256 THE TRUCE OF GOD. 



"wandering Bedouin life. In the fifth century, how- 

 ever, it was restored by an enterprising man, and the 

 shrine was rebuilt. Mecca was no longer a wealthy 

 town ; it was no longer situated on one of the high- 

 ways of the world ; but it manufactured a celebrated 

 leather, and sent out two caravans a-year — one to 

 Syria, and one to Abyssinia. Some of the Meccans 

 were rich men : Byzantine gold pieces and Persian 

 copper coins circulated in abundance; the ladies dressed 

 themselves in silk, had Chinese looking-glasses, wore 

 shoes of perfumed leather, and made themselves 

 odorous of musk. It was the fame of Mecca as a 

 holy place which brought this wealth into the town. 

 The citizens lived upon the pilgrims. However, they 

 esteemed it a pious duty to give hospitality if it was 

 required to the " guests of God, who came from dis- 

 tant cities on their lean and jaded camels, fatigued 

 and harassed with the dirt and squalor of the way." 

 The poor pilgrims were provided during six days with 

 pottage of meat and bread and dates ; leather cisterns 

 filled with water were also placed at their disposal. 



During four months of the year there was a Truce 

 of God, and the Arab tribes, suspending their hostilities, 

 journeyed towards Mecca. As soon as they entered the 

 Sacred Valley they put on their palmers' weeds, pro- 

 ceeded at once to the Caaba, or house of God, walked 

 round it naked seven times, kissed the black stone, 

 and drunk of the waters of the famous well. Then a 

 kind of Eisteddfod was held. The young men com- 

 bated in martial games; poems were recited, and those 

 which gained the prize were copied with illuminated 

 characters, and hung up on the Caaba before the 

 golden-plated door. 



There was no regular government in the holy city, 



