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each angle; one between the Beb Ziada and the Beb 
Douriba; and the other two separated from the body 
of the building, among the neighbouring houses at the 
north-east wing. They are all of the same form, 
namely, octangular, and with three bodies; but they 
are not all of the same size. 
The walls of the temple are connected on the out- 
side by houses; so that it has not any external front; 
and there are some of the houses which have windows 
that overlook the interior of the building. 
The two sacred hills, SafFa and Meroua, may be 
considered as dependant on the temple, by the obliga- 
tion imposed upon all the pilgrims to visit them as 
soon as they have been round the Kaaba. They were 
situated outside of the town in the time of the Prophet, 
but are now within the confines^ in consequence of 
the increase of buildings: there are even whole streets 
of houses erected upon the mountains themselves. 
SafFa is at a short distance from the temple. It is 
situated to the south-east, and obliquely opposite to 
the door of the same name, at the foot of the mountain 
Djebel Koubiis. It is the spot where the black stone 
descended from heaven. 
At the end of a short but wide street that leads to 
the mountain, which has a gentle slope, there is a por- 
tal of three arches, supported by huge pillars: it is 
ascended by four steps, which extend the length of the 
arches in front. It is here that the pilgrims recite the 
prayer of SafFa. 
Meroua is a little farther distant upon the northern 
side. 
At the end of the street which leads to it is a plat- 
form of twenty-five or thirty feet square, surrounded 
