Page 194 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

x.J COAST or ARABIA. 175

paid by him. I observe, likewise, that all the
castles on the Syrian Hajj route are garri­
soned by the same class. On the arrival of
the caravan, only the soldiers who accompany
it are permitted to encamp within the fortifi­
cation ; the pilgrims and the Bedowins pitch
their tents outside, near the walls, about two
hundred yards on the north side of the castle.
During their stay a brisk trade is carried on

with the Bedowins, who assemble from the
surrounding country, bartering their sheep,
g’hi, &c., for powder and cloth. Scattered
among the numerous date-trees that surround
the castle, there are about one hundred and
fifty huts constructed of cadjans, and some
few stone houses rudely built, and occupied
by the cultivators of the trees. A few per­
sons also reside here for the purpose of sup­
plying the small Hajj boats that put in with
provisions and water.

Near the wells, which are lined with stone,
we saw some gardens which produce grapes,
the nebek*, melons, &c., with a few vege­
tables, barely sufficient for the consumption

* Rhamnus Nabk.