tions, which from their infancy they have learned to 

 venerate. 



II. The pure Arabs are those descended from 

 Kahtan, whom the present Arabs regard as their 

 principal founder. Like the Hebrews, a member 

 of this genuine stock is styled Al Arab al Araba, an 

 Arab of the Arabs. According to their genealogy 

 of this patriarch, his descendants formed two dis- 

 tinct branches. Yarab, one of his sons, founded 

 the kingdom of Yemen, and Jorham that of Hejaz. 

 These two are the only sons spoken of by the Arabs. 

 Their names do not occur in Scripture : but it is 

 not improbable they were the Jerah and Hadoram 

 mentioned by Moses as among the thirteen planters. 

 of Arabia. 



In the division of their nation into tribes the Arabs 

 resemble the Jews; and though, after the lapse of 

 many thousand years, and over so vast an extent of 

 territory, it is not to be presumed that each tribe 

 could preserve an unbroken line of descent, yet 

 their care and accuracy in this respect Avere remark- 

 able. From the earliest era they have retained 

 the distinction of separate and independent fsmilies. 

 This partition was adverse to the consolidation of 

 power or pohtical influence ; but it furnishes our 

 chief guide into the dark abyss of their antiquities. 



The posterity of Yarab spread and multiplied into 

 innumerable clans. New accessions rendejed new 

 subdivisions necessary. In the genealogical tables 

 of Sale and Gagnier are enumerated nearly three- 

 score tribes of genuine Arabs, many of whom be- 



