On  his  arrival  at  Mecca,  the  wearied  but  sedulous
votary  is  to  commence  a  new  series  of  pious  obser-
vances. Seven  times,  beginning  at  the  consecrated
stone  X  at  the  comer  of  the  temple,  he  must  proceed
to  encompass  the  wide  extent  of  the  Caaba ;  three


*  To  these  austerities  was  frequently  to  be  added  hunger  and
thirst  Whatever  might  be  hia  want  of  food,  he  was  prohibited
from  the  profane  occupation  of  fowling  and  hunting,  and  permitted
only  to  fish.    Kor.  ch.  v.    Sale,  Prelim.  Disc.  sect.  iy.
t  The  pilgrims  deem  it  a  breach  of  the  injunctions  of  their  pro*
phet  to  destroy  the  vermin,  which  multiply  from  neglect  and  dirt
on  their  person.    Sale.  Pre!.  Disc.  sect.  iv.
i  Appendix,  Note  S.  S.
AND  INSTITUTIONS.  22S

times  in  a  short  and  hurried  step,  and  four  times  in
a  more  grave  and  measured  pace.  Seven  times,  also,
he  must  traverse  the  plain  between  the  sacred  mounts
of  Safa  and  Merva,  and,  according  to  the  well
known  ritual  of  the  solemnity,  sometimes  in  a  slow^
and  sometimes  in  a  hasty  manner,  and  occasionally
pausing  to  look  back  as  if  on  some  object  of  solicitude
or  alarm  *.  These  preliminary  duties  are  to  be  suc-
ceeded by  other  and  yet  more  important  observances.
