Page 284 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

XIII. ] COAST OF ARABIA. 265

tion of pilgrims, are salutary and judicious.
The number of passengers assigned to each

vessel is limited in proportion to her size,
which number she is on no account permitted
to exceed. Many of these boats make several
voyages during the season. To prevent con­
fusion, or the exercise of any undue prefer­
ence, a register is kept of the pilgrims as they
arrive, and they are subsequently embarked
in the same order. The amount of passage
money cannot be fixed at any precise sum,
since all pay according to their supposed

means; but among the middle classes it may
be averaged at six dollars from Suez, and four
dollars from Kosair.
The pilgrims provide their own provisions
and water; the former they obtain from the
Bedowins at the different anchorages, sheep
and goats being brought by these tribes for
sale whenever boats are observed to approach
the coast. Yet as they never take more than
three or four days’ supply of the latter, great

distress is occasionally experienced when the
boats are detained by contrary winds, in
places where they are unable to obtain this
necessary article.