in an exaggerated strain, it presents a curious picture of the men and manners of that time.*

It was in the eleventh year of the Hegira, about the year of Christ 633, that the celebrated Abubeker, the first caliph, the successor of Mahomet, despatched the following circular letter to the Arabian tribes:

"In the name of the most merciful God, ABDOLLAH ATHICH EBN ABI KOHAPHA to the rest of the true believers, health and happiness, and the mercy and blessing of God be amongst you.

"I praise the most high God, and I pray for his prophet MAMOMET. This is to acquaint you, that I intend to send the true beleivers into SYRIA to take it out of the hands of the Infidels, and I would have you to know that the fighting for religion is an act of obedience to God."

In consequence of this mandate, the Saracen chiefs assembled, and Abubeker, after reviewing the army from the summit of a hill, took leave of them in a memorable speech, delivered to Yezid Ebn Abi Sophiyan, in which he says to them, "When you meet your enemies quit yourselves like men, and do not turn your backs; and if you get the victory, kill no little children, nor old people, nor women; destroy no palm trees, nor burn any fields of corn; cut down no fruit trees, nor do any mischief to cattle, only such as you kill to eat. When you make any article or covenant, stand to it, and be as good as your word. As you go on, you will find some religious persons that live retired in monasteries, and purpose to themselves to serve God that way; let them alone, and neither kill them nor destroy their monasteries. And you will find another sort of people who belong to the synagogue of Satan, who have shaven crowns, be sure you cleave their sculls, and give them no quarter till they either turn Mahometans or pay tribute.” When he had given them this charge, the army marched on towards Syria.

The storm first fell upon Bosra, four days' march from Damascus; the inhabitants vigorously defended themselves, but the city was delivered into the hands of the Saracens through the perfidy of the governor Romanus, who admitted Abdorrahman, the son of the caliph, with an hundred men into the city at dead of night, through a secret passage

* Alwakidi's "Conquest of Syria" has been translated by Mr. Ock. ley in the History of the Saracens.

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under the wall of the town. After the first fury of the Saracens had spent itself, the lives of the inhabitants were spared on their submitting to pay tribute, and the base Romanus on the following morning, in an assembly of the people, renounced Christianity in a memorable declaration which he made to them.

On being reproached with his treachery, "Oh! you ene mies of the apostle of God," said he, “I have nothing to do with you-I renounce your society in this world and in that which is to come, and I choose God for my Lord, Islam for my faith, Mecca for my temple, the Moslems for my brethren, and Mahomet for my prophet!"

Caled wrote to Abu Obediah to acquaint him with his success, and ordered him to join him with the forces under his command, in order that they might all march together to the siege of Damascus.

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Heraclius, Emperor of the East, was then at Antioch, and immediately despatched one of his generals, called by the Arabic historian Callus, with 5,000 men to the defence of that important city. This general arriving at Baalbec on his way down, was met by the inhabitants with dishevelled hair, weeping and wringing their hands. "Alas!" said they, "the Arabs have overrun all the country, and taken Aracah, Sachna, and Tadmor, and Haouran, and Bosra, and are now advancing upon Damascus."

On the arrival of this new general with the Emperor's letter at Damascus, many of the inhabitants being attached to their old governor, refused to obey any other, and the city was divided into parties and factions at a time when unity and concord were necessary for conducting the common defence.

Soon after the fall of Bosra, the Saracen cavalry made its appearance in the delicious environs of the Syrian capital, and encamped among the groves and streams bordering the city. After enumerating various exhibitions of personal prowess and courage exhibited by Saracen chieftains, Alwakidi details a curious parley which took place between Caled the Saracen chief and Callus the Emperor's general. "Callus," says he, " taking an interpreter, advanced towards Caled with great pomp and state. On his coming near, the following parley commenced between the two generals through the mouth of the interpreter. Sir,' says the interpreter to Caled, I will tell you a story. There was a man who had a flock of sheep, and he put them un

der a negligent shepherd, and the wild beasts devoured them, which, when the owner perceived, he turned away the shepherd and entrusted the sheep to a man of trust and courage. Beware, O Caled, that this does not prove to be your case: you Arabians were a poor, contemptible, vile people, and went about with hungry bellies, naked and barefoot, and lived upon barley-bread and what you could squeeze out of dates. Now, since you have come into our country, and have fared better, you begin to rebel, but the emperor has taken care to send us a great general for our protection, therefore look to yourselves.'

"None of your long stories,' says Caled, things are changed with us since we ate barley-bread and coarse fare, as we shall shortly manifest to you by possessing ourselves of your persons, your wives, your women, and your children; and as for your great man, do you not know that you are speaking to the conqueror of Haouran, Tadmor and Bosra? Great as he may be, if he is the support of your kingdom, so am I of our religion.'

