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SECTION VIII.

route from loheia to beit el fakih.

Chap. I.

Of our stay at Loheia.

Between Suez and Loheia, we had heard much of the independent Schiechs, who are unwilling to suffer strangers to enter their dominions. From this circumstance, we could not readily credit what was told us concerning the ease and security with which we might travel through the territories of the Imam of Sana. It was for this reason, that we had wished to go straight by sea to Mokha; although we had been often enough opposed by contrary winds, to make us weary of this mode of travelling. Two merchants of Mokha, who had set out with us, determined, however, to continue their journey by land. We thought it might be proper to accompany

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them into the city, where we might learn from the governor, whether we could be safe to travel by land between Loheia and Mokha.

Dola, or Emir, is the title which the Arabs give to the governors of cities. He of Loheia was an Emir, and his name was Farhan. He was a native of Africa, and entirely black; but had been brought into Arabia in his youth, and sold to a man of rank, who was since dead, after having occupied one of the first offices in the service of the Imam. He had given young Farhan a good education, and had obtained for him a small office, in which he gave so much satisfaction, that his merit soon raised him to be Dola of a considerable city. We found him to possess the dignified politeness of a nobleman, the strictest integrity, and the candid benevolence of a true friend to mankind.

We explained to him our situation; and told him that we were Europeans, and wished to go by Hodeida to Mokha, where we hoped to find some English ships, in which we might take our passage to India; but, being stangers to the country through which we were to travel, had brought a letter to him from the Kiaja of Jidda, and another from one of the principal merchants in Jidda to Mæchsen-el-Makkawifch, the chief merchant in Loheia. The Emir had known a good many Europeans, or

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Franks, at Mokha, but had never before seen any arrayed in the garb of the East, which is, however, universally worn by the Oriental Christians. We knew, that the Mussulmans regard Christians with greater esteem than those of any other religious community except their own. When we were asked, therefore, by Emir Farhan, whether we were Franks or Nazarites, we replied that we were both; fearing that he might perhaps take the Europeans for Pagans. Mæchsen, the merchant, was then sick; but the Emir sent for his clerk, to receive the letter in our hands, addressed to him.

Hitherto, this governor had known no Europeans but India merchants. He was surprised, when he understood, from the letters, that one of us was a physician; another in search of plants; and a third, an observer of stars. Struck with this singularity, and supposing that we might not be in very great haste, he proposed to us to stay some time at Loheia, offering to send us to Mokha upon his own camels. Mæschen, the merchant, who, needed a physician, earnestly invited us, at the same time, to take up our lodgings in one of his houses.

We were delighted thus to find the Arabs more civilized the farther we proceeded from Egypt, and to meet with so polite a reception among the people who were the objects of our enquiries.

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enquiries. We were still more delighted to find that people themselves contributing to afford us opportunities of transversing their country unsuspected. To hide our joy at the proposal, we expressed our fears of danger in travelling so near the seat of the war between the the Schiech of Mekkrami and the Sherriffe of Abu Arisch. But the Emir assured us, that we should be safe from all danger at Loheia, and might travel in full security through the whole territories of his master the Imam.

We no longer hesitated to quit the vessel. The captain, not having taken the precaution to exact payment for our passage, when we came first on board, now applied to the governor, begging him to compel us to pay in full for our passage to Hodeida. The Emir generously replied, that he would pay his demand from his own purse, if we refused; and the merchant Mæchsen made the same promise. We did not put the generosity of our Arabian friends to the trial; but felt ourselves deeply indebted to them for their offers and services.

When we spoke of the conveyance of our baggage to the shore, the Emir sent his own boat for it; and, to spare us all trouble, directed the merchant’s cleric to satisfy the officers of the customs. In the evening, he sent us an excellent sheep, as a present of welcome, and accompanied

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it with a letter, in which he called us his guests, and assured us of his friendship. His boat having only mat-sails, moved so slowly, that we could not bring all our effects on shore in one day, which gave us some concern, lest we might lose what remained behind, or be robbed of what lay on the shore. The Emir, understanding that we were uneasy upon this head, immediately sent some soldiers to guard our baggage.

