HISTORY OF THE WAHABEES. 303 



where the labour and expense of artificial irrigation 

 were necessary. Merchants paid yearly two and a 

 half per cent, on their capital, though they seldom 

 returned an account of more than one-fourth of 

 their property. The most considerable portion of 

 his revenue was drawn from his own domains. 

 As he made it a rule, whenever any of the conquer- 

 ed cities or districts rebelled, to plunder them for 

 the first offence and confiscate for the second, most 

 of the landed property in Nejed had accrued to the 

 public treasury (Beit el Mai), and was let out to 

 farmers, who were obliged to pay a third, or a half, 

 of the produce, according to circumstances. Many 

 villages of Hejaz, the pastures near the Syrian De- 

 sert, and the mountains towards Yemen, were thus 

 attached to the exchequer at Deraiah. The sheiks 

 were not allowed any concern in the taxes; but 

 they met the collectors at the spots appointed for pay- 

 ment, which were generally watering-places, where 

 the people were directed to repair. 



The income of Saoud was much more than suf- 

 ficient to defray the public expenditure, though it 

 was by no means so great as was generally report- 

 ed. The largest amount, according to Burckhardt's 

 information, in one year was 2,000,000 of dollars 

 (431,250) j but on an average it did not exceed 

 1,000,000 annually. The outlay for military purposes 

 must have been trifling, as there was no standing army 

 and no regular pay. The costliest part of the esta- 

 blishment were his guests and his horses. Of the 

 latter he had no fewer than 2000 as his own proper- 

 ty ; for some of which he gave the extravagant price 

 of 500 or 600. When an expedition was me- 

 ditated against the enemy, the sheiks levied soldiers 



