[Footnote10:SeetheSpecimenHistoriaeArabumofPocock，p。2，5，86，&c。ThejourneyofM。d\'Arvieux，in1664，tothecampoftheemirofMountCarmel，VoyagedelaPalestine，Amsterdam，1718，exhibitsapleasingandoriginalpictureofthelifeoftheBedoweens，whichmaybeillustratedfromNiebuhrDescriptiondel\'Arabie，p。327—344andVolney，tom。i。p。343—385，
thelastandmostjudiciousofourSyriantravellers。]
[Footnote11:ReaditisnounpleasingtasktheincomparablearticlesoftheHorseandtheCamel，intheNaturalHistoryofM。
deBuffon。]
[Footnote12:FortheArabianhorses，seeD\'Arvieuxp。159—
173andNiebuhr，p。142—144。Attheendofthexiiithcentury，thehorsesofNegedwereesteemedsure—footed，thoseofYemenstrongandserviceable，thoseofHejazmostnoble。ThehorsesofEurope，thetenthandlastclass，weregenerallydespisedashavingtoomuchbodyandtoolittlespirit，D\'Herbelot，Bibliot。Orient。p。339:theirstrengthwasrequisitetobeartheweightoftheknightandhisarmor]
[Footnote13:Quicarnibuscamelorumvescisolentodiitenacessunt，wastheopinionofanArabianphysician，Pocock，Specimen，p。88。Mahomethimself，whowasfondofmilk，prefersthecow，anddoesnotevenmentionthecamel；butthedietofMeccaandMedinawasalreadymoreluxurious，GagnierViedeMahomet，tom。
iii。p。404。]
YetanessentialdifferencemaybefoundbetweenthehordesofScythiaandtheArabiantribes；sincemanyofthelatterwerecollectedintotowns，andemployedinthelaborsoftradeandagriculture。Apartoftheirtimeandindustrywasstilldevotedtothemanagementoftheircattle:theymingled，inpeaceandwar，withtheirbrethrenofthedesert；andtheBedoweensderivedfromtheirusefulintercoursesomesupplyoftheirwants，andsomerudimentsofartandknowledge。Amongtheforty—twocitiesofArabia，^14enumeratedbyAbulfeda，themostancientandpopulousweresituateinthehappyYemen:thetowersofSaana，^15andthemarvellousreservoirofMerab，^16wereconstructedbythekingsoftheHomerites；buttheirprofanelustrewaseclipsedbythepropheticgloriesofMedina^17andMecca，^18
neartheRedSea，andatthedistancefromeachotheroftwohundredandseventymiles。ThelastoftheseholyplaceswasknowntotheGreeksunderthenameofMacoraba；andtheterminationofthewordisexpressiveofitsgreatness，whichhasnot，indeed，inthemostflourishingperiod，exceededthesizeandpopulousnessofMarseilles。Somelatentmotive，perhapsofsuperstition，musthaveimpelledthefounders，inthechoiceofamostunpromisingsituation。Theyerectedtheirhabitationsofmudorstone，inaplainabouttwomileslongandonemilebroad，atthefootofthreebarrenmountains:thesoilisarock；thewaterevenoftheholywellofZemzemisbitterorbrackish；thepasturesareremotefromthecity；andgrapesaretransportedaboveseventymilesfromthegardensofTayef。ThefameandspiritoftheKoreishites，whoreignedinMecca，wereconspicuousamongtheArabiantribes；buttheirungratefulsoilrefusedthelaborsofagriculture，andtheirpositionwasfavorabletotheenterprisesoftrade。BytheseaportofGedda，atthedistanceonlyoffortymiles，theymaintainedaneasycorrespondencewithAbyssinia；andthatChristiankingdomaffordedthefirstrefugetothedisciplesofMahomet。ThetreasuresofAfricawereconveyedoverthePeninsulatoGerrhaorKatif，intheprovinceofBahrein，acitybuilt，asitissaid，ofrock—salt，bytheChaldaeanexiles；^19andfromthencewiththenativepearlsofthePersianGulf，theywerefloatedonraftstothemouthoftheEuphrates。Meccaisplacedalmostatanequaldistance，amonth\'sjourney，betweenYemenontheright，andSyriaonthelefthand。Theformerwasthewinter，thelatterthesummer，stationofhercaravans；andtheirseasonablearrivalrelievedtheshipsofIndiafromthetediousandtroublesomenavigationoftheRedSea。InthemarketsofSaanaandMerab，intheharborsofOmanandAden，thecamelsoftheKoreishiteswereladenwithapreciouscargoofaromatics；asupplyofcornandmanufactureswaspurchasedinthefairsofBostraandDamascus；thelucrativeexchangediffusedplentyandrichesinthestreetsofMecca；andthenoblestofhersonsunitedtheloveofarmswiththeprofessionofmerchandise。^20
