194 HEJAZ. 



and whose name is still venerated in Hejaz on ac- 

 count of his extraordinary courage and sagacity, 

 which were frequently called into exercise in re- 

 pressing the turbulence and depredations of the in- 

 ferior chiefs. His death, which happened in 1786, 

 was bewailed as a public calamity, and his remains 

 were followed to the grave by the whole population 

 of Mecca. Two of his brothers aspired to the su- 

 preme power, of which Abdelmain kept possession 

 for five days only, when the younger brother, Gha- 

 leb, by his superior skill in intrigue, and by the 

 great reputation which he had acquired for wisdom 

 and valour, supplanted him in the government. 



During the first years of his reign the slaves 

 and eunuchs began to indulge in their former dis- 

 orderly behaviour and acts of oppression ; but the 

 new sheriff soon freed himself from their influence, 

 and acquired at length a firmer authority over He- 

 jaz than any of his predecessors had ever enjoyed. 

 His nephews, the sons of Serour, attempted to wrest 

 from him the reins of power, but without success. 

 His government, on the whole, was lenient and 

 cautious, although his extreme avarice betrayed him 

 into many acts of individual oppression. The whole 

 of his private household consisted of fifty or sixty 

 servants and officers, and as many slaves and eu- 

 nuchs. His harem contained a small establishment 

 of wives, being about two dozen of Abyssinians, and 

 twice that number of female attendants to wait 

 upon them and nurse their children. When in the 

 full enjoyment of his power, he possessed a consider- 

 able influence over the Bedouin tribes of Hejaz, 

 but without any direct authority. 



The income of the sheriff is derived chiefly from 



