[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。