The Christian general was about to depart but found himself mistaken, for Caled, getting between him and the Christian army, fell upon the redoubted chief with such fury that he quickly knocked him off his horse, and took him prisoner, to the delight of the Saracens, who shouted allah acbar-allah acbar-so that the whole camp echoed. Caled changed his horse and dashed into the battle, which had now commenced.

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'Hold,' said Derar, one of the most celebrated of the Saracen chiefs, 'you have tired yourself with fighting this dog, rest, and let me go.'

O Derar!' said Čaled, we shall rest in the world to come; he that labors to-day shall rest to-morrow:' saying which, he clapped spurs to his horse.

"The Damascenes, now under the sole and undisputed authority of Izrafil, their old governor, demanded to be led out against the Saracens. Izrafil, who appears from the account of the Arabic historian to have been a valiant man, rode up to Caled and shouted, My name is Izrafil.'

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Well,' said Caled, laughing, your namesake Izrafil, (the name of the angel whom the Mahometans suppose to have charge of the souls of the dead) is just ready to convey your soul to hell:' saying which he set upon him, struck at the legs of his horse, brought him to the ground, and took him prisoner." Izrafil and Callus, the two van

quished governors, were now brought forth and solemnly asked if they would renounce Christianity and turn Moslems. Both refusing, they were immediately beheaded, and the heads thrown over the walls into the town.

Several encounters and battles were fought, and the inhabitants at length exhausted, shut themselves up within the walls of the city.

In the middle of a dark night the Damascenes let down a messenger from the walls with a letter to the emperor imploring assistance.

The invasion of Syria, the loss of Bosra, and the siege of Damascus awakened the emperor of the East from his dreaming slumber on the throne of Constantinople, and vigorous preparations were made for the defence of his dominions. An army of 70,000 men, chiefly cavalry, was collected in the neighborhood of Antioch, and these formidable preparations determined Caled to suspend the siege of Damascus and to solicit the assistance of his Mussulmen brethren.

The following circular letter was despatched to all the Arabian chieftians within the confines, or on the borders of Syria.

From Caled to

"Health and happiness.

"Know that thy brethren the Moslems design to march to Aiznadin, where there is an army consisting of 70,000 Greeks, who purpose to come against us, that they may extinguish the light of God with their mouths, but God preserveth his light in spite of the infidels. As soon, therefore, as this letter of mine shall come to thine hand, come with those that are with thee to Aiznadin, where thou shalt find us if it pleases the most High God."

Caled then raised the siege of Damascus, and the Saracens in their retreat were rudely handled by a party of 6000 horse and 10,000 foot, who sallied from the town under the command of two brothers named Peter and Paul, and pressed upon their rear; several of their women were taken prisoners, and Caled himself with fresh forces was obliged to hurry from the van to the rescue of his companions in arms. The Damascenes were then driven back, and we are told that Derar gallopped after Paul, but Paul ran away; being closely pursued however, the unfortunate

man jumped off his horse and tried to escape on foot, but Derar was too quick for him, for he jumped off too and followed him. "Hold" said Paul, "for the love of God; if you save me, your wives and children which we have taken shall be saved." Hearing this, Derar spared his life, but took him prisoner. In the mean time Peter, who had taken the Saracen women captive, halted on his way back to Damascus to hear the fate of his brother Paul, and to divide his female captives between himself and followers. Peter chose Caulah, Derar's sister, a most beautiful woman, for himself, and told his men to choose the others as far as they would go.

The Greeks in the mean time went into their tents to refresh themselves, and the women gathering together, Caulah announced to them her determination to die rather

than be abused by the barbarians. "Where is your

courage?" said she; "none of the idolatrous slaves shall touch me. "Alas!" said Opheirah, one of the captives, "we are defenceless, we have neither sword, spear, nor bow." "Let us each take a tent pole," said Caulah, "and stand upon our guard, God may give us the victory, he may deliver us. If not, we can die and preserve our honor. Saying which, she seized a tent pole, and the rest of the women followed her example. "Now," says Caulah, "stand round in a circle, and leave no space between you for the infidels to come in and do us mischief. Strike their spears with your staves, and break their swords and their skulls." As she spoke she stepped forward and struck a fellow who was standing outside the tent, and shattered his skull. The Greeks rushed out, and found the women ranged in battle array armed with the tent poles. Peter, in astonishment at the sight, called to Caulah, whom he had chosen for his mistress, and asked what it all meant. "Woe to thee, and to all of you, thou Christian dog," said she. "The meaning of it is, that we design to preserve our honor, and to beat your brains out with these staves. Come," says she, "Sir, pray come and embrace the lady you have reserved for your own private happiness; you will, perhaps, receive something at her hands, which may make it worth your while!"

Peter laughing, ordered his men to encompass the women and take them prisoners, but not to do them harm. "When any horsemen, however, came near them, they struck at the horses' legs with the tent poles, and if they