Travelling through this part of Arabia, Meer Hadjee Shaah says, is attended with much inconvenience and fatigue; but he failed not at each pilgrimage he made, to pay a visit to the mausoleums of his forefathers.  He tells me that Kraabaallah was for a long time almost an interdicted visit, through the power of the Soonies, who were so jealous of the respect paid to the Emaums, that the Turks (who are Soonies) raised the price of admission within the gates to one hundred gold pieces.  At that time very few people could gratify their yearnings beyond the outside view of the mausoleum; and even now that the entrance-money is much reduced the sums so collected yield a handsome revenue to the Turks.

I will here introduce an anecdote which proves the value certain individuals set on the zeearut (sacred visit) to Kraabaallah, which I have received from my revered pilgrim-friend and relative.

’Amongst the applicants for admission at the gates of Kraabaallah was an aged woman clothed in ragged garments.  The gate-keeper, judging from her appearance, that she was destitute of money, scoffed at her presumption; she, however, produced the price of admission with much confidence of manner, and demanded entrance without further delay.  The keepers now suspected the old woman to be a thief, and commenced interrogating her how she became possessed of so large a sum.  The poor old woman answered them, “I have laboured hard for thirty years at my spinning-wheel, and have debarred myself during those years of all superfluities, contenting myself with a bare subsistence; I have done this that the dearest wish of my heart might once in my lifetime be gratified, to visit and weep over the tomb of my Emaums.  Here, take the fruits of my labour, and let me have my reward; every moment delayed is agony to me."’

In journeying through Arabia, pilgrims are much annoyed with the intrusion they so frequently meet with from the idle Arabs, who force their way into every stranger’s place of sojourn without ceremony, to strain the nerves of charity from ‘brethren of the faith’.

There is a maxim well known amongst Mussulmauns,—­the words of Mahumud,—­’With the faithful, all are brothers’; and this is the pass-word with those idle men who pretend to have too much pride to beg, and are yet too indolent to labour for their support.

A Mussulmaun,—­however great his rank,—­is seated with his friends and attendants; an Arab, who lives by this method, stalks into the tent or apartment, salutes the master with, ‘Salaam-oon-ali Koom!’ (health or peace be with you!) and unbidden takes his seat on the nearest vacant spot to the head person of the assembly.  After the first surprise excited by the stranger’s intrusion, he looks at the master and says, ’I claim the privilege of a brother’; by which it is to be understood the Arab requires money from the richer man of his faith.  A small sum is tendered, he receives it without indicating any sense of obligation, rises from his seat, and moves off with no other than the familiar salute which marked his entrance, ’Salaam-oon-ali Koom!’[16]