JIDDA. 177 



Jidda may be called a modern town ; for, although 

 known in ancient times as the harbour of Mecca, its 

 importance as a market for Indian goods cm\ only 

 be traced to the beginning of the fifteenth century. 

 During the predominance of the Wahabees it had 

 been in a declining state ; its trade was much de- 

 pressed, and many of the houses had gone to ruin. 

 Since the conquests of the Eg^-ptians, however, it 

 has recovered its former condition, and is now as 

 flourishing as at any period in its histor3^ In 1823 

 it had a Turkish governor, Rustan Aga, who lived in 

 great state, and kept a considerable military estab- 

 lishment. Burckhardt states the number of inhab- 

 itants generally at from 12,000 to 15,000; but about 

 the time of the pilgrimage, and during the summer 

 months, there is a great influx of strangers, which 

 increases that amount perhaps one-half: they are 

 almost exclusively foreigners. The settlers from 

 India, Kgypt. Sj^ria-, Barbary, Turkey, and other 

 nations may be still recognised in the features of 

 their descendants, who are all mixed in one general 

 mass, and live and dress in the same manner. The 

 aboriginal tribes who once peopled the town have 

 either perished by the hands of the governors, or 

 been driven to other parts of the country ; those 

 who can be truly called natives are merely a few 

 families of sheriffs, who arc attached to the mosques 

 or the courts of justice. This mixture of races is 

 the effect of the pilgrimage, which every year adds 

 fresh numbers to the population. The Jiddawees 

 are almost entirely engaged in commerce, and pur- 

 sue no majiufactur^s or trades but those of immediate 

 necessity. Their traffic by land is confined to Mecca 

 and Medina. A caravaii departs for the latter place 

 once in forty or fifty days, and consists of from 60 

 to 100 camels, conducted by Harb Bedouins. The 

 more common route of intercourse, however, is by 

 Yembo, to which goods are conveyed by sea. The 

 caravans to Mecca set out almost evejry evening, and 



