HISTORY OF THE WAHABEES. 263 



the monument of the favourite and venerable Kadi- 

 jah saved. The coffee-houses, or rather shops for 

 spirituous hquors, next felt the desolating zeal of the 

 reformers. Piles of hookahs and Persian pipes 

 were collected from these haunts and burnt in the 

 presence of Saoud. The use of brandy and tobacco 

 were prohibited under severe penalties ; and the 

 inhabitants were obliged to conform, outwardly at 

 least, to the new creed, by abandoning their lux- 

 uries and rich dresses, and being more punctual in 

 their devotions. Prayers for the sultan in the grand 

 mosque were ordered to be abolished ; the govern- 

 ment was placed in the hands of Abdel Main, the 

 brother of Ghaleb ; and in the following epistle this 

 memorable conquest was communicated to the Otto- 

 man Porte : — 



" Saoud to Selim. — I entered Mecca on the 4th 

 day of Moharram, in the 1218th year of the Hejira. 

 I kept peace towards the inhabitants. I destroyed 

 all the tombs that were idolatrously worshipped. 

 I abolished the levying of all customs above two and 

 a half per cent. I confirmed the cadi whom you 

 had appointed to govern in the place, agreeably to 

 the commands of Mohammed. 1 desire, that in the 

 ensuing years you will give orders to the pashas of 

 Sham (Damascus) and Mesr (Cairo) not to come 

 accompanied with the mahmal, trumpets, and drums, 

 into Mecca and Medina. For why ] Religion is not 

 profited by these things. Peace be between us : 

 and may the blessing of God be unto you ! — Dated 

 on the 10th day of Moharram." (May 3, 1803.) 



From Mecca the reformer turned his arms against 

 Jidda; but the interval had allowed Ghaleb time to 

 prepare for his reception by mounting the walls 

 with cannon from the vessels in the harbour. For 

 eleven days the town was besieged; the supplies 

 of water were cut off, in consequence of whicTi 

 numbers perished of thirst. But the inhabitants 

 fought bravely, and the Wahabee chief, despairing 



