GOVERNMENT OF THE SHERIFFS. 169 



try, these subordinate nilers threw off their depend- 

 ence ; although they still called themselves the 

 servants of the sultan, prayed for him in the great 

 mosque, and received the wonted investiture. 



The succession to the government of this prov- 

 ince, like that of the Bedouin sheiks, is not heredi- 

 tary ; though it usually remained in the same tribe 

 so long as the power of that tribe preponderated 

 The election was always made from one of the 

 sheriff families descended from the Prophet, settled 

 in Hejaz. They were divided into various subordi- 

 nate branches, of which sometimes one sometimes 

 another enjoyed the sovereignty of the holy cities. 

 There were no ceremonies of installation or oaths 

 of allegiance. The new governor received compli- 

 mentary visits ; his band played before the door, — 

 an honour significant of royalty ; and his name was 

 inserted in the public prayers. Succession rarely 

 took place without disputes ; but the contests were 

 in general neither sanguinary nor of long duration. 

 The rivals submitted, or rather withdrew in gloomy 

 silence ; and atonement for the blood shed on both 

 sides was duly made by fines paid to the relations 

 of the slain. 



The result of these poKtical quarrels was attended 

 with bad consequences to the community ; for 

 though they checked the power of the reigning 

 sheriff, they weakened the state by the frequent 

 occurrence of wars, feuds, and intestine broils. 

 The vicissitudes of fortune to which they gave rise, 

 and the arts of popularity which the chiefs were 

 obiged to employ, gave to the government of Hejaz 

 a character different from that of most other coun- 

 tries in the East. None of that haughty ceremony 

 was observed which draws a line of distinction be- 

 tween oriental sovereigns or vicegerents and their 

 subjects. The court of the sheriff was small, and 

 almost entirely devoid of pomp. He was addressed 

 by the plain title of seidna (our lord), or sadetkum 



Vol. n.— P 