We passed the night on the shore, whither our good friend Mæchsen, who very naturally supposed that our cooking utensils must be yet in confusion, sent us an excellent supper. Nothing was wanting but wine; and our stock of bad brandy, which we had brought from Jidda, was by this time finished. We might have supplied ourselves with wine, and other liquors, from the Jews of Sana, who manufacture large quantities of those articles: but we should have been obliged to carry them in copper vessels, which would have rendered them noxious to the health, they offered us a sort of bowza, which we found nauseous. We were therefore obliged to content ourselves with the prospect of living without strong liquors of any kind for some months.

Our trunks were carried next day to the custom-house: they were opened; and we were

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afraid that they might be strictly examined. But the custom-house officers behaved with great civility. We had remarked, that the Emir’s attention was fixed upon our instruments solely, and that he seemed anxious to understand the uses of them: We therefore explained to him whatever he wished to know. Mr Forskal shewed him some small objects through a microscope; and he was most agreeably surprised to see minute insects magnified to so large a size.

The house assigned us for a lodging was built in the Eastern fashion, with a square court in the middle. There was not one well-furnished room in it; yet it consisted of several distinct apartments, into which the entrance was through an open gallery, which extended all around it. This lodging was far from being elegant, in comparison with the splendid inns in Europe; but in Arabia, it was both elegant and commodious. At last, our court was constantly filled with crowds of people, curious to see us. This we found troublesome; and therefore hired a porter, who suffered none to enter, but persons who had business to transact with us.

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Chap. II.

Of the City of Loheia.

The City of Loheia has stood only for these three centuries. Its founder and patron was a Mahometan saint, called Schiech Wei, who built a hut on the shore where Loheia now stands, and spent there the rest of his days as a hermit. After his death, a Kabbet, or house of prayer, was raised over his tomb; and it was afterwards by degrees embellished and endowed. Some devout persons, imagining that it would be a great happiness to them to live near the remains of so holy a person, built huts for themselves about his tomb. Nearly at the same time, the harbour of Marabea, a neighbouring city, in which a governor refilled, was filled up. The inhabitants, upon this, deserted their city, and settled at Loheia, whither the seat of Government was also transferred.

I remarked, upon this occasion, that the Sunnites, the prevalent sect in this province, although forbidden by the Koran to pay any acts of worship to created beings, yet regard their

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saints with very singular veneration. In this part of Arabia, the posterity of the saints are treated with as much respect as is shewn to the posterity of Mahomet at Mecca. Every person who can number a reputed saint among his ancestors, is dignified with the title of Schiech, and considered as an ecclesiastic by birth. Families thus find it their interest to establish, by every possible means, the sanctity of the person to whom they owe their origin, and to maintain the authenticity of the miracles ascribed to him. In this manner is superstition daily extending its influence among the Mahometans, and feigned miracles are constantly multiplying. The territory of Loheia is arid and barren. The harbour is so indifferent, that even the smallest vessels are obliged to anchor at a great distance from the city; and, when the tide is at ebb, laden boats cannot approach near it. Notwithstanding this disadvantage, a considerable trade in coffee is carried on from Loheia; the coffee is brought from the neighbouring hills, and exposed in one large heap for sale. This coffee is not reputed to be so good as that which conies from Beit es Fakih, and is shipped at Mokha and Hodeida. But coffee is to be purchased here upon more reasonable terms; and the carriage to Jidda costs less. On this account, several merchants from Cairo live at Loheia, and

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others come annually hither to make purchases of coffee. In this city, are also forty poor Banians, employed in different trades.

