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LEFT ARABIA 220 ARABIA sula, according to the soil and climate, beans, rice, lentils, tobacco, melons, saf- fron, colocynth, poppies, olives, etc. Sheep, goats, oxen, the horse, the camel, ass and mule supply man's domestic and personal wants. Among wild animals are gazelles, ostriches, the lion, panther, hyena, jackal, etc. Among mineral products are saltpeter, mineral pitch, petroleum, salt, sulphur, and several precious stones, as the carnelian, agate and onyx. People. — The Arabs, as a race, are of middle stature, of a powerful though slender build, and have a skin of a more or less brownish color; in towns and the uplands often almost white. Their features are well cut, the nose straight, the forehead high. They are naturally active, intelligent and courte- ous; and their character is marked by temperance, bravery and hospitality. The first religion of the Arabs, a Semitic nature worship, in places like the wor- ship of the stars, was supplanted by the doctrines of Mohammedanism, which suc- ceeded rapidly in establishing itself throughout Arabia, Besides the twc principal sects of Islam, the Sunnites and the Shiites, there also exists, in considerable numbers, a third Moham- medan sect, the Wahabis, which arose in the latter half of the 18th century, and for a time possessed great political im- portance in the peninsula. The mode of the Arabs is either nomadic or settled. The nomadic tribes are termed Bedouins and among them are considered to be the Arabs of the purest blood. History. — The history of the Arabs previous to Mohammed is obscure. The earliest inhabitants are believed to have been of the Semitic race. Jews in great numbers migrated into Arabia after the destruction of Jerusalem, and, making numerous proselytes, indirectly favored the introduction of the doctrines of Mo- hammed. With his advent the Arabians uprose and united for the purpose of extending the new creed; and, under the caliphs — the successors of Mohammed — they attained great power, and founded large and powerful kingdoms in three continents (see Caliphs). On the fall of the caliphate of Bagdad, in 1258, the decline set in, and on the expulsion of the Moors from Spain the foreign rule bf the Arabs came to an end. In the 16th century Turkey subjected Hejaz and Yemen, and received the nominal submis- sion of the tribes inhabiting the rest of Arabia. The subjection of Hejaz has continued down to the present day; but Yemen achieved its independence in the 17th century, and maintained it till 1871, when the territory again fell into the hands of the Turks. In 1839 Aden was occupied by the British. Oman early be- came virtually independent of the caliphs and grew into a well-organized kingdom. In 1507 its capital, Maskat or Muscat, was occupied by the Portuguese, who were not driven out till 1659. The Wahabis appeared toward the end of the 18th century, and took an important part in the political affairs of Arabia, but their progress was interrupted by Mo- hammed Ali, Pasha of Egypt, and they suffered a complete defeat by Ibrahim Pasha. He extended his power over most of the country, but the events of 1840, in Syria, compelled him to renounce all claims to Arabia. The Hejaz thus again became subject to Turkish sway. Turkey afterward extended its rule not only over Yemen, but also over the district of El- Hasa on the Persian Gulf. The participation of Arabia in the Woi'ld War was largely limited to the province of Hejaz, the long strip of terri- tory fronting on the Red Sea, which in- cludes the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The Shereef of Mecca, Hussein ibn Ali, had an immense influence with the people of Hejaz, because of his pres- tige as a lineal descendant of Mohammed. Negotiations were opened with him by the British in 1915 to secure his adherence to the side of the Allies, a project that was rendered the easier by the friction that had for some time existed between Hussein and the Turks. The promise of his military co-operation was secured, and in return the Allies promised him the kingship of an Arabic kingdom, which was to be bounded by the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, Persia, and the 37th degree of latitude. In June, 1916, hostilities were begun by Hussein, who defeated the Turks at Mecca, Taif, and Jedda, and opened up communication with the British fleet in the Red Sea, from which he was thereby enabled to receive ammunition and supplies. In Medina, however, the resistance of the Turkish forces was too strong to be over- come at that time. An expedition, co-operating with the British nava^ forces, was organized against Wejh o the Hejaz coast and proved successfu^ the citv being taken, as were also Dhaba and Moweilah on Feb. 8-9, 1917, thus clearing the northern end of the Red Sea up to Akaba of the enemy. Follow- ing this came a period of training and organization of troops by Prince Feisal, the third son of Hussein, and an able and daring commander. Camel corps and cavalry corps were formed, and after the fall of Akaba, Feisal's army became the right wing of the army of Allenby, to whom the Arabs rendered distin-