A voice from North Africa; or, A narrative illustrative of the religious ceremonies, customs, and manners of the inhabitants of that part of the world

Front matter

| PREFACE.

Tue chief object which the author has in view

| in sending forth the following pages, is to interest the Christian world in a country which

Introduction

Page Reason why the Saracens did not extend their conquests : sooner.—Mohammed’s and Abubaker’s injunctions.— Caliph Othmaan sends Abdallah to conquer A frica.— Battle and victory at Tripoli—Constrained to return to Egypt.—Expedition renewed under Okba.—His conquests.—Builds Kairwan.—Okba recalled by the Caliph, and Dinar, one of his freedmen, obtains the command,—Okba reinstated—Imprisons Dinar— Defeats the Romans.— Etymology of the word Sara- ’ cen.—Okba goes to Tangiers.—His conquests there. —Dismisses his army with the exception of 5000 men.—Is informed by Dinar of the capture of Kairwan.—His interview with Dinar.—Both determine to fight to the last.—Their defeat.— Expedition renewed under Hassan, viceroy of Egypt, who conquers Carthage.—North Africa subdued by the Mohammedans. —Ashath sent by the Caliph as governor of Africa. —S —Hejra.—The Hargites rebel, and are defeated.— The government of Omar.—Jasid.—Ruach.—Harthama.—Abrahim Ben Aglab— Abo Abas.—Saidat Allah, and his conquests in Sicily—Okal.—Abo Abas.—Abo Abrahim.—Abdallah.—Ziadat Allah._— Abo Abdallah.—The sect of Ismaelians.—The Mohdi. —Moaz.—Abo Fares, the first king of Tunis—Omar El Muley Mustanka.—The expedition under Louis } the Eleventh.—The rise of a new dynasty, and its suppression. Abo Omar Othman.—Abu Zacariah. —Mohammed.—Muley Ahsen.—Charles the Fifth and Barbarossa.—Hamida, with whom the series of kings terminate.—Tunis conquered by the Algerians. —The Spaniards expelled by the Turks.—Change of xii CONTENTS.

P. government.—Morad Bey.—Hamuda Basha.—<Ad-- 7 miral Blake’s attack upon Tunis—Morad.—Mohammed.—Ramdhan.—Hassan Ben Ali.—Ali Basha.— Mohammed Bey.—Hamuda Basha II.—Mahmood. —Hussein Basha.—Difference with Sardinia.—Arabs determined to revenge themselves on the Christians. —Mr Tulin’s account of it—Sir Thomas Reade makes peace with the two nations. —Mustafa,— Ahmed Basha, the reigning Bey.—A retrospective view.—A contrast between the oan of Christianity and Mohammedanism,... «ss ae

Chapter I

John Gottlieb Krtiger enlists in the Prussian army.—Is enticed to desert, and to proceed to Algiers.—Finds himself disappointed.—Badly treated in the French service.—His regiment ordered to Bugia.—Engagements with the Arabs.—Many desert.—Kriiger does” the same.—His mode of travelling.—Is obliged to enter a village in order to procure some food.—Is frightened, and goes away.—Spends the night upon a tree.—Is surprised by two Arabs.—They treat him kindly, and take him to a market-place.—A true description of the Arabs.—The pie ees 's astonishment at Kriiger’s appearance... see teecccrscercescssesecess 4

CHAPTER IL.

He is taken to the chief’s house—Annoyed by the people.—Entertains them.—A strange Arab visits the chief.—His conversation with Kriiger.—Says that the inhabitants of the village sent him to behead Kriiger. —Leaves, and tells Kriiger to prepare himself for death.—Kriger describes his own state of mind,— He is taken early the following morning to the market-place, where a very great crowd is gathered. Saves his life by embracing Mohammedanism.—Mohammed’s account of Christ.—Reports of the French

CONTENTS. Rill

Page conquests on the coast reach the Arabs.—They are = encouraged by a priest to go and assist their brethren. —tThey attack the French, and are defeated—The priests make use of Mohammed’s doctrines of fate and destiny to encourage them to another attack.— Their cowardice——Sidy Ali saat all infidels —AIl return to their respective homes,......... 58

Chapter II

Kriiger goes to Chifza.—Is liked by the people there.— Their anxiety to hear news from Europe.—One old man is particularly pleased with him.—The Moadsan calls to prayer.—A description of Mohammedan prayers and lustrations—The attributes of God.— Mohammed’s injunctions for prayer.—The strictness with which they are obeyed urged as an example for Christians.—The old man takes Kriiger to his house. —Instructs him in the Mohammedan religion.—Produces the Koran as a miracle.—Refutation,............ 73

