HISTORY OF THE WAHABEES. 301 



the work of destruction was abandoned ; a circum- 

 stance ascribed to a visible miracle wrought by the 

 Prophet in favour of his monument. The tomb 

 itself was left uninjured; but Saoud prohibited as 

 idolatrous all visits, prayers, or adorations addressed 

 to it; no other mark of devotion being allowed but 

 the regular pilgrimage. Here, as at Mecca, the due 

 observance of prayer, and the negation of silk and 

 tobacco, were imposed with great strictness. At the 

 appointed hours a body of Arabs, armed with large 

 sticks, had orders to patrol the streets and drive 

 the inhabitants to the common place of worship. 

 The names of all the adult males were called over 

 in the mosque after morning, noonday, and evening 

 prayers, and such as did not answer to the roll were 

 punished. A respectable woman, accused of having 

 smoked a hookah, was paraded through the streets 

 on a jackass, with the pipe suspended from her neck, 

 round which was twisted the long flexible tube. 



Between the capture of Mecca and that of Me- 

 dina happened the death of Abdelazeez, who was as- 

 sassinated, in October 1803, by a Persian whose 

 relations the Wahabees had murdered. His eldest 

 son Saoud was unanimously elected his successor ; 

 and in the necessary qualities of a religious leader 

 he far surpassed his father. He had been trained to 

 war from his youth, having carried arms in battle 

 when only at the age of twelve. For many years 

 he had conducted all the wars ; and to him may be 

 ascribed the conquest of Hejaz. From the time, 

 however, that his reign began, it was remarked that 

 he never fought personally in any engagement, but 

 always directed his army from a position at some 

 distance in the rear. In person he is said to have 



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