GOVERNMENT OF ARABIA. 133 



ferred that animal ; hirinn: camels for their haprpage. 

 A bucket of \v;iter is sometimes suspended from the 

 saddle, — that beiujy: an article indispensable in tliese 

 arid regions. The roads in general are of a very 

 bad description. Among the mountains the path is 

 sometimes so narrow that a single camel only can 

 pass at a time ; in other places it winds up steep and 

 rugged acclivities, and is formed of a causeway or 

 pavement, which is occasionally broken and ren- 

 dered impassable by the descending torrents. 



The town of IMocha, the name of which a cele- 

 brated article of its export-trade has rendered so 

 familiar to our ears, has no pretensions to antiquity. 

 It was not in existence 400 years ago ; and nothing 

 was known of it till the adventures of the Dutch and 

 Portuguese in India opened the Red Sea to the 

 nations of Europe. Its place, as a commercial port, 

 was originally supplied by the village of Moosa. 

 This wretched hamlet, which now consists of a few 

 circular huts with conical roofs, built of matting or 

 leaves of the date-palm, must have then stood on the 

 shore of the Arabian Gulf, though the retirement of 

 the waters at this spot, as elsewhere, has left it a 

 distance of five hours' journey from the modern 

 town. It is still the residence of a sub-dowlah, and 

 distinguished for its delicious water and its excel- 

 lent fowls. 



The origin of Mocha is ascribed to the great 

 reputation of its patron saint, the famous Sheik 

 Schaedeli, who had here a hermitage, which was 

 eagerly resorted to by disciples from all parts of 

 the country to drink his coffee and receive his 

 benedictions. After his death an elegant mosque 

 was raised over his tomb : the principal wall and 

 one of the gates of the city still bear his name ; the 

 people swear by him, and thank Heaven every 

 morning on his account for having taught mankind 

 the use of that delightful beverage, the healing vir- 

 tues of which were long reckoned as efficacious aa 



Vol. II.— M 



