236 THE MOHAMMEDAN PILGRIMAGE. 



gard them as saints or inspired beings, sent as a bless- 

 ing to them from Heaven, they are much respected by 

 the devotees, who scruple not to fill their pockets 

 with money. The behaviour of some of them is inde- 

 cent, and so violent, that many willingly give them 

 a trifle to escape from their importunities. Most of 

 the pilgrims that arrive in detachments and be- 

 fore the caravans, are professed merchants, who oc- 

 cupy the interval very pleasantly in disposing of 

 their wares, praying, smoking, reading the Koran, 

 enjoying the gratifications of sense, and anticipating 

 the happiness of futurity. Except mendicants, al- 

 most every hajji combines with his religious du- 

 ties some little mercantile adventure, with a view 

 to lessen his expenses. The Moggrebins, for exam- 

 ple, bring their red bonnets and woollen cloaks ; 

 the Western Turks, shoes and slippers, hardware, 

 embroidered stuffs, sweetmeats, amber, trinkets of 

 European manufacture, knit silk purses, and other 

 small wares ; the Anatolians bring carpets, silks, 

 and Angora shawls ; the Persians, Cashmere shawls 

 and large silk handkerchiefs ; the Afghans, tooth- 

 brushes made of the spongy boughs of a tree in Bok- 

 hara, yellow beads, and plain coarse shawls of their 

 own manufacture ; the Indians import the nume- 

 rous productions of their rich and extensive regions ; 

 and the people of Yemen bring snakes for the Per- 

 sian pipes, sandals, and various articles in leather. 

 In general the regular caravans have fixed pe- 

 riods for their arrival. Those from Syria and Egypt 

 unite their routes at Bedr, whence they proceed to 

 Mecca at a short distance from each other. The 

 approach of the foremost is announced by a horse- 

 man, who comes galloping through the town to the 



