GOVERNMENT OF ARABIA. 161 



was guarded by five or six batteries of brass can- 

 non. The bay is eight or nine leagues wide at the 

 opening, and affords good anchorage, from eighteen 

 to twenty fathoms. The scenery around is of a 

 wild and savage character, giving few indications 

 of that felicity or delight of which its name is said 

 to be the expression. Cape Aden is a very lofty 

 and steep rock, which the mariner can descry at the 

 distance of 15 or 20 leagues. To this small state 

 pertain a number of inferior towns and castles. 



The principality of Kaukeban was ruled by imams 

 of its own, claiming their descent from Mohammed, 

 until they were obliged to yield up the title to Khas- 

 sem, the new Arabian conqueror. The chiefs of 

 Kobail compose a sort of confederacy (Heschid-u- 

 Bekel) for their mutual defence : their subjects 

 make excellent soldiers. The territory of Jafa is 

 surrounded by that of Aden, and was under the 

 dominion of Sanaa until the end of the 17th century, 

 when the inhabitants revolted from the imam. In 

 these districts are a multitude of petty sovereigns, 

 the chief of whom take the title of sultans ; Jafa and 

 Jof being the only part of Arabia where that name 

 is used. Abu-Arish and Mareb are governed by 

 sheriffs ; the latter lies 16 leagues north-east from 

 Sanaa, and, though containing only about 300 houses 

 of mean appearance, is the capital of the province. 



The province of Hadramaut is ruled by a num- 

 ber of petty independent sovereigns, of whose his- 

 tory or dominions little has been recorded beyond 

 the names of a few cities on the coast. These have 

 their particular sheiks, many of whom may have 

 descended in patriarchal succession from the most 

 remote antiquity. Among those princes, some have 



