smoky glare; while, here and there, a
more pretentious light, issuing from between the curtains of a shugduf,
shed a passing gleam upon the dusky faces of the pilgrims, plodding like
eerie genii of the night over the barren wilds.

Next morning, the host reached Mecca. The prophet once more entered the
sacred court-yard of the temple, and was borne sadly about the Caaba in
Tawaf. Then, weak as he was, he insisted upon taking part in the
sacrificial ceremony. With his own hand he slew sixty-three camels, one
for each year of his life. Then he ascended the pulpit and preached to
the people.

Upon his return to Medina, he preached again from the mosque, enjoining
upon the faithful strict compliance with the form of worship set forth
in the Koran and by the example of the prophet--the giving of alms;
prayer towards the kebla; the performance of Tawaf, and ablutions at
Zem-Zem; prostration prayers at the Caaba, and all the rites of
pilgrimage. Thus did Mohammed formulate the rules for the future
guidance of the Moslem world.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

KEDAR AT THE CAABA.

Once more the shades of night hung over the Eastern world. And there,
while the hush of slumber fell upon the hills of the North, the cities
of the South awoke to life and bustle, for during the earlier half of
the hours of darkness the Oriental awakes from the lethargy of the day,
and really begins to live. The moon, almost at full, and glowing like a
silver orb on a purple sea, rose slowly over the black top of Abu
Kubays, tipping its crest with a shimmering line of light, and throwing
its radiance across the vale below, where all lay shapeless in shade
save the top of the huge temple, which, with its pall-like kiswah
(curtain), arose like a bier above the low houses about it. Upon it the
moonbeams fell with solemn, white light, and the young man standing
alone by one of the pillars of the portico felt a thrill of awe as he
looked upon the mysterious structure, and thought of the great antiquity
of the institution.

For the moment, lost in contemplation, he was oblivious to the swarming
of the dusky multitudes now pouring into the court-yard on all sides.
Then, as the increasing hum fell upon his ears, he gave them his
attention. It was the scene of which he had so often heard, and upon
which he now looked for the first time. There were the people at Tawaf,
walking, running, or standing with upturned eyes, sanctimoniously
repeating passages of the