198 HEJAZ. 



carry a ball of 100 Ibs. weight. A ditch ten feet 

 wide and twelve deep is carried along its whole 

 extent ; and there is a battery, which guards the 

 entrance from the sea and commands the harbour. 

 The approach from the shore is by the quays, where 

 small boats discharge the cargoes of the large ships ; 

 the latter being obliged to anchor in the roadstead, 

 at the distance of two miles. The entrance is shut 

 every evening at sunset ; and thus, during night, 

 all communication is prevented between the town 

 and the shipping. 



On the land- side are two gates leading to Mecca 

 and Medina ; opposite these the ditch is filled with 

 rubbish, which serves instead of a drawbridge. The 

 suburbs contain only huts formed of reeds, rushes, 

 or brushwood, inhabited by peasants, labourers, and 

 Bedouins. The streets of the town are unpaved, but, 

 on the whole, regular, spacious, and airy. The houses 

 are two or three stories high, handsome, and gene- 

 rally built of large blocks of very fine madrepore ; 

 though uniformity of architecture is not observed. 

 There is usually a spacious hall at the entrance, 

 where strangers are received, and which, during the 

 heat of the day, is cooler than any other part of the 

 house, the floor being kept continually wet. There 

 the master, with all his male attendants, hired ser- 

 vants, and slaves, may be seen at noon enjoying the 

 siesta. The doorways are elegantly arched, and co- 

 vered with zig-zag fretwork ornaments carved in the 

 stone. The windows are numerous, sometimes large 

 sometimes small, with wooden shutters. The bow 

 windows exhibit a great display of joiners' and car- 

 penters' work, which is often painted with the most 

 gaudy colours. Travellers have been struck with 

 the resemblance between the arches at Jidda and 



