the Khalifes who came to the Hadj, and who from hence addressed their
subjects in person. The Turkish gentleman of Constantinople, however,
unused to camel-riding, could not keep his seat so well as the hardy
Bedouin prophet; and the camel becoming unruly, he was soon obliged to
alight from it. He read his sermon from a book in Arabic, which he held
in his hands. At intervals of every four or five minutes he paused, and
stretched forth his arms to implore blessings from above; while the
assembled multitudes around and before him waved the skirts of their
ihrams over their heads, and rent the air with shouts of "Lebeyk,
Allahuma Lebeyk," (i.e. Here we are, at thy commands, O God!) During
the wavings of the ihrams, the side of the mountain, thickly crowded
as it was by the people in their white garments, had the appearance
of a cataract of water; while the green umbrellas, with which several
thousand hadjys, sitting on their camels below, were provided, bore some
resemblance to a verdant plain.--During his sermon, which lasted almost
three hours, the Kadhy was seen constantly to wipe his eyes with a
handkerchief; for the law enjoins the Khatyb or preacher to be moved
with feeling and compunction; and adds that, whenever tears appear on
his face, it is a sign that the Almighty enlightens him, and is ready
to listen to his prayers.

At length the sun began to descend behind the western mountains; upon
which the Kadhy, having shut his book, received a last greeting of
"Lebeyk;" and the crowds rushed down the mountain, in order to quit
Arafat. It is thought meritorious to accelerate the pace on this
occasion; and many persons make it a complete race, called by the Arabs,
_Ad' dafa min Arafat_. In former times, when the strength of the
Syrian and Egyptian caravans happened to be nearly balanced, bloody
affrays took place here almost every year between them, each party
endeavouring to outrun and to carry its _mahmal_ in advance of the