Loheia, although without walls, is not entirely defenceless. Twelve towers, guarded by soldiers, stand at equal distances round it These towers resemble those in some of the imperial cities of Germany; the height of its gates renders it necessary to climb up to them upon ladders. In Turkey, and even in Europe, it would have been dangerous to approach near such fortifications, in order to examine them. But the Arab guards sat smoking their pipes, and drinking Kischer, and gave me no interruption in my walks about them. Some of the officers even invited me to sit down and partake of their refreshments. They put many questions to me concerning the military skill of the Europeans, and seemed to be surprised at what I told them. I shewed them our invention for writing without ink, and in their presence, drew with a pencil, the lines and angles necessary for laying down the plan of the city, while they had no suspicion of my purpose, but called on their comrades from the neighbouring towers to see my exhibition.

Only one of those towers, and that newly built by Emir Farhan, is such as to admit of being defended by cannons. The rest are so ill built, that the Arabs of Haschid, some time since,

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made their way through them, and set fire to the city. The inhabitants are sensible of the weakness of their fortifications. After our departure, upon some hundreds of those Arabs advancing through the province, towards the shore, many of the inhabitants left Loheia, and took refuge in a small island, carrying with them their most precious effects. But their terror proved to have been premature; for Emir Farhan no sooner put his troops in motion, than those contemptible enemies retreated.

Several of the houses in Loheia are built of stone; but the greater part are huts constructed in that fashion which is common among the Arabs. The walls are of mud mixed with dung; and the roof is thatched with a sort of grass which is very common here. Around the walls, within, are a range of beds made of straw, on which, notwithstanding their simplicity, a person may either sit or ly commodiously enough. Such a house is not large enough to be divided into separate apartments; it has seldom windows, and its door is only a straw mat. When an Arab has a family and cattle, he builds, for their accommodation, several such huts, and incloses the whole with a strong wooden fence. The population of the cities of Arabia, therefore, cannot be proportionate to their extent.

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Lime is prepared in the neighbourhood of this city, by the calcination of coral from the sea, in the open air, and without a furnace. In the larger masses, when they were broken, we often saw oblong shells, with the animal still alive within them. These seas abound in beautiful shells and uncommon fishes.

The water at Loheia is very bad, and is brought from a distance. The common people drink from a well, which is a league from the city. The best water, which, however; cannot be praised as good, comes from two leagues and a half’s distance. As wheeled carriages are unknown here, this water is carried upon camels or asses; not in skins, as in Egypt and Turkey, but in earthen jars, a number of which hang upon each side of a camel. Within two leagues of the city is a small hill which affords considerable quantities of mineral salt.

Chap. III.

Of the Inhabitants of Loheia.

From all that we saw, and from all that befel us in this city, we judged the inhabitants to be curious, intelligent, and polished in their manners.

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All were eager to see the Europeans, and the wonders which they performed. After we had employed a porter, those who had no other pretext upon which they might obtain admission to us, pretended to consult our physician. One asked him to feel his pulse, and to tell him what medicines or regimen he stood in need of; while another enquired, how it came that he could not sleep?

We had one opportunity of learning their ideas of the benefits to be derived from medicine. Mr Cramer had given a scribe a vomit, which operated with extreme violence. The Arabs being struck at its wonderful effects, resolved all to take the same excellent remedy; and the reputation of our friend’s skill thus became very high among them. The Emir Bahr, or inspector of the port, sent one day for him; and as he did not go immediately, the Emir soon after, sent a saddled horse to our gate. Mr Cramer, supposing that this horse was intended to bear him to the Emir, was going to mount him, when he was told, that this was the patient he was to cure. We luckily found out another physician in our party. Our Swedish servant had served among the hussar troops in his native country, and in that service, had learned some knowledge of the diseases of horses. He offered to cure the Emir’s horse, and succeeded.

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The cure rendered him famous: and he was often sent for afterwards, to human patients. The Arabian physicians extend their care equally to men and horses, and even to all other creatures.

