And divi-
fion-
The province
of
Taman.
ders of the territory of Cufci\ which tract of land the Greeks nearly
comprehended under the name of Arabia the Happy. The eaftern
geographers make Arabia Petreea to belong partly to Egypt, and partly to
Sham or Syria, and the defart Arabia they call the defarts of Syria'.
Proper Arabia is by the oriental writers generally divided into five
provinces2, viz. Taman, Hejdz, Tehama, Najd, and Tamama-, to
which feme add Bahrein, as a fixth, but this province the more ex-
aft make part of Ira ki: others reduce them all to two, Taman and Hejd
z , the laft including the three other provinces of Tehama, Najd,
and Tamama. . . , . ,
The province of Taman, fo called either from its fituation to the
right hand, or Ibuth of the temple of Mecca, or elfe from, the happi-
nefs and verdure of its foil, extends itfelf along the Indian ocean
from Aden to cape Rafalgat part, of the Red fea bounds it on the
weft and fouth fides, and the province of Hejdz on the north*. It
is fubdivided into feveral leffer provinces, as Hadramaut, Shihr, Oman,
Najrdn, &c. of which Shihr alone produces the frankincenfe |
The metropolis of Taman is Sanaa, a very ancient city, in former
times called Ozal, and much celebrated for its delightful fituation;
but the prince at prefent refides about five leagues northward from
thence, at a place no lefs pleafant, called Hijn almawdbeb, or the
Cajileof delights6. . . . f , ,
'' T hi s country has been famous from all antiquity for the hap-
pinefs of its climate, its fertility and riches g which induced Alexander
the Great, after his return from his Indian expedition, to form
a defign of conquering it, and fixing there his royal feat; but his
death, which happened foon after, prevented the execution of this
proiefta. Yet in reality, great part of the riches which the ancients
imagined were the produce of Arabia, came really from the Indies,
and the coafts of Africa-, for the Egyptians, who had engroffed that
trade, which was then carried on by way. o f the Red fea, to them-
felves, induftrioufly concealed the truth of.the matter, and kept their
ports fhut to prevent foreigners penetrating into thofe countries, or
receiving any information thence: and this precaution of theirs on
the one fide, and the defarts, unpaffable to ftrangers, on the other, were
the reafon why Arabia was fo little known to the Greeks and Romans.
The delightfulnefs and plenty of Taman are .owing to its mountains;
i Golios ad Alfragan, ?8. 79. * Strabo fays Arabia Felix Was in «» time divided into
five kingdoms. 1. 16. p. 1129. 3 GoL ad Alfragan. .79, _4 ha Roque, Voyage del Arab. heur.
121.’ s Gol. ad Alfragan. 79. 87. « Voyage de l’Arab- heur. 232. 7 V. Dionyf. Penegef.
v. 927, &c. * Strabo. 1. 16, p. HJ2. Arrian. 161.
for
for all that part which lies along the Red fea, is a dry, barren defart,
in fome places io or 12 leagues over, but in return bounded by thofe
mountains, which being well watered, enjoy an almoft continual
fpring, and befides coffee, the peculiar produce o f this country, yield
great plenty and variety of fruits, and in particular excellent corn,
grapes, and fpices. There are no rivers of note in this country, for
the ftreams which at certain times of the year defcend from the
mountains, feldom reach the fea, being for the moft part drunk up
and loft in the burning fands of that coaft
The foil of the other provinces is much more barren than that of
Taman ; the greater part of their territories being covered with dry
fands, or riling into rocks, interfperfed here and there with fome fruitful
fpots, which receive their greateft advantages from their water
and palm trees.
The province of Hejdz, fo named becaufe it divides Najd from
Tehama, is bounded on the fouth by Taman and Tehama, on the weft
by the Red fea, on the north by the defarts of Syria, and on the eaft
by the province of Najd \ This province is famous for its two
chief cities Mecca and Medina, one of which is celebrated for its
temple, and having given birth to Mohammed; and the other for being
the place of his refidence, for the laft ten years o f his life, and of his
interment.
Mecca, fometimes alfo called Becca, which words are fynonymous,
and fignify a place o f great concourfe, is certainly one o f the moft
ancient cities in the world : it is by fome 8 thought to be the Mefa
of the fcripture *, a name not unknown to the Arabians, and fup-
pofed to be taken from one of Ifmael’s fonss. It is feated in a ftony
and barren valley, ftfrrounded on all fides with mountains6. The
length of Mecca from fouth to north is about two miles,' and its
breadth from the foot of the mountain Ajyad, to the top of another
called Koaikadn, about a mile V In the midft of this fpace Hands the
city, built of ftone cut from the neighbouring mountains8. There
being no fprings at Mecca9, Act leaft none but what are bitter and
unfit to drinkIO, except only the well Zemzem, the water o f which,
tho’ far the belt, yet cannot be drank for any continuance, being
brackilh, and caufing eruptions in thofe who drink plentifully ot
it " , the inhabitants are obliged to ufe rain water which they catch
i Voy. de l’Arab. heur. 121. 123. 153. 2 V. Got. ad Alfrag. 98. Abulfeda Defer Arab. p. 9.
; R. Saadias in verfion. Arab. Pentat. Sefer Juchafin. 13;. b. 4 Gen X 30. S Gol. ad Alfrag.
82. See Gen. xxv. 15. « Gol. ib. 98. See Fitts's Account of the religion and manners of the
Mohammedans, p. 96. 7 Sharif al Edrifi apud Poe. Specim. 122. 8 Ibid. 9. Gol. ad Alfragan.
99. 10 Sharif al Edrifr ubi fupra, 124. ti Ibid. & Pitts ubi fupra.p. 107.