MECCA. 219 



ter j its mouth is surrounded by a brim of fine white 

 marble, five feet high and about ten in diameter. 

 Upon this the persons stand who draw the water in 

 leathern buckets attached to pulleys ; an iron rail- 

 ing being so placed as to prevent their falling in. The 

 chief of the well has the somewhat alarming title of 

 the Poisoner; but Ali Bey assures us, he was a very 

 handsome person, of the most winning and graceful 

 manners. The number of pitchers is immense ; they 

 are of unglazed earth, so porous that the liquid fil- 

 ters through. Their form is long and cylindrical, 

 terminating in a point at the bottom, so that 

 they cannot stand unless placed against the wall. 

 The Turks consider it a miracle that the supply ne- 

 ver diminishes, notwithstanding the continual de- 

 mand ; for it serves the whole town, and there is 

 scarcely a family that does not daily use it for drink- 

 ing or for ablution ; but it is deemed impious to 

 employ it in culinary or common occasions. This 

 phenomenon, however, is explained by Burckhardt, 

 who discovered that the water was supplied by a 

 subterraneous rivulet. When first drawn up it is 

 slightly tepid, resembling in this respect many other 

 fountains in Hejaz. It is heavy to the taste, and 

 sometimes of a colour resembling milk ; but it is 

 wholesome and perfectly sweet, differing in this re- 

 spect from the brackish wells in the town. 



On the north side of the Zemzem stand two small 

 ugly buildings, one behind the other, called kobbe- 

 tein, in which are kept water-jars, lamps, carpets, 

 brooms, mats, and other articles. They are covered 

 with painted domes ; but are not considered as 

 forming any part of the mosque, no religious im- 

 portance being attached to them. The gravel-ground, 



