and healthy. The word Taaif implies
in the Arabic 'the circuits completed'. It is recorded 'that the angel
Gabriel brought this productive soil, by God's command, and placed it at a
convenient distance from Mecca, in order that the pilgrims and sojourners
at the Holy House might be benefited by the produce of the earth, without
having them sufficiently near to call off their attention from the solemn
duty of worshipping their God, which they are expressly called upon to
perform at Mecca'.

My informant tells me that there is a stone at Mecca known by the
appellation of 'Ibraahim Mukhaun' (Place of Abraham):[9] on this is seen
the mark of a human foot, and believed by pilgrims, on good authority, to
be the very stone on which Abraham rested his foot when making occasional
visits to his son Ishmael: at the performance of this duty he never
dismounted from his camel, in compliance with his sacred promise made to
Sarah the mother of Isaac.

The pilgrimage to Mecca is most securely performed by those persons who
travel in a humble way; riches are sure to attract the cupidity of the
Bedouins. A poor pilgrim they respect, and with him they will share their
last meal or coin. The Bedouin Arab delights in hospitably entertaining
men of his own faith, provided they are really distressed; but the
consequence of deception would be a severe visitation on the delinquent.
The two following stories I have received from Meer Hadjee Shaah,
descriptive of some of the incidents that occur to pilgrims, and therefore
may be acceptable here.

'A good Mussulmaun of Hindoostaun resolved on undertaking the Hadje, being
under the strong impression of a warning dream that his earthly career
would speedily terminate. He travelled on foot, with one companion only,
who was a faithfully-attached friend; they had no worldly wealth, and
journeyed on their way as mendicants, trusting for each day's food to the
bountiful care of Divine Providence: nor was their trust in vain, since
the hearts of all who saw these pious travellers were moved by the power
of God to yield them present relief.

'On a certain day these pilgrims had journeyed from the dawn until eve
without a meal, or meeting any one to assist them, when they were at last
encountered by a religious devotee of another nation, with whom they
conversed for some time. Their new acquaintance having found they were
indeed poor, not even possessed of a single coin to purchase corn or food
of any