When we shewed our microscopes to Emir Farhan at the customhouse, the other Arabs were all astonished as well as he, to see the size of the insects so much magnified. A servant, who saw one of those magnified insects, said that they were the growth of Europe, and that those of Arabia, were, in comparison, exceedingly diminutive. But, nothing surprised the people of distinction more, than when they saw through a telescope, a woman walking: they could not conceive how it happened, that although she appeared topsy-turvy, yet her under garments did not turn about her ears, and exclaimed repeatedly, Allah Akbar, God is Great.

The children, observing that we gathered insects, brought great numbers, which they asked us to buy. Those who were grown up, shewed also many indications of a turn for industry, which if properly directed and encouraged, might render this people a commercial nation.

Two Arabs came, one day, to see us eat. The one was a young nobleman of Sana, who had received a good education; the other a man of some consequence, from the province of Hachtan, where few strangers are ever seen, and the greatest

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simplicity of manners still prevails. When we invited them to dine with us, the latter earnestly replied, “God preserve me from eating with infidels who believe not in God.” When I asked him some particulars concerning his country, he replied, “What is my country to you? Do you want to conquer it?” He was astonished at every thing he saw, our spoons, our plates, our forks. He asked some simple questions which excited laughter. He then went out in a passion, and his companion from Sana had some difficulty to persuade him back. When he came back, he saw whole fowls before us, which surprised that sober Arab not a little, as he imagined that we had eaten too much before. When, at last, he saw Mr Von Haven about to carve one of these fowls, he stepped forward, and seized him by the arm, saying, with a peevish tone, “What! wilt thou eat still?” He then went out in a rage, and would not return. The young man from Sana apologized for him, and begged us to excuse the simplicity of his countryman.

Mr Baurenfiend and I sometimes diverted ourselves with playing on the violin, which led such as happened to overhear us, to think us musicians. A rich merchant sent for us to come with our instruments to his house. We refused, because the Arabs look with contempt upon musicians

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by profession. The merchant, being old, and not able to walk so far, mounted an ass, and came with two servants supporting him, to our house, in order to gratify his curiosity, by seeing and hearing us. He was very polite, and assured us, that he had no aversion to Chritians; for, that a diversity of religions was tolerated by God, the Creator of all. After some conversation, he expressed a wish to see our violins, and hear us play upon them. We played some solemn tunes, which are more to the taste of the Orientals, than our gayer music. He seemed to be pleased, and offered each of us half a crown at parting. The Arabs refuse no presents, however small, and he was not a little surprised when we declined accepting his money; especially as he could not conceive what inducements any person could have to learn music, if not to gain by it.

This merchant was one of those few who wear their beards dyed red; a custom which seems to be disapproved by the more judicious Arabs. His reason to us was, that a red beard was handsomer than a white one; but others told us, that he had the weakness to think to conceal his age by this silly disguise. He told us, that he was above seventy years of age; but his acquaintance affirmed that he was not under ninety. We had observed of the Mussulmans in general, however,

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that they seldom know their own age exactly. They reckon by the most remarkable incidents in their lives, and say, I was a child when such an event happened, or when such a one was governor of the province or city.

This merchant often afterwards invited us to his house, and became at length so familiar, as to entertain us with a detail of his adventures. If we might believe his story, he had enjoyed, one after another, near an hundred young and beautiful female slaves, all of whom he had sold, given in marriage, or restored to liberty, after keeping them for some time. He had still two of these; and he would die content, he said, if he could only forget the frailty of old age now and then in their company; he offered to make our physician a considerable present, if he could restore him so much of the vigour of youth, as might qualify him for this enjoyment. Another merchant, who was fifty years of age, had promised our physician an hundred crowns, if he would give him some remedies to fit him for the enjoyment of some young and beautiful female slaves, whom he had in a house at Mecca. But he was so exhausted by excessive indulgence, that neither Mr Cramer’s prescription, not yet those of the surgeons of some English ships, whom he had before consulted, could restore his genial vigour.

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The women of Loheia wear large veils in the street, which cover their countenances so entirely, that only one of their eyes can be discovered, and that but imperfectly. Yet they make no difficulty of unveiling before strangers, as they pass, especially if they happen to think themselves pretty, and are sure that they are not observed by any of their countrymen. Mr Baurenfeind made a drawing of one of those females. Her brow, cheeks, and chin, were ornamented with black spots, impressed into the skin, and she had also her eyes artificially blackened.

