Page 272 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

XII.] COAST OF ARABIA. 253

in supplying the crew, both native and Eu­
ropean, at every opportunity, with the best
fresh provisions. Dysentery, fevers, and
ulcers on the legs, are common at Yembo’ and
Jiddah.
I observe that sickness to a considerable
extent generally prevails during the hajj
season on the sea-coast and at Mecca. The
unhealthy situation of that city, the indif­

ferent quality of its water, and the fatigues
of travelling, joined to the dangerous custom
of changing the garments unusually worn for
the Ihram, all contributed towards producing
frequent and fatal diseases. These, however,
were few and trifling compared to the pro­
digious mortality which has occurred this
year (1831), by a visitation (I believe the
first on record) of the cholera. That fatal
disease had shown itself in some few cases
previous to the hajj, and was supposed by
the Arabs to have been brought by the
Indians ; but it was not until the whole mul­
titude had assembled that it reached its ut­

most violence. Its virulence became at
length so great, that it is computed nearly
one half of the pilgrims fell victims to it.