Chapter IV

Mohammed laid no claim to miracles.—His followers ascribe some to him.—The dividing of the moon.— Refutation—A Jew converted by a miracle.—The night journey.—Kvriiger is obliged to conform to the rite of cireumcision.—His name is changed, and he receives the title Shareefi—Has a reputation as saint and physician.—He is requested to bring up a treasure from some ruins.—He extricates himself,..........+++++ 87

Chapter V

Meets with another German.—They travel as dervishes or saints.—Good reception from Ben Samon.—They go towards Medianah.—His companion probably slain.—Meets two other deserters at Asemorn.— They xiv CONTENTS.

Pp tell him of their sufferings——One of them, a French- i man, is killed by a dervish—Motives by which Mohammedans are actuated to be so cruel.—Reasons of the rapid success of Mohammed.—His character.— Nature of his rewards and punishments.—Heaven not denied to females, .........5000 ss. 0s0secses ouaveeeesecnninl

Chapter VI

What persons likely to embrace Mohammedanism voluntarily—An example of one.—Mohammedans also try to prove the truth of their ghee ini? from our Scriptures.—Refutation,... ari: ole |

Chapter VII

Cruelty of the people of Asemorn.—Abdallah is sold to Bo Azes.—His journey to the Owlad Matta, over whom Bo Azes is governor.—The tribe surprised by an enemy.—They meet the enemy.—Gelela, son of Bo Azes, is killed by the chief of the enemy.—Retreat of the Owlad Matta.—Mourning for Gelela.— Death of his wife——Sickness of Abdallah.—Cruelty towards him.—Meets a German at Bo Helge and gis attached to him.—The German sold,... + 120

Chapter VIII

Abdallah escapes.—Is overtaken, stripped, and wounded.—Goes to Imdokan, where he is well treated.— Goes with a Shareef to Sidy Aqua.—The character of the Bey of Constantina, by whom Abdallah is imprisoned.—A_ providential escape from death.— Departs with the Shareef—Pilgrimage to Mecca. —Leaves the Shareef, and goes to Zoof—Meets Christians in a caravan going to Tugurt, and joins them.—Their fate——Abdallah returns to Gereed, where he finds the Bey of the camp of Tunis, and is

CONTENTS.

taken by him to that wees —Is now determined to remain a Mohammedan,...

Chapter IX

Tunis the most interesting part of North Africa.—The ruins of Carthage.—Sir Thomas Reade’s excavations. —Moors.—Deplorable state of the Tunisians.—Principal mosques.—Tunisians idle.—A story about Sultan Mahmood.—The French war in Africa —Manner of educating children.—Hatred to persons of other religions.—Colleges.—Mohammedans cultivated all sciences.—Their present ignorant state—No missionary in Barbary.—Duty of sending the Gospel there. —The Arabic of Tunis,

The orthodox Mohammedan sects.—Their founders.— Hatred between the Sonnites and Shiites,

Chapter XI

The Mohammedan ladies.—Deseription of a bath— Polygamy.—Form of adivorce.—Opinion of marriage. —Female educationMarriage ceremony.—Prohibited degrees of marriage.—Blessings which Christianity brought upon the woman.—St Augustin.— Description of a feast to the eee incumbent upon Christian females,...

CHAPTER XI.

Dervishes.—Their character.—The Biography of a Roman Catholic priest who embraced Mohammedanism, and is considered a saint.—He wrote a refutation of Christianity, ... Hseeetiuseys é xvi CONTENTS.

Page CHAPTER XII.

Mohammedans and Jews pay great respect to the dead. —An illustration of Scripture——Copy of an inscription upon a tombstone.— Visiting the sick.—Funeral. —Sepulchral examination.—Slaves often receive their freedom when their masters die.—Slavery in Tunis. —Partially abolished through the influence of Sir Thomas Reade.—Cay. Gaspary falsely accused of having permitted the me ap of ‘i and loses his situation on account of it,... Perri

CHAPTER XIV.

The Jews.—Probable time of their first settling in Barbary.—Their state.—The Roman Catholics.—Greeks. —Protestants.—Protestant mission—Death of Mr BOTCON oie s2ssstvoce'ssssevecce. see des'obe 00s iscn'gudvaatcad Sean

CHAPTER XV.