Chap. IV.

Departure from Loheia.

After examining all that seemed worthy of notice in this city, and its neighbourhood, we became desirous to proceed on our journey, and to visit the other parts of Yemen. It was requisite, however, that we should assign a reason to our friend Farhan for our earnestness to depart. By good fortune we learned that an English vessel was arrived at Mokha: but this vessel, the Emir well knew, was not to sail from that harbour till June. We told him, therefore, that we

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had some immediate business to transact with our countrymen that were newly arrived; upon which account we meant to set out for Beit el Fakih, and after testing there a short time, to continue our journey to Mukha. He answered, that we were surely dissatisfied with our entertainment at Loheia, otherwise we would not think of quitting it so soon; and yet no governor could take more concern to serve us than he. After convincing him that we were actually under a necessity of setting out for Mokha, we prepared for our departure.

We had made a large collection of natural curiosities, the carriage of which by land would have cost a great expence. We resolved, therefore, to send by sea our trunks, and all the baggage that we were not likely to need at Beit el Fakih. The governor did us the kindness of sending, by the same conveyance, a letter to the Dola of Mokha, in which he asked him to suffer our effects to remain untouched at the custom-house, till we ourselves should arrive.

When we sent to take leave of our friend Emir Farhan, he was indisposed, and we could not see him. But when he heard, that we had determined to sct out, he desired that we would come to him very late in the evening. We found him in company with several Arabs; before him lay an English telescope which I had lent him,

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a piece of silk stuff, and a parcel of crowns. He would return me my telescope, but I insisted that he should keep it; which; after long refusal, he at last, with visible satisfaction, consented to do. The piece of silk, with twenty crowns, were a present intended for our physician; and the rest of the crowns he pressed us to accept, in order to pay the hire for our asses and camels. He and his company testified the strongest surprize, when they saw us refuse the money thus offered us; for instead of refusing, Turkish travellers are ready to demand such gratuities.

We were unwilling to be burthensome to the Arabs, and would therefore accept of nothing from them, without making a recompense. We made the Emir a present of a watch, which, having never before had one of his own, he knew not how to manage. A merchant from Cairo, who was settled at Loheia, promised to wind it up every day. We parted with sincere regret from this good governor.

We hired camels for our baggage, and horses for ourselves. In Arabia, Christians are not prohibited the use of horses; but these can rarely be had for hire. The usual mode of travelling here, is upon asses; which in this province are large, strong, spirited, and walk with a pace, not the most pleasant to the rider.

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Travelling being as little exposed to danger in Yemen, as in any other country in the world, we did not need to wait for the setting out of any caravan. We therefore left Loheia alone, on the 10th of February, sending the camels before, and following them ourselves, within a few hours, upon our asses.

Chap. V.

Route by Tehama.

The territory of Yemen is naturally divided into two distinct provinces. That part which borders on the Arabic gulph is a sandy plain, which, as it spreads backward, rises by a gradual ascent, into hills, and terminates in a lofty range of mountains. The plain is called Tehama. We had to cross it on our way to Beit el Fakih.

In the first day of our journey, we travelled through a parched and barren tract of country, along an arm of the sea, which penetrates a considerable way into the land. We rested in a coffee house situate near a village. Mokeya is the name given by the Arabs to such coffee-houses which stand in the open country, and are intended, like our inns, for the accommodation of travellers.

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They are mere huts, and are scarcely furnished with a Serir, or long seat of straw ropes; nor do they afford any refreshment but Kischer, a hot infusion of coffee-beans. This drink is served out in coarse earthen cups; but persons of distinction carry always porcelain cups in their baggage. Fresh water is distributed gratis. The master of the coffee-house lives commonly in some neighbouring village, whence he comes every day to wait for passengers.

