1 FAST& PILGRIMAGE. gi9
2 sit with me ; the rest fettred to Uiother ptrt cf the room, spread out
3 their girdles on tibe groiiiidt btffak without any ablution, and said their
4 pr»yen' witbout nprding migb; be observing them : when all
5 was donet tliej relumed to the company immediately, nnd jomed in
6 the conversation as before. Every Mits<iulman fiices to Mecca when
7 he prays, and the better cla.sse.s carry ii compass (particularly when
8 they are tra\ i lliiiL' )- which has one hnr pointing north and ^onth, and
9 another, vvhich lia^, u pigeon at the enil, and wltif h poiiiLs to Lite direc-
10 tion in wliich Mecca is situated, from the < f)uutrv where it is made.
11 Tlie first part of the prayer is pcilbmud suinding, after wIulIi ihe
12 devotee ^cats himself on his heels, in tlie usual Persian manner, and
13 continues his devotions ia Uiis attitude, often bending forward &o as
14 to touch the ground with his forehead. R^ular performsnce of
15 (Hnyer k not onlj enjoined by the' religion, but m IniMt pacts of the
16 Afjj^mih eonatiy* it is inferoed by the munidpel Uw, end tfiere is •
17 vegnlsroffioer^ csUedtheMoobtesilH wlw>piiuudM tfaeomi^^ it,
18 oir'the bimrfi ci my other religioas precept, llie'&st of tlie "Bam"
19 ira is cnoifiHced in the saiiuB maaM
20 jpseyepiaaniaofiomdrinking'waiter,oreyepsi^^
21 simrise and snnsety it is felt as a real harddiipb Foceignen* howeter,
22 an not mdtoatnd on this account The pilgrimage to Mecca is in-
23 cnmboit on every Mossulman once inliis life. It is perfcnrmed by
24 many of- the A%haun8. Tbk conunoniBSt route is by Sind» where the
25 pilgrims embark for ^Iuf?cat or Busora, and travel by land to Mecca.
26 Those of the north-east go down the Indus by water, and their holy
27 design secures them respect, even from the most predatory tribes.
28 Most of the pilgrims support themselves by alms during their jonr-
29 ney ; and at Mecca tliev are maintained by a foundation instituted by
30 Almied Shauii, wlio ordered a mos(|uo and some sort of a caravansera
31 to be erected at that city for the use oi Ins uouiitrymen. When there
32 are few Afpfhauns, (he surphis of this cliarity is distributed among the
33 Arabs, wiio are iheretore little pleased with the influx of Ai^mun pil-
34 grims. They take every opportunity of plaguing theR intivldpers,
35 psiticularly by representing them as Sbeesfas, because they generally