132 CIVIL HISTORY AND 



bounty, gave the mendicant a letter containing an 

 order on the dowlah for the payment of 100 crowns. 

 Upon examination the document was found to be in 

 the handwriting of the deceased, and sealed with his 

 seal. With such evidence before his eyes the 

 governor durst not refuse, and paid the beggar the 

 demand in full ; but, to avoid such troublesome 

 drafts in future, the tomb was enclosed with a lofty 

 wall. 



In the city and neighbourhood stood many deserted 

 and ruinous mosques, some of which appeared to be 

 erected by the Turkish pashas. The subsequent 

 governors of the place had built several noble pal- 

 aces, which were the greatest ornaments in it ; but 

 many of the houses had been destroyed, and the sur- 

 rounding country almost depopulated, during the 

 civil wars occasioned by the revolt of the governor, 

 Dowlah Achmed, brother to the imam El Mansor 

 Hossein. On being recalled, this officer refused to 

 obey ; and with a force of 2000 men he stood out 

 for twelve years, leaving the succession to his eldest 

 son Abdallah. The place was taken and pillaged 

 about the end of the year 1760. 



On the route from Taas to Sanaa the principal 

 cities are Abb, Jerim or Yerim, and Damar. Abb 

 is situate on the summit of a hill, surrounded by a 

 strong wall, and contains about 800 houses, most of 

 them well built. Jerim, which some suppose to be 

 Dafar, an ancient capital of the Hamyaric kings, is 

 but a small town ; the houses are built of stone or 

 sun-dried bricks. The castle stands on a rock, and 

 is the residence of the dowlah. In all the markets 

 locusts were sold at a low price ; and these the 

 peasants dry and lay up for winter provisions. 



In Yemen the usual method of travelling is on 

 asses, which in that country are large, strong, and 

 spirited, walking at a pace not very agreeable to the 

 rider. As Christians, however, are not prohibited 

 the use of horses, Niebuhr and his companions pre- 