[Footnote14:YetMarcianofHeracleainPeriplo，p。16，intom。
i。Hudson，Minor。Geograph。reckonsonehundredandsixty—fourtownsinArabiaFelix。Thesizeofthetownsmightbesmall—thefaithofthewritermightbelarge。]
[Footnote15:ItiscomparedbyAbulfedainHudson，tom。ii。p。
54toDamascus，andisstilltheresidenceoftheImanofYemen，VoyagesdeNiebuhr，tom。i。p。331—342。Saanaistwenty—fourparasangsfromDafar，Abulfeda，p。51，andsixty—eightfromAden，p。53。]
[Footnote16:Pocock，Specimen，p。57。Geograph。Nubiensis，p。
52。Meriaba，orMerab，sixmilesincircumference，wasdestroyedbythelegionsofAugustus，Plin。Hist。Nat。vi。32，andhadnotrevivedinthexivthcentury，Abulfed。Descript。Arab。p。
58。
Note:Seenote2tochap。i。ThedestructionofMeriababytheRomansisdoubtful。Thetownneverrecoveredtheinundationwhichtookplacefromtheburstingofalargereservoirofwater—aneventofgreatimportanceintheArabianannals，anddiscussedatconsiderablelengthbymodernOrientalists。—M。]
[Footnote17:Thenameofcity，Medina，wasappropriated，toYatreb。theIatrippaoftheGreeks，theseatoftheprophet。
ThedistancesfromMedinaarereckonedbyAbulfedainstations，ordays\'journeyofacaravan，p。15:toBahrein，xv。；toBassora，xviii。；toCufah，xx。；toDamascusorPalestine，xx。；toCairo，xxv。；toMecca。x。；fromMeccatoSaana，p。52，orAden，xxx。；toCairo，xxxi。days，or412hours，Shaw\'sTravels，p。
477；which，accordingtotheestimateofD\'Anville，MesuresItineraires，p。99，allowsabouttwenty—fiveEnglishmilesforaday\'sjourney。FromthelandoffrankincenseHadramaut，inYemen，betweenAdenandCapeFartaschtoGazainSyria，PlinyHist。Nat。xii。32computeslxv。mansionsofcamels。Thesemeasuresmayassistfancyandelucidatefacts。]
[Footnote18:OurnotionsofMeccamustbedrawnfromtheArabians，D\'Herbelot，BibliothequeOrientale，p。368—371。
Pocock，Specimen，p。125—128。Abulfeda，p。11—40。Asnounbelieverispermittedtoenterthecity，ourtravellersaresilent；andtheshorthintsofThevenotVoyagesduLevant，parti。p。490aretakenfromthesuspiciousmouthofanAfricanrenegado。SomePersianscounted6000houses，Chardin。tom。iv。
p。167。
Note:EveninthetimeofGibbon，MeccahadnotbeensoinaccessibletoEuropeans。IthadbeenvisitedbyLudovicoBarthema，andbyoneJosephPitts，ofExeter，whowastakenprisonerbytheMoors，andforciblyconvertedtoMahometanism。
Hisvolumeisacurious，thoughplain，accountofhissufferingsandtravels。SincethattimeMeccahasbeenentered，andtheceremonieswitnessed，byDr。Seetzen，whosepaperswereunfortunatelylost；bytheSpaniard，whocalledhimselfAliBey；
and，lastly，byBurckhardt，whosedescriptionleavesnothingwantingtosatisfythecuriosity。—M。]
[Footnote19:Strabo，l。xvi。p。1110。SeeoneofthesesalthousesnearBassora，inD\'Herbelot，Bibliot。Orient。p。6。]
[Footnote20:Mirumdictuexinnumerispopulisparsaequaincommerciisautinlatrociniisdegit，Plin。Hist。Nat。vi。32。
SeeSale\'sKoran，Sura。cvi。p。503。Pocock，Specimen，p。2。
D\'Herbelot，Bibliot。Orient。p。361。Prideaux\'sLifeofMahomet，p。5。Gagnier，ViedeMahomet，tom。i。p。72，120，126，&c。]
