Page 438 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat
P. 438

Ill
                                                                             I
          XX.]           SOUTHERN ARABIA.              411


          wasted in useless disputes with the neigh­
          bouring tribes; and, not content with the
          treasure amassed by his predecessor, he con­                       &
          tinued, under various pretences, to extort
          money from different individuals, until they
          fled from his dominions to avoid his arbitrary
          exactions, and Aden has gradually fallen
          into its present miserable state. A great
          many of the foreign articles consumed at                            :.v:

           Lahedsje, instead of coming from Aden, are
          even brought round by the way of Sana from
           MokM. Sultan Mahassan’s career has, how­                           1
                                                                              I
           ever, nearly ended: his enemies, before we
           left the coast, had sacked Aden; and the
           neighbouring tribes will not now cease from                        I
                                                                              $
           annoying him, until they possess themselves
           of a considerable share of that wealth which
           he has so disreputably acquired.
             Manufactures of ail kinds are scarce at                          !
           Yemen; but at Lahedsje I saw about thirty
           silk weavers at work. The yarn is received
           from India, and the colours are good.
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