MEDINA. 259 



considerable : the latter are reduced to about a dozen 

 families, who live apart by themselves, and still rank 

 among the grandees of the town. A few individuals 

 claiming the honour of descent from the Abbassides 

 still reside at Medina in a state of poverty, and are 

 known by the appellation of Caliphi, implying the 

 illustrious source whence they are sprung. 



The mixed race, of which the greater portion of 

 the inhabitants are composed, all become Arabs as 

 to features and character in course of the second or 

 third generation. In their disposition they are less 

 lively and cheerful than the Meccawees; but, though 

 they appear outwardly more religious, and display 

 more gravity and circumspection in their manners, 

 their moral character is not better, nor are their 

 vices fewer, than those of their neighbours. Their 

 style of living is poor ; though their houses are well 

 furnished, and their expense in dress and entertain- 

 ments is very considerable. As many of them are 

 descended from northern Turks, they retain much 

 of the costume as well as the habits of that nation. 

 Every body, from the highest to the lowest, carries 

 in his hand a bludgeon or long heavy stick. The 

 rich have theirs headed with silver ; others fix iron 

 spikes to them, and thus make a formidable weapon, 

 which the Arabs handle with great dexterity in 

 their frequent bloody affrays. 



No great or wealthy merchants are settled here ; 

 the trade is merely retail, and those who possess 

 capital generally invest it in goods ; there not be- 

 ing any public institution like banks, or commercial 

 companies, or national funds, from which the capi- 

 talist might derive interest for his money. As the 

 law rigorously prohibits usury, this source of gain is 

 left wholly in the hands of Jews and Christians, 



