'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎606] (699/905)

606
JIDDAH.
[CHAP. XXIII.
scene of indecencies and criminal acts. 1 Khatybs, imams,
muftis, olemas, mu'edh-dhins, and a crowd of menials are
employed and paid from the revenues of the mosque, to which
almost every district in the Turkish empire contributes.
Venerated In the town are shown the birth-place of Muhammed
spots - (Mouled-el-Neby) and the cell in which it is said he received
the leaves of the Koran from the angel Gabriel; also in the
vicinity is Jebel Abu Kobeys, where 'Omar called the people
to prayers, with many other spots equally interesting by being
traditionally connected with Muhammed ; amongst these, a
little way southward of the town, may be noticed the cave on
the summit of Jebel Thor, in which he took refuge with Abu
Bekr before he fled from the Mekkawis. 2
Description of At this place the territory has a width of two days' journey,
jiddah. yj z from the great chain here called Jeb-el-Rora Kharrah to
Jiddah, the port of the holy city. This last is a considerable
town, situated in the midst of a barren country covered with
saline earth, and without gardens or vegetation of any kind,
except a few date-trees. It is about 1500 paces in length, by
half as many in width, and surrounded on the land side by a
wall with towers and a ditch. There is a small castle at the
southern, and a battery at the opposite extremity of the town,
on which there is a piece of ordnance carrying a ball of 500 lbs.,
whose fame alone is considered a protection to Jiddah. 3 There
is a defective port with two small quays, only adapted for the
say, the smallest vessel that navigates the Red Sea; those of
greater size being obliged to anchor in the roadstead, about two
miles from the shore. 4 The best part of the town is a long
well-built street of two-storied houses, running parallel to
the sea, containing several good khans and lined with shops.
The other streets are not paved, though in general they are
wide and airy; the huts of the peasants and labourers form
part of the town, and the latter presents a complete mixture
of Indian, Arabian, and other families, amounting to 12,000
or 15,000 souls.
Jiddah is imperfectly supplied with water, partly from cis-
1 Burckhardt's Travels in Arabia, vol. I., p. 215.
8 Ibid., pp. 321, 322. 8 Ibid., p. 15. 4 Ibid., p. 16.