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and a shawl equally light and white, which covers his 
head, passing round his neck once, and falling with 
the ends before. * 
The Kaaba, and the stones of Ismael, are situated 
nearly in the centre of the temple, and occupy the 
middle of an oval or irregular elliptical surface, which 
forms a zone of thirty-nine feet wide round the edifice, 
upon which the pilgrims make their tours round the 
Kaaba. It is paved with fine marble, and is situated 
upon the lowest plane of the temple. 
This plane is surrounded by an irregular elliptical 
one thirty-one feet wide, and one foot higher than the 
former. It is paved with common square hewn stones. 
Upon the step that forms the boundary between the 
two planes*, there are placed a series of thirty-one 
columns, or thin pillars of bronze, with one of stone 
at each extremity. They are about seven feet six inches 
high, from the bottom to the top of the capitals, upon 
which are fastened the ends of iron bars, that go from 
one to the other, and from which is suspended a num- 
ber of lamps. The capital of each pillar has a gilded 
ornament, about two feet high, terminated by a cres- 
cent. The pillars are cylindrical, and are about three 
inches in diameter: there is a sort of string at about half 
their height. They have a cylindrical stone base, about 
a foot high, and the same in diameter. 
The lamps are shaped almost like a globe, and are 
composed of very thick green glass, which is not very 
transparent. They are disposed without order or re- 
. gularity between the pillars, and are lighted every 
evening. 
Upon the outer plane are the places of prayer for 
the other three orthodox Mussulman rites, which are 
called, 
Voi, IL N 
