It
Lieth In A Very Hot Country, Insomuch That People Run From One Side Of
The Streets To The Other To Get Into The Shadow, As The Motion Of The
Sun Causes It.
The inhabitants, especially men, do usually sleep on the
tops of the houses for the air, or in the
Streets before their doors.
Some lay the small bedding they have on a thin mat on the ground;
others have a slight frame, made much like drink-stalls on which we
place barrels, standing on four legs, corded with palm cordage, on
which they put their bedding. Before they bring out their bedding, they
sweep the streets and water them. As for my own part, I usually lay
open, without any bed-covering, on the top of the house: only I took a
linen cloth, dipt in water, and after I had wrung it, covered myself
with it in the night; and when I awoke I should find it dry; then I
would wet it again: and thus I did two or three times in a night.
“Secondly, I shall next give you some account of the temple of Mecca.
“It hath about forty-two doors to enter into it, not so much, I think,
for necessity, as figure; for in some places they are close by one
another. The form of it is much resembling that of the Royal Exchange
in London, but I believe it is near ten times bigger. It is all open
and gravelled in the midst, except some paths that come from certain
doors which lead to the Beat-Allah, and are paved with broad stones.
The walks, or cloisters, all round are arched over-head, and paved
beneath with fine broad stone; and all round are little rooms or cells,
where such dwell and give themselves up to reading, studying, and a
devout life, who are much akin to their dervises, or hermits.
“The Beat-Allah, which stands in the middle of the temple, is
four-square, about twenty-four paces each
[p.368] square, and near twenty-four foot[FN#19] in height. It is built
with great stone, all smooth, and plain, without the least bit of
carved work on it. It is covered all over from top to bottom with a
thick sort of silk. Above the middle part of the covering are
embroidered all round letters of gold, the meaning of which I cannot
well call to mind, but I think they were some devout expressions. Each
letter is near two foot in length and two inches broad. Near the lower
end of this Beat are large brass rings fastened into it, through which
passeth a great cotton rope; and to this the lower end of the covering
is tacked. The threshold of the door that belongs to the Beat is as
high as a man can reach; and therefore when any person enter into it, a
sort of ladder-stairs are brought for that purpose. The door is plated
all over with silver[FN#20] and there is a covering hangs over it and
reaches to the ground, which is kept turned up all the week, except
Thursday night, and Friday, which is their Sabbath. The said covering
of the door is very thick imbroidered with gold, insomuch that it
weighs several score pounds. The top of the Beat is flat, beaten with
lime and sand; and there is a long gutter, or spout, to carry off the
water when it rains; at which time the people will run, throng, and
struggle, to get under the said gutter, that so the water that comes
off the Beat may fall upon them, accounting it as the dew of Heaven,
and looking on it as a great happiness to have it drop upon them. But
if they can recover some of this water to drink, they esteem it to be
yet a much greater happiness.
[p.369] Many poor people make it their endeavour to get some of it; and
present it to the Hagges, for which they are well rewarded. My Patroon
had a present made him of this water, with which he was not a little
pleased, and gave him that brought it a good reward.
“This Beat-Allah is opened but two days in the space of six weeks, viz.
one day for the men, and the next day for the women.[FN#21] As I was at
Mecca about four months, I had the opportunity of entering into it
twice; a reputed advantage, which many thousands of the Hagges have not
met with, for those that come by land make no longer stay at Mecca than
sixteen or seventeen days.
“When any enter into the Beat, all that they have to do is to perform two
Erkaets on each side,[FN#22] with the holding up their two hands, and
petitioning at the conclusion of each two Erkaets. And they are so very
reverent and devout in doing this, that they will not suffer their eyes
to wander and gaze about; for they account it very sinful so to do.
Nay, they say that one was smitten blind for gazing about when in the
Beat, as the reward of his vain and unlawful curiosity.[FN#23] I could
not, for my part, give any credit to this story, but looked on it as a
legendary relation, and, therefore, was resolved, if I could, to take
my view of it; I mean not to continue gazing about it, but now and then
to cast an observing eye. And I profess I found nothing worth seeing in
it, only two wooden pillars in the midst, to keep up the roof,[FN#24]
and a bar of iron fastened to them, on which hanged three or four
silver lamps, which are, I suppose, but seldom,
[p.370] if ever, lighted. In one corner of the Beat is an iron or brass
chain, I cannot tell which (for I made no use of it): the pilgrims just
clap it about their necks in token of repentance.
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