The present Bey.—Circular informing the Consuls of a successor to the throne.—His military passion.—Regular troops.—A letter to illustrate their conduct.— The oppression of the Tunisians—The Bey’s expedition to the mountains.—Circular informing the Consuls of the same.—The Bey’s good qualities.— Europeans in his service——Library—Sir Thomas Reade’s collection of Arabic manuscripts——Punishment for theft.—A very remarkable instance of a propensity to stealing.—Theft sometimes an hereditary moral depravity.—Punishment for other offences. —Climate.—Dr Heap’s opinion.—Soil.— Vegetables. —Animals.—Mines.—Exports and imports.—Manufactures.—Extent of the cata arse and its wee towns,.... eae cee ceeces os vee vo cesees SOG

VOICE FROM NORTH AFRICA.

INTRODUCTION.

Reason why the Saracens did not extend their conquests sooner.—Mohammed’s andA bubaker’sinjunctions.—Caliph Othman sends Abdallah to conquer Africa.—Battle and victory at Tripoli—Constrained to return to Egypt.— Expedition renewed under Okba.—His conquests.—Builds Kairwan.—Okba recalled by the Caliph, and Dinar, one of his freedmen, obtains the command.—Okba reinstated. —tInmprisons Dinar.—Defeats the Romans.—Etymology of the word Saracen.—Okba goes to Tangiers.—His conquests there.—Dismisses his army with the exception of 5000 men.—Is informed by Dinar of the capture of Kairwan.—His interview with Dinar.—Both determine to fight to the last—Their defeat—Expedition renewed under Hassan, viceroy of Egypt, who conquers Carthage.— North Africa subdued by the Mohammedans.—Ashath sent by the Caliph as governor of Africa.—Hejra,—The Hargites rebel and are defeated——The government of Omar. — Jasid. — Ruach.—Harthama.—Abrahim Ben Aglab.—Abo Abas.—Saidat Allah, and his conquests in Sicily—Okal—Abo Abas—Abo Abrahim.—Abdallah. —Ziadat Allah Abo Abdallah.—The sect of Ismaelians. —The MohdiMoaz.—Abo Fares, the first king of Tunis.—Omar El Muley Mustanka.—The expedition under Louis the Eleventh.—The rise of a new dynasty, and its suppression.— Abo Omar Othman.—Abu Zacariah. —Mohammed.—Muley Ahsen.—Charles the Fifth and

A wo

INTRODUCTION.

Barbarossa.—Hamida, with whom the series of kings terminate.—Tunis conquered by the Algerians.—The Spaniards expelled by the Turks.—Change of government.— Morad Bey.—Hamuda Basha.—Admiral Blake’s attack upon Tunis.—Morad.—Mohammed.—Ramdhan.—Hassan Ben Ali—Ali Basha.—Mohammed Bey.—Ham Basha I.—Mahmood.—Hussein Basha.—Difference Sardinia.—Arabs determined to revenge themselyes on the Christians—Mr Tulin’s account of it—Sir Thomas Reade makes peace with the two nations —Mustafa.— Ahmed Basha the reigning Bey.—A retrospective view.—

A contrast between the propagation of Christianity and Mohammedanism. i

Tue dissensions and troubles in Arabia, after the death of Mohammed, kept his followers sufficiently occupied in their own country ; but no sooner was peace and order restored than they began to mani-

fest a spirit of conquest and proselytism. The prophet had repeatedly urged his followers to spread his religion from one end of the world to the other; and his assurance, that, ‘if twenty of them persevered, two hundred of their enemy should be overcome, and if one hundred were firm, one thousand could not resist them: ’’ and the words of Abubaker, that “ fighting for the religion is an act of obedience to God,”’ checked any appalling comparison between the greatness of the task and_the littleness of the means. A great part of Asia and Africa had been subdued by them, and the Caliph Othman now turned his attention to Barbary. He sent Abdallah, a brave general, with instruction to conquer and convert the Africans to the religion of Mohammed.* * Mills’ History, p. 48.

This civil and ecclesiastical missionary led from the camp of Memphis an army of upwards of forty thousand valiant Arabs, and arrived at Tripoli, 4.D. 647, where he awaited the attack of the Greeks. Gregory the prefect engaged the invaders, but his fate was soon decided by the superiority of the Mussulmen arms. Gregory was slain, his daughter, who fought by his side, was taken captive, and Tripoli fell into Abdallah’s hands. This victory, however, was not obtained without considerable loss. This, together with the plague which at that time greatly raged in Tripoli, constrained Abdallah to abandon his conquest, and to return to Egypt.

