GOVERNMENT OF ARABIA. 159 



the people. He was an Abyssinian, not at all 

 striking either in his figure or appearance, who had 

 been a slave in the family of the imam, and pro- 

 moted for his good conduct. Without the walls of 

 the town are three extensive suburbs ; one occupied 

 by common labourers ; one by the Abyssinian 

 mariners, who detest the natives; and the third 

 by the Jews, who are not allowed to wear a tur- 

 ban, and held in such contempt that an Arab may 

 spit upon and strike them. These last carry on an 

 extensive illicit trade in brandy distilled from dates. 

 These suburbs are not more cleanly than the town. 

 The bed of the river Moosa is filled with an accu- 

 mulation of filth and rubbish ; its waters never 

 reach the sea except after heavy rains, on one of 

 which occasions it swept away a considerable part 

 of the Jewish village that had been built in its 

 dusty channel. 



In the territory of Yemen, besides the govern- 

 ments already mentioned, there are an immense 

 number of small hereditary princes, sheiks, and 

 dowlahs, who live in a state of vassalage or in- 

 dependence, according to the ability of the imam 

 to retain them in subjection. In nobility of de- 

 scent and dignity of rank, many of them acknow- 

 ledge no superior, and assume the symbols and 

 prerogatives of royalty. To enumerate these petty 

 sovereigns would be impossible. The mountain of 

 Schahava, north-east from Loheia, contained 300 

 villages, which were divided among a great many 

 sheiks, most of whom claimed kindred with the reign- 

 ing family at Sanaa. The famous hill of Sabber, 

 near Taas, was said to be parcelled out to more than 

 a hundred free and hereditary sheiks. 