TheperpetualindependenceoftheArabshasbeenthethemeofpraiseamongstrangersandnatives；andtheartsofcontroversytransformthissingulareventintoaprophecyandamiracle，infavoroftheposterityofIsmael。^21Someexceptions，thatcanneitherbedismissednoreluded，renderthismodeofreasoningasindiscreetasitissuperfluous；thekingdomofYemenhasbeensuccessivelysubduedbytheAbyssinians，thePersians，thesultansofEgypt，^22andtheTurks；^23theholycitiesofMeccaandMedinahaverepeatedlybowedunderaScythiantyrant；andtheRomanprovinceofArabia^24embracedthepeculiarwildernessinwhichIsmaelandhissonsmusthavepitchedtheirtentsinthefaceoftheirbrethren。Yettheseexceptionsaretemporaryorlocal；thebodyofthenationhasescapedtheyokeofthemostpowerfulmonarchies:thearmsofSesostrisandCyrus，ofPompeyandTrajan，couldneverachievetheconquestofArabia；thepresentsovereignoftheTurks^25
mayexerciseashadowofjurisdiction，buthisprideisreducedtosolicitthefriendshipofapeople，whomitisdangeroustoprovoke，andfruitlesstoattack。TheobviouscausesoftheirfreedomareinscribedonthecharacterandcountryoftheArabs。
ManyagesbeforeMahomet，^26theirintrepidvalorhadbeenseverelyfeltbytheirneighborsinoffensiveanddefensivewar。
Thepatientandactivevirtuesofasoldierareinsensiblynursedinthehabitsanddisciplineofapastorallife。Thecareofthesheepandcamelsisabandonedtothewomenofthetribe；butthemartialyouth，underthebanneroftheemir，iseveronhorseback，andinthefield，topractisetheexerciseofthebow，thejavelin，andthecimeter。Thelongmemoryoftheirindependenceisthefirmestpledgeofitsperpetuityandsucceedinggenerationsareanimatedtoprovetheirdescent，andtomaintaintheirinheritance。Theirdomesticfeudsaresuspendedontheapproachofacommonenemy；andintheirlasthostilitiesagainsttheTurks，thecaravanofMeccawasattackedandpillagedbyfourscorethousandoftheconfederates。Whentheyadvancetobattle，thehopeofvictoryisinthefront；intherear，theassuranceofaretreat。Theirhorsesandcamels，who，ineightortendays，canperformamarchoffourorfivehundredmiles，disappearbeforetheconqueror；thesecretwatersofthedeserteludehissearch，andhisvictorioustroopsareconsumedwiththirst，hunger，andfatigue，inthepursuitofaninvisiblefoe，whoscornshisefforts，andsafelyreposesintheheartoftheburningsolitude。ThearmsanddesertsoftheBedoweensarenotonlythesafeguardsoftheirownfreedom，butthebarriersalsoofthehappyArabia，whoseinhabitants，remotefromwar，areenervatedbytheluxuryofthesoilandclimate。ThelegionsofAugustusmeltedawayindiseaseandlassitude；^27anditisonlybyanavalpowerthatthereductionofYemenhasbeensuccessfullyattempted。WhenMahometerectedhisholystandard，^28thatkingdomwasaprovinceofthePersianempire；yetsevenprincesoftheHomeritesstillreignedinthemountains；andthevicegerentofChosroeswastemptedtoforgethisdistantcountryandhisunfortunatemaster。ThehistoriansoftheageofJustinianrepresentthestateoftheindependentArabs，whoweredividedbyinterestoraffectioninthelongquarreloftheEast:
thetribeofGassanwasallowedtoencampontheSyrianterritory:theprincesofHirawerepermittedtoformacityaboutfortymilestothesouthwardoftheruinsofBabylon。
