HISTORY OF THE WAHABEES. 265 



principally brought by the great hajjis who passed 

 through the city. Of this collection he sold part to 

 the sheriff of Mecca, and carried the remainder with 

 him to Deraiah, which is said to have consisted 

 chiefly of pearls and corals. The total value of the 

 booty was estimated at more than 300,000 dollars 

 (64,687/. 105.) ; though there is good reason for sup- 

 posing that the donations of the Faithful, accumu- 

 lated there for ages, must have amounted to a much 

 greater sum, had not the governors of the town or 

 the guardians of the sepulchre occasionally relieved 

 their necessities by large drafts from this religious 

 exchequer. Allured by its glittering appearance, 

 the Wahabees attempted to destroy the lofty dome, 

 and throw down the gilded globe and crescent which 

 surmount it ; but the solid structure and the leaden 

 covering rendered this a difficult undertaking ; and 

 as two of the workmen slipped from the roof and 

 were precipitated to the ground, the work of de- 

 struction was abandoned ; — a circumstance ascribed 

 to a visible miracle wrought by the Prophet in favour 

 of his monument. The tomb itself was left un- 

 injured ; but Saoud prohibited as idolatrous all visits, 

 prayers, or adorations addressed to it ; no other mark 

 of devotion being allowed but the regular pilgrimage. 

 Here, as at Mecca, the due observance of prayer, and 

 the negation of silk and tobacco, were imposed with 

 great strictness. At the appointed hours a body of 

 Arabs, armed with large sticks, had orders to patrol 

 the streets and drive the inhabitants to the common 

 place of worship. The names of all the adult males 

 were called over in the mosque after morning, noon- 

 day, and evening prayers, and such as did not answer 

 to the roll were punished. A. respectable woman, 

 accused of having smoked a hookah, was paraded 

 through the streets on a jackass, with the pipe sus- 

 pended from her neck, round which was twisted the 

 long flexible tube. 

 Between the capture of Mecca and that of Me- 



VOL. II.— Z 



