262 HISTORY OF THE WAHABEES. 



their camp within an hour and a half's distance of 

 the city. The eastern suburb was attacked and 

 taken possession of, and from that point frequent 

 saUies were made into the town. The governor, 

 undismayed, defended himself with great bravery. 

 He laid a mine near his palace, which obliged the 

 assailants to make a temporary retreat. But the 

 supply of water was cut off by diverting the caneJ 

 of Arafat ; and the inhabitants, after a siege of two 

 or three months, were reduced to extreme necessity 

 for want of provisions. Dogs and cats were eagerly 

 devoured ; the only stores were at the disposal of 

 the sheriff and his warriors ; and when these were 

 consumed he retired towards Jidda, carrying off the 

 whole of his family and baggage, having previously 

 set fire to his palace to destroy such furniture as 

 was not easily portable. The city was now aban- 

 doned to its fate. On the next morning, the chief 

 inhabitants went out to capitulate, or rather to sur- 

 render at discretion ; and on the same day (April 27) 

 Saoud made his entrance. Not the slightest excess 

 was committed ; and the Meccawees still remember 

 with gratitude the excellent discipline observed by 

 the wild Bedouin soldiers. All the shops were 

 immediately opened by order of the victorious chief, 

 and every article which his troops required was 

 purchased with ready money. This forbearance 

 was doubtless the effect of policy ; but the artful 

 conqueror ascribed it to a miracle. He told the 

 ulemas, in full council, that he had seen Mohammed 

 in a dream, who threatened him that he should not 

 survive three days if a single grain of corn were 

 forcibly taken from the holy city. But the dis- 

 pleasure of the Prophet did not extend to those 

 objects of idolatry which offended the religious 

 prejudices of the Wahabees. Above eighty splendid 

 tombs, which covered the remains of the descend- 

 ants of the Apostle, and formed the great ornaments 

 of Mecca, were levelled with the ground ; nor was 



