224 THE MOHAMMEDAN PILGRIMAGE. 



heard, — the effect of pressure, perhaps of sincere 

 repentance ; but it is easy to imagine how these de- 

 votions are performed, for while one is bowing- down 

 another walks over his back ; some are unmercifully 

 crushed, and many are carried out with diihculty 

 quite senseless from heat and suffocation. 



On the first and second days the men and women 

 enter alternately ; on the third, the sheriff, the sheiks, 

 and illustrious hajjis, perform the holy ceremony of 

 sweeping and washing the floor. AH the water- 

 carriers in Mecca advance with pitchers and besoms, 

 which are passed from hand to hand until they reach 

 the guards at the entrance. The negroes then throw 

 the water on the pavement, while the devotees 

 sweep and scrub with both hands, until the floor 

 appears polished like glass. The water flows out 

 by a hole under the door ; and foul as it is, it is 

 eagerly drunk by the Faithful ; while those who are 

 at a distance have quantities of it thrown over them 

 by the eunuchs. It must require no common pitch 

 of fanaticism to reconcile the stomach of the wor- 

 shipper to this practice ; but the Moslem excuse it 

 by alleging, that although the liquid is very dirty, it 

 has the benediction of God, and is besides much per- 

 fumed with the essence of roses. The brooms of 

 palm-leaves, as well as the shreds of the cloth that 

 surrounds the door and bottom of the hall, are di- 

 vided among the pilgrims, and treasured up as relics. 

 Pieces both of the exterior and interior coverings 

 are constantly on sale at a shop before the Bab es 

 Salaam ; the latter are most esteemed, and waist- 

 coats are made of it, which the Believers reckon the 

 safest armour they can wear. 



During the Ramadan, and especially on the last 

 day, the mosque is particularly brilliant. At the 

 celebration of the evening orisons, the whole square 

 and colonnades are illuminated by thousands of 

 lamps ; and in addition to these, most of the hajjis 

 iiave each his own lantern standing before him. The 



