THE MOHA.MMEDAN PILGRIMAGE, 209 



and other small wares ; the Anatolians bring car- 

 pets, silks, and Angora shawls ; the Persians, Cash- 

 mere shawls and large silk handkerchiefs ; the Af- 

 ghans, toothbrushes made of the spongy boughs of 

 a tree in Bokhara, yellow beads, and plain coarse 

 shawls of their own manufacture ; the Indians im- 

 port the numerous productions of their rich and 

 extensive regions ; and the people of Yemen bring 

 snakes for the Persian pipes, sandals, and various 

 articles in leather. 



In general, the regular caravans have fixed periods 

 for their arrival. Those from Syria and Egypt unite 

 their routes at Bedr, whence they proceed to Mecca 

 at a short distance from each other. The approach 

 of the foremost is announced by a horseman, who 

 comes galloping through the town to the governor's 

 house ; a prize being always awarded to him who 

 brings the first tidings of its safety. 



The pomp and magnificence of this moving so- 

 lemnity are still considerable, though much dimin- 

 ished since the time of the caliphs, both in point of 

 splendour and attendance. When Solyman per- 

 formed the pilgrimage (A. D. 716), 900 camels were 

 employed in transporting his wardrobe alone. Ma- 

 hadi, besides the vast sums he expended in presents, 

 built fine houses at every station between Bagdad 

 and Mecca, and caused them to be splendidly fur- 

 nished. He was the first caliph that carried snow- 

 water with him to cool his sherbet on the road; a 

 luxury in which he was imitated by many of his 

 successors. Haroun al Raschid, who performed the 

 haj nine times, spent in one of his visits nearly a 

 million and a half of gold dinars (693,750/.) in 

 presents ; in another, he and his wife Zobeide ac- 

 complished the journey from Bagdad (nearly 1000 

 miles) on foot ; but the merit must have been les- 

 sened, as the whole road was covered daily with fine 

 carpets on which they walked. The retinue of the 

 mother of Mostasem, who visited Mecca in 1231, 



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