The Best Balsam Is Produced Upon Stony Hills Like
Arafat And Muna.
In hot weather incisions are made in the bark, and the
soft gum which exudes is collected in bottles.
The best kind is of the
consistence of honey, and yellowish-brown, like treacle. It is
frequently adulterated with water, when, if my informant Shaykh
Abdullah speak truth, it becomes much lighter in weight. I never heard
of the vipers which Pliny mentions as abounding in these trees, and
which Bruce declares were shown to him alive at Jeddah and at Yambu’. Dr.
Carter found the balm, under the name of Luban Dukah, among the Gara
tribe of Eastern Arabia, and botanists have seen it at Aden. We may
fairly question its being originally from the banks of the Jordan.
[FN#27] This being one of the “Muharramat,” or actions forbidden to a
pilgrim. At all times, say the Moslems, there are three vile trades,
viz., those of the Harik al-Hajar (stone-burner), the Kati’ al-Shajar
(tree-cutter, without reference to Hawarden, N.B.), and the Bayi’
al-Bashar (man-seller, vulg. Jallab).
[FN#28] This attire was customary even in Al-Idrisi’s time.
[FN#29] From India to Abyssinia the umbrella is the sign of royalty:
the Arabs of Meccah and Sena’a probably derived the custom from the
Hindus.
[FN#30] I purposely omit long descriptions of the Sharif, my
fellow-travellers, Messrs. Didier and Hamilton, being far more
competent to lay the subject before the public. A few political remarks
may not be deemed out of place. The present Sharif, despite his
civilised training at Constantinople, is, and must be a fanatic,
bigoted man. He applied for the expulsion of the British Vice-Consul at
Jeddah, on the grounds that an infidel should not hold position in the
Holy Land. His pride and reserve have made him few friends, although
the Meccans, with their enthusiastic nationality, extol his bravery to
the skies, and praise him for conduct as well as for courage. His
position at present is anomalous. Ahmad Pasha of Al-Hijaz rules
politically as representative of the Sultan. The Sharif, who, like the
Pope, claims temporal as well as spiritual dominion, attempts to
command the authorities by force of bigotry. The Pasha heads the
Turkish, now the ruling party. The Sharif has in his interest the Arabs
and the Badawin. Both thwart each other on all possible occasions;
quarrels are bitter and endless; there is no government, and the vessel
of the State is in danger of being water-logged, in consequence of the
squabbling between her two captains. When I was at Meccah all were in a
ferment, the Sharif having, it is said, insisted upon the Pasha leaving
Taif. The position of the Turks in Al-Hijaz becomes every day more
dangerous. Want of money presses upon them, and reduces them to
degrading measures. In February, 1853, the Pasha hired a forced loan
from the merchants, and but for Mr. Cole’s spirit and firmness, the
English proteges would have been compelled to contribute their share.
After a long and animated discussion, the Pasha yielded the point by
imprisoning his recusant subjects, who insisted upon Indians paying,
like themselves.
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