After a journey of six German miles, we arrived by midnight, at a large city in which a Sub-Dola resides, with a few soldiers. Emir Farhan had given us a letter to the deputy-governor, with an order to the inhabitants to supply us with a sheep, which, however, we did not chuse to accept. But we came afterwards to understand, that the inhabitants had been obliged to pay a sum of money equivalent to the value of the sheep, which had been shared between the Sub-Dola and a servant of the Emir’s who accompanied us, upon business of his own. In the other villages through which we passed, therefore, we made no difficulty of accepting the sheep which the Emir had ordered us.

Through the whole country, we found water scarce and bad. But we met with many large villages, less distant from one another than we should have expected in so barren a plain. Menegre

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is one of those villages, of which we were led to take particular notice, by finding in it the first Mansale that we saw. A Mansale is a house in which travellers are received and entertained gratis, if they will be content with such treatment as is usual in the country; they are all lodged in one common apartment, which is furnished with a Serir, and are served with Kischer, hot millet bread, camels milk and butter. When the master of this Mansale understood that some European guests were arrived, he came to see whether his servants treated us properly; and was going to kill a sheep for our entertainment, if we had stayed longer. He caused wheat bread to be baked for us, which is in this province very rare; and made them bring cow-milk, when he saw us nauseate the viscidity of the camel’s milk. Our Arabian servant let us know, that he might be disobliged, if we should offer any compensation for his kind hospitality; but the attendant who served us with those things, took an opportunity, in a place where he could not be seen by his master, to ask a small gratuity.

At Dahhi, a large village, where is a mosque, the tomb of a saint, and several houses built of stone, we stayed a whole day. Near this, we saw a tannery, and a manufacture of earthen ware, which is prepared in the open air, and without a furnace. We saw, likewise, indigo

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manufactured here; it is sold at a cheap rate, but is of a bad quality. Much of this dying stuff is used here; for the women, among the commonalty, wear blue shirts and drawers.

From this village, there is a direct road leading to Beit el Fakih. But the tract of country through which it passes, is extremely arid, and almost uninhabited, and affords scarcely any water. We therefore preferred a longer road, nearer the mountains, and found reason to be pleased with our choice; for we met with several small woods, a number of villages skirted with bushes, and many wells, which were from an hundred and sixty, to an hundred and seventy feet deep; but happily for both men and beasts, dug in stopping ground; for, as the water is to be raised by a cord dragging a leathern bucket, this is more easily accomplished in a going down hill, than if the ground were barely level, or an ascent were to be climbed.

We passed two large villages, under the jurisdiction of the governor of Beit el Fakih; but neither of these did any thing remarkable offer itself to our observation. But in two places upon this journey, we saw spots scattered with small villages, bearing all the same name; from which we were led to think, that some small detached tribes might have settled, each in a particular district of this province. We passed

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two of those vallies so common in Arabia, which, when heavy rains fall, are filled with water, and are then called wadi, or rivers, although perfectly dry at other times of the year.

After resting a night in one of those wretched coffee-houses, we arrived, in the morning of the 25th of February at Beit el Fakih, and had our trunks sent immediately to the custom-house; but they were not inspected till noon, and then in the presence of the Dola. We, in the mean time, delivered letters of recommendation from Mæchsen of Loheia to Ambar Seif, one of the principal merchants in Beit el Fakih. This worthy man received us in a very obliging manner, hired us a house, saw our effects carried thither, and invited us to dine with him, till we could have matters put into order in our own habitation.

Chap. VI.

Of the City of Beit el Fakih.

This city is situated on a plain, which, although far from being naturally fertile, is, however, carefully cultivated. The houses join not

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one to another, but are built separate. Many are of stone; and the mode of building is every day improving: many, however, are still in that style of architecture which I had occasion to remark when speaking of Loheia. In the city of Beit el Fakih is a citadel, which is thought of the utmost importance in a country where armies are without artillery.

