THE MOHAMMEDAN PILGRIMAGE. 243 



ed by the walk to Omra, a place about an hour and 

 a half's distance from Mecca, where the pilgrim 

 prays two rikats in a small chapel; and must 

 chant the telbi or pious ejaculations all the way. 

 After this the towaf and sai must be again per- 

 formed, which closes the preliminary ceremonies. 

 Some have only part of the head shaven before the 

 visit to Omra, and the rest completed immediate- 

 ly afterwards. The walk round the Kaaba may be 

 repeated as often as the pilgrim thinks fit; and 

 the more frequently the more meritorious. Most 

 foreigners do it twice daily, in the evening and be- 

 fore daybreak. 



When all the necessary rites have been gone 

 through at Mecca, the whole concourse of visiters 

 repair in a body to Mount Arafat, which is the 

 grand day of the pilgrimage. This mountain is a 

 principal object of Moslem veneration; and some 

 even assert, that a pilgrimage to it would be equally 

 meritorious though the Kaaba ceased to exist. Tra- 

 dition says it was here that the common father of 

 mankind met Eve after the long separation of 200 

 years consequent on the Fall; that he built the 

 chapel on its summit before he retired with his 

 wife to the island of Ceylon; and was there in- 

 structed by the angel Gabriel how to adore his 

 Creator ; the spot still bears the name of Modaa 

 Seidna Adam, or Place of Prayer of our Lord Adam. 

 It was here, too, that Mohammed is said to have ad- 

 dressed his followers, a practice in which he was 

 imitated by the caliphs, who preached on the same 

 spot when they performed the haj. This hill, or ra- 

 ther granite rock, which is about 200 feet high, stands 

 about six hours' journey to the eastward of Mecca, at 