Theirserviceinthefieldwasspeedyandvigorous；buttheirfriendshipwasvenal，theirfaithinconstant，theirenmitycapricious:itwasaneasiertasktoexcitethantodisarmtheserovingbarbarians；and，inthefamiliarintercourseofwar，theylearnedtosee，andtodespise，thesplendidweaknessbothofRomeandofPersia。FromMeccatotheEuphrates，theArabiantribes^29wereconfoundedbytheGreeksandLatins，underthegeneralappellationofSaracens，^30anamewhicheveryChristianmouthhasbeentaughttopronouncewithterrorandabhorrence。
[Footnote21:AnamelessdoctorUniversalHist。vol。xx。octavoeditionhasformallydemonstratedthetruthofChristianitybytheindependenceoftheArabs。Acritic，besidestheexceptionsoffact，mightdisputethemeaningofthetextGen。xvi。12，
theextentoftheapplication，andthefoundationofthepedigree。
Note:Seenote3tochap。xlvi。Theatterpointisprobablytheleastcontestableofthethree。—M。]
[Footnote22:Itwassubdued，A。D。1173，byabrotherofthegreatSaladin，whofoundedadynastyofCurdsorAyoubites，Guignes，Hist。desHuns，tom。i。p。425。D\'Herbelot，p。477。]
[Footnote23:BythelieutenantofSolimanI。A。D。1538andSelimII。，1568。SeeCantemir\'sHist。oftheOthmanEmpire，p。
201，221。Thepacha，whoresidedatSaana，commandedtwenty—onebeys；butnorevenuewaseverremittedtothePorte，Marsigli，StatoMilitaredell\'ImperioOttomanno，p。124，andtheTurkswereexpelledabouttheyear1630，Niebuhr，p。167，168。]
[Footnote24:OftheRomanprovince，underthenameofArabiaandthethirdPalestine，theprincipalcitieswereBostraandPetra，whichdatedtheiraerafromtheyear105，whentheyweresubduedbyPalma，alieutenantofTrajan，Dion。Cassius，l。lxviii。
PetrawasthecapitaloftheNabathaeans；whosenameisderivedfromtheeldestofthesonsofIsmael，Gen。xxv。12，&c。，withtheCommentariesofJerom，LeClerc，andCalmet。Justinianrelinquishedapalmcountryoftendays\'journeytothesouthofAelah，Procop。deBell。Persic。l。i。c。19，andtheRomansmaintainedacenturionandacustom—house，ArrianinPeriploMarisErythraei，p。11，inHudson，tom。i。，ataplacePagusAlbus，HawaraintheterritoryofMedina，D\'Anville，Memoiresurl\'Egypte，p。243。Theserealpossessions，andsomenavalinroadsofTrajan，Peripl。p。14，15，aremagnifiedbyhistoryandmedalsintotheRomanconquestofArabia。
Note:OntheruinsofPetra，seethetravelsofMessrs。IrbyandMangles，andofLeondeLaborde。—M。]
[Footnote25:NiebuhrDescriptiondel\'Arabie，p。302，303，329
—331affordsthemostrecentandauthenticintelligenceoftheTurkishempireinArabia。
Note:Niebuhr\'s，notwithstandingthemultitudeoflatertravellers，maintainsitsground，astheclassicalworkonArabia。—M。]
[Footnote26:DiodorusSiculustom。ii。l。xix。p。390—393，edit。WesselinghasclearlyexposedthefreedomoftheNabathaeanArabs，whoresistedthearmsofAntigonusandhisson。]
[Footnote27:Strabo，l。xvi。p。1127—1129。Plin。Hist。Natur。
vi。32。AeliusGalluslandednearMedina，andmarchednearathousandmilesintothepartofYemenbetweenMarebandtheOcean。ThenonantedevictisSabeaeregibus，Od。i。29，andtheintactiArabumthesanriOd。iii。24ofHorace，attestthevirginpurityofArabia。]
[Footnote28:SeetheimperfecthistoryofYemeninPocock，Specimen，p。55—66，ofHira，p。66—74，ofGassan，p。75—78，asfarasitcouldbeknownorpreservedinthetimeofignorance。
Note:ComparetheHist。Yemanae，publishedbyJohannsenatBonn1880particularlythetranslator\'spreface。—M。]
[Footnote29:TheyaredescribedbyMenander，Excerpt。Legationp。149，Procopius，deBell。Persic。l。i。c。17，19，l。ii。c。
10，and，inthemostlivelycolors，byAmmianusMarcellinus，l。
xiv。c。4，whohadspokenofthemasearlyasthereignofMarcus。]