The house which we occupied was a building of stone; but the proprietor had been dislodged by a species of ants, named, by the Arabs, Ard. These ants, which are well known to naturalists, form covert ways, through which they introduce themselves into houses, where they destroy equally cloths and provisions of all kinds. They are not less troublesome in gardens, where they also form their covert ways, between the root and the top of trees, wasting the sap, and devouring the buds and the extremities of the branches. Our chambers were full of them: We took the measures which are ordinarily employed, to quit ourselves of them; destroying their cells and passages several times successively. The insect indeed restores these with amazing rapidity, especially in the dark; but it at length yields. On our way hither, we had observed a number of bushes covered with earth, in which were a vast quantity of galleries formed by those little animals. The

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shrub which they had attacked in this manner was always withered.

The city of Beit el Fakih is not of ancient origin. It has existed only for some centuries; and, like Loheia, owes its rise to a saint, called Achmed iba Musa, from whom it has derived its name; Beit el Fakih meaning the house or dwelling of the sage. The tomb of that saint is shewn without the city, upon a sandy hill, where a fine mosque has been reared. At first, some devout persons built themselves cottages round the tomb. The harbour of Ghalefka was about the same time choaked up; and the inhabitants of that city, for the convenience of trade, then removed all their effects to the vicinity of this tomb, and settled about it. When it had thus become a considerable city, the Lord of the territory built a citadel for its defence, in a place where water had been found. The city is now nearer the tomb; and the vicinity of the tomb is almost deserted.

That saint was a great worker of miracles. The following is the most wonderful which he performed. A Turkish Pacha, who had been for twenty years a captive in Spain, where he was bound with massy and ponderous chains to two large stones, had long invoked, in vain, the aid of several different saints. At last, he bethought him of the great Achmed, and

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him also in his turn. The saint stretched out his hand from his tomb; and, at that very instant, the Pacha arrived from Spain, bearing with him his stones and chains. The miracle took place on the evening of the anniversary festival of the saint, in the presence of many witnesses. Such a miracle, of so late a date, and performed so publicly, they consider as proved by the most unexceptionable evidence.

So modern a city cannot contain many antiquities of an interesting nature. Yet I copied here an ancient Kufic inscription, in the presence of many spectators, none of whom suspected me, as the Egyptians had done, of any intention to seek out and pilfer their treasures. They were all very obliging, and especially the Schechs, or learned Arabs, who seemed pleased that strangers should shew a desire to acquire their language. In this city, as well as in Loheia, I obtained much information from a class of Arab literati, who come much about us. These are denominated Fakih, and no where through Arabia do their circumstances appear to correspond to their merit.

The city of Beit el Fakih is in a favourable situation for trade; being only half a day’s journey from the hills in which the coffee grows, and but a few days journies from the harbours of Loheia, Hodeida, and Mokha, from which

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this commodity is exported; it naturally becomes the most considerable mart for it. This trade brings hither merchants from Egypt, Syria, Barbary, Persia, Habbesch, India, and often from Europe. Here are also, as in all the other great towns in Arabia, a number of Banians, all of them natives of Diu, who are allowed the free exercise of their religion. Yet they dare not bring their women hither, nor burn their dead: and these prohibitions induce them to return to their native country, assoon as they have accummulated a little fortune.

Beit el Fakih is the residence of a Dola, whose jurisdiction extends over a large district. This Dola seemed to take little concern about us; and his indifference left us more at liberty than we had been at Loheia. Emir Farhan, having understood that Mr Forskal rambled out through the neighbourhood by himself, thought that he might fall into some mishap, by exposing himself so carelessly, and therefore would not suffer us to go out of Loheia, without having one of his soldiers to accompany us. This kind of assiduity proved troublesome to us; as we did not wish to have a witness to overhear all our enquiries, and spy all our operations. Besides, we found the inhabitants of Yemen in such a state of civilization, that we could travel among them with

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the same safety as in Europe. The Dola of Beit el Fakih did us a real favour by neglecting us, and suffering us to travel about the country, unincumbered with attendants.