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perature, taste, and clearness, as that of Zemzem. 
There are four that are public in the streets nearest to 
the temple, exactly like each other, and several in the 
most distant parts of the city. I am persuaded, from 
my observations, that the water which supplies all of 
them is one sheet, situated fifty-five feet under the sur- 
face of the ground, the quantity of which is owing to 
the filtration of rain water. The brackish taste it has 
is to be attributed to the decomposition of the saline 
particles mixed with the earth, from which it results, 
in the clearest manner, that as they have the same 
qualities, and spring from the same source as the water 
of Zemzem, they have the same virtue in drawing 
down the divine favour and blessing as the miraculous 
well. God be praised for it. 
The meat at Mecca is of an inferior quality, the 
sheep being very large but very thin. They hardly 
know the existence of fish, though the sea is not more 
than a dozen leagues distant. The herbs, &c. which 
they bring from Taif, and other neighbouring places, 
but particularly from Setna Fathma, consist of onions, 
turnips, cucumbers, purslain, capers, and a sort of 
sallad composed of leaves like cow grass. This plant, 
which it was impossible for me to see in its whole 
state, is called corrat. 
I never saw but one flower during the w T hole of my 
stay at Mecca, which was upon the way to Arafat. I 
ordered my servant to cut it and bring it to me; but 
he was perceived by the pilgrims, who ran immediate- 
ly to him, saying, it was a sin to pluck up or cut any 
plant during the pilgrimage to that place. I was there- 
fore obliged to renounce the idea of obtaining the only 
Hower I had seen. 
They make several sorts of drink with raisins,. 