[Footnote30:Thenamewhich，usedbyPtolemyandPlinyinamoreconfined，byAmmianusandProcopiusinalarger，sense，hasbeenderived，ridiculously，fromSarah，thewifeofAbraham，obscurelyfromthevillageofSaraka，Stephan。deUrbibus，moreplausiblyfromtheArabicwords，whichsignifyathievishcharacter，orOrientalsituation，Hottinger，Hist。Oriental。l。i。c。i。p。7，8。Pocock，Specimen，p。33，35。Asseman。Bibliot。Orient。tom。
iv。p。567。YetthelastandmostpopularoftheseetymologiesisrefutedbyPtolemy，Arabia，p。2，18，inHudson，tom。iv。，
whoexpresslyremarksthewesternandsouthernpositionoftheSaracens，thenanobscuretribeonthebordersofEgypt。Theappellationcannotthereforealludetoanynationalcharacter；
and，sinceitwasimposedbystrangers，itmustbefound，notintheArabic，butinaforeignlanguage。
Note:Dr。Clarke，Travels，vol。ii。p。491，afterexpressingcontemptuouspityforGibbon\'signorance，derivesthewordfromZara，Zaara，Sara，theDesert，whenceSaraceni，thechildrenoftheDesert。DeMarlesadoptsthederivationfromSarrik，arobber，Hist。desArabes，vol。i。p。36，S。L。MartinfromScharkioun，orSharkun，Eastern，vol。xi。p。55。—M。]
ChapterL:DescriptionOfArabiaAndItsInhabitants。
PartII。
Theslavesofdomestictyrannymayvainlyexultintheirnationalindependence:buttheArabispersonallyfree；andheenjoys，insomedegree，thebenefitsofsociety，withoutforfeitingtheprerogativesofnature。Ineverytribe，superstition，orgratitude，orfortune，hasexaltedaparticularfamilyabovetheheadsoftheirequals。Thedignitiesofsheickandemirinvariablydescendinthischosenrace；buttheorderofsuccessionislooseandprecarious；andthemostworthyoragedofthenoblekinsmenarepreferredtothesimple，thoughimportant，officeofcomposingdisputesbytheiradvice，andguidingvalorbytheirexample。EvenafemaleofsenseandspirithasbeenpermittedtocommandthecountrymenofZenobia。^31Themomentaryjunctionofseveraltribesproducesanarmy:theirmorelastingunionconstitutesanation；andthesupremechief，theemirofemirs，whosebannerisdisplayedattheirhead，maydeserve，intheeyesofstrangers，thehonorsofthekinglyname。
IftheArabianprincesabusetheirpower，theyarequicklypunishedbythedesertionoftheirsubjects，whohadbeenaccustomedtoamildandparentaljurisdiction。Theirspiritisfree，theirstepsareunconfined，thedesertisopen，andthetribesandfamiliesareheldtogetherbyamutualandvoluntarycompact。ThesofternativesofYemensupportedthepompandmajestyofamonarch；butifhecouldnotleavehispalacewithoutendangeringhislife，^32theactivepowersofgovernmentmusthavebeendevolvedonhisnoblesandmagistrates。ThecitiesofMeccaandMedinapresent，intheheartofAsia，theform，orratherthesubstance，ofacommonwealth。ThegrandfatherofMahomet，andhislinealancestors，appearinforeignanddomestictransactionsastheprincesoftheircountry；buttheyreigned，likePericlesatAthens，ortheMediciatFlorence，bytheopinionoftheirwisdomandintegrity；theirinfluencewasdividedwiththeirpatrimony；andthesceptrewastransferredfromtheunclesoftheprophettoayoungerbranchofthetribeofKoreish。Onsolemnoccasionstheyconvenedtheassemblyofthepeople；and，sincemankindmustbeeithercompelledorpersuadedtoobey，theuseandreputationoforatoryamongtheancientArabsistheclearestevidenceofpublicfreedom。^33ButtheirsimplefreedomwasofaverydifferentcastfromtheniceandartificialmachineryoftheGreekandRomanrepublics，inwhicheachmemberpossessedanundividedshareofthecivilandpoliticalrightsofthecommunity。InthemoresimplestateoftheArabs，thenationisfree，becauseeachofhersonsdisdainsabasesubmissiontothewillofamaster。