Thu sciences seem to have risen and fallen in Arabia with the Abbasidean dynasty ; for from this time the Arabs have sunk into their former ignorance. At pre sent, they have lost all taste for literary pursuits. The chief studies of their literati consist in the interpreta tion of the Koran, and the ancient history of the Maho metans. They receive very little encouragement from their princes, and are in general very ignorant. They know nothing of philosophy, and their scanty acquaint ance with astronomy is derived from tradition rather than from any observations of their own. They seem to study this science solely as an auxiliary to astrology, which is much cultivated and highly esteemed in the east. Though some of their astronomers are able to calculate eclipses, and arc acquainted with their cause, yet the pophlar superstition still prevails in Arabia, that the planet is pursued by a huge fish, which they at tempt to frighten away with the beating of drums and brazen kettles. In the dominions of the Imam of Sana, there are two considerable academies, one at Zebid for Sunnites, and the other at Damar for the Zeidites. But for want of proper books and instructors, they have made very little progress in any branch of philosophy.
The deplorable ignorance in which this once en lightened nation is now involved, appears from the high estimation in which the occult sciences are now held among them. Their streets are continually infested with fortune-tellers and jugglers, who are treated with respect, and liberally rewarded for their exertions. Some of them pretend to be familiar with genii, to know what is passing in the most distant countries, to disco ver hidden treasure, to cure diseases, and to preserve their votaries from the power of enchantment, and every other accident. The Arabs are, in particular, passion ately addicted to alchemy. They suppose that the se cret of making gold is known to the Venetians, and many of them ruin their fortunes by their eager re searches after it. Their skill in medicine is scarcely superior to their knowledge of philosophy. Those who practise it, know little more than the technical terms, and the use of simples, which they sometimes apply with wonderful success. Regular and temperate in their manner of life, the Arabs are preserved from many of the diseases incident to Europeans. A very common disorder in Yemen, is the attack of Guinea worm, or Vena Medinensis, which is ascribed to the frequent use of putrid waters. This disease is not dangerous, if the worm can be extracted without breaking. It is slender like a thread, and about two or three feet long. If, un luckily, broken while extracting it, it returns into the body, and death is often the consequence. But the most loathsome distemper is the leprosy, which seems to be endemic in Arabia. Three different species of
this disease are prevalent in this country, two of which, named Bohak and Barron, are more disgusting than dangerous; the other called Juddam, is very malignant, and apparently infectious.
At one time, the Arabs were the first commercial people in the world. They had monopolized the whole trade with India, and distributed her merchandize to the western continents. The riches of the east conti nued to flow in this channel, tilt the discovery of the Cape of Good Hope by the Portuguese. Since the opening of this new communication between the eastern and western worlds, the importance of Arabia has ra pidly decliued. Their exports are now confined, in a great measure, to their own productions. Immense quantities of coffee (which is their staple article of com merce,) are exported from the ports of Mocha and Lo heia. This is occasioned, in a great measure, by the supposition that this plant has heating effects upon the blood, so that very little of it is consumed by the Ara bians themselves. This article is only used among the higher classes, the common people contenting them selves with the husks and the shell, of which they make a wholesome and pleasant beverage, called Kischer. The quantity of coffee yearly exported has been com puted at twelve millions five hundred and fifty thousand weight. It was formerly carried by Dows from Loheia to Jidda, and was thence conveyed to Constantinople, either by caravans, or in large Turkish vessels, to Suez, and across Egypt to Alexandria, from which it was shipped for every part of Europe. About the beginning of the last century, however, the European vessels be gan to carry the coffee round by the Cape, which pro duced such a diminution in the duties levied in Egypt, that the Porte sent an embassy to Sana, to request the abolition of this new system of trade. No fewer than 16,000 bales of coffee, amounting in value to about 160,0001. sterling, was annually sent to Jidda, till the year 1803, when an American trader having carried here a profitable cargo of coffee, induced so many mer chants to follow his example, that the quantity of coffee sent to Jidda was reduced nearly one half. Hitherto the quantity of coffee exported by Europeans was ex tremely trifling, amounting only, in the course of eight years, to about 8187 bales, while the India Company imported only 5916, as appears from the following statement:— A bale of this coffee, containing 305 lbs. generally sold at from 36 to 40 dollars per bale; but, in conse quence of the competition between the Americans and the brokers of the India Company, the price has risen to 50 dollars, at which rate above 8000 bales have been exported to America, and 2000 to Bombay.