HISTORY OF THE WAHABEES. 269 



posed of horsemen, and the second of camel-riders, 

 these being reckoned the main strength of the army. 

 The bravest andmost renowned of Saoiid's warriors 

 were his body-guard, about 300 in number, who were 

 constantly kept as a corps of reserve. They usually 

 fought in' complete armour, and had their horses 

 covered with a quilted woollen stuff called lebs^ 

 impenetrable to lances or swords. To all who fell 

 in battle he ensured the enjoyment of paradise ; 

 and when the mare of a slain sheik galloped back to 

 the ranks with an empty saddle, it was hailed as 

 the happy tidings that a true believer had exchanged 

 his cotton keffie for a crown of martyrdom. 



At the time of his accession nearly the whole 

 extent of Arabia had been reduced to submission. 

 It was seldom thought advisable to garrison any 

 district that he had subdued, the influence of the 

 sheik whom he placed over it, and the terror of 

 his own name, being generally sufficient to keep 

 the vanquished in subjection. When some of the 

 more powerful tribes relaxed in their allegiance, or 

 became irregular in the payment of tribute, three 

 or four flying expeditions were sent against them, 

 which soon brought them back to obedience. The 

 dread of losing their crops and their cattle overcame 

 the scruples of the most refractory ; and Saoud was 

 often heard to say, " That no Arabs had ever been 

 stanch Wahabees until they had suffered two or 

 three times from the plundering of his troops." 

 Medina was the only instance where it was found 

 necessary to keep a constant military force, the in- 

 . habitants being naturally hostile to his leligion and 

 his government. In Mecca, the power of Ghaleb 

 was still considerable, and at Jidda his authority 

 renmined in full force ; but his great talents for in- 

 trigue, his venerable office, and his personal influ- 

 ence over several Bedouin tribes, induced his rival 

 to keep on amicable terms with him. 



Since the conquest of Hejaz most of the regular 



Z 2 



