e title.
Even these at first attempted to draw their ragged veils over their
sable charms." Having dressed themselves in white, Burton and Hamid
sallied out for the Prophet's Tomb, Burton riding on a donkey because of
his lameness. He found the approach to the Mosque choked up by ignoble
buildings, and declares that as a whole it had neither beauty nor
dignity. Upon entering, he was also disillusioned, for its interior
was both mean and tawdry. After various prayers they visited first
the "Hujrah," where they saw the tombs of Mohammed, Abu Bakr, Omar
and Fatimah; and afterwards El Rauzah, the Garden situated between the
Hujrah and the Prophet's Pulpit, both very celebrated spots. Of the
latter, Mohammed said: "Between my house and my pulpit is a garden of
the gardens of paradise." [121] After more prayers they wandered round
to the other sights, including the fine Gate of Salvation, the five
minarets, and the three celebrated pillars, called respectively,
Al-Mukhallak, the Pillar of Ayishah, and the Pillar of Repentance. They
then made their way to the Mosque of Kuba, some two miles out of the
town, and witnessed the entry into Medina of the great caravan from
Damascus, numbering 7,000 souls--grandees in gorgeous litters of green
and gold, huge white Syrian dromedaries, richly caparisoned horses and
mules, devout Hajis, sherbet sellers, water carriers, and a multitude of
camels, sheep and goats. [122] Lastly Burton and his friends pilgrimaged
to the holy Mount Ohod with its graves of "the martyrs;" and to the
celebrated Al-Bakia, or Saints' Cemetery, where lie ten thousand of the
Prophet's companions. On entering the latter they repeated the usual
salutation: "Peace be upon ye, O People of Al-Bakia," and then sought
out the principal tombs--namely those of the Caliph Othman, [123] "Our
Lady Halimah," [124] the Infant Ibrahim, [125] and about fourteen of
Mohammed's wives. [126] The cemetery swarmed with clamorous beggars, who
squatted with dirty cotton napkins spread on the ground before them for
the reception of coins. Some of the women promised to recite Fatihahs
for the donors, and the most audacious seized the visitors by their
skirts. Burton laid out three dollars in this way, but though the
recipients promised loudly to supplicate Allah in behalf of his lame
foot, it did not perceptibly benefit. Burton's companions hinted that he
might do worse than settle in Medina. "Why not," said one, "open a shop
somewhere near