This expedition was not renewed till about a. p. 660, when Okba, or Ukba, with a large army of infantry, composed chiefly of Barbars, and with ten thousand chosen Syrian cavalry, was sent by the Caliph to reclaim the ground which their arms had gained. Okba did not find much opposition, owing to the unsettled state of the country, their indifference to religion, and to the oppressions and extortion of their rulers. As he advanced, he made himself master of the chief cities along the shore of the Mediterranean, and those that did not willingly submit and embrace his religion, he treated according to the precept of his master, viz., to kill and to destroy ;”’ but at the same time, faithful to the instructions of Abubaker, Okba saved the lives of women, children, and the aged.

When he arrived in the neighbourhood of Tunis, he built the city Kairwan,* on the ruins of ancient Cyrene. After having fortified it according to the manner of those times, it served for a place of refuge in accidents of war, being no less than thirty-six miles distant from the Mediterranean sea, and upwards of one hundred from Tunis. A wall of brick surrounded the rising capital, which was afterwards decorated with a governor’s palace,a mosque supported by five hundred columns. of granite and marble, and several schools of learning. It holds the fourth place, in point of holiness, in the Moslem world; because in the mosque is con+ tained the tomb of the barber and friend of the prophet. Neither Jew nor Christian is permitted to enter the city without express permission from the Bey. The Mohammedans themselves neyer enter it without first taking their shoes off, thinking they would pollute the holy ground if they did not manifest every outward mark of respect. . It has certainly greatly fallen from its former splendour ; but I have been informed, from very good authority, that there is yet a great deal of wealth and remains of ancient magnificence to be found in it. ie Owing to some misunderstanding between Okba * “ The famous city Kiruan, (or Cairwan,) otherwise called Caroen, was founded by Hukba, who was sent as General of the army from Arabia Deserta by Hutmen, the third Moham+ medan Calif. From the. Mediterranean sea this city” distant thirty-six miles, and from Tunis almost cee - dred ; neither was it built for any other purpose than the Arabian armies might securely rest therein, with all such spoils as they won from the Barbarians.”—Leo, p, 254," a and the Caliph, the former was ordered to give up his command to Dinar, one of Okba’s freedmen. But the Caliph soon saw the necessity of restoring this great man to his dignity ; which Okba no sooner obtained, than he threw Dinar, his rival, into prison, for having commenced the building of another city not far from Kairwan, and for haying transported all its inhabitants to it. The next step Okba took was to march to Melik, a city in Numidia, where, after having defeated the Romans, and garrisoned the place with Mohammedan troops, he marched to Erbau, the capital of Zaab, the ancient Lambesa. Here an engagement took place ‘with the governor, in which Okba was victorious. The inhabitants were slain, and the country fell into the hands of the Saracens.* Advancing, with- ‘out any opposition, through Mauritania, he arrived ‘at Tangiers, which place submitted without the “Teast resistance. Leaving Tangiers, he marched towards the remotest parts of the present kingdom of Morocco, where he had been informed there were warlike and savage tribes, living without religion ‘and without laws. These, this zealous conqueror and converter thought, were the very objects of his

_ * There are various etymologies given of this word. Some derive it from the Arabic word Sarak, which signifies steal, and hence call them thieves. Others derive it from the East, and make the word therefore to signify ‘Eastern. ‘The letters Sin and Shin interchange. Some say _that there is an Arabic word Saraini, which signifies a paseure people, and think that Saracini is a corruption from it. Mills’ History of Mohammedanism, p. 28 ; and Casiri’s

Bibliot. Arab. Hisp. tom. ii. p. 18.

mission, At his arrival in their country, after a long and tedious march, he found them all under arms, ready to resist force by force. But they soon saw their mistake. Okba was not to be frightened with their war-cries, or expelled with bowandarrow ; he advanced, and as he approached, he laid everything waste before him. There was no alternative left them but to submit and to embrace the religion of Mohammed, or to see their property taken, their wives and children carried away captive, and themselves slain by the sword. These tribes subdued, Okba thought he had conquered all Africa, and only lamented that the Atlantic Ocean stopped his progress. He is said to have spurred his horse into the waves, with his eyes towards heaven, and his unsheathed sword in his hand, and to have exclaimed, *O great God! if these obstacles (the waves) did not prevent me, I should have gone in search of other nations, amongst whom thy name is as yet ~™ unknown, and would have compelled them to adore no other God than thee, and to confess that Mas hammed is thy prophet and apostle.”

Okba now thought of returning to Kairwan, and of visiting the places he had conquered; but imprudently thinking he had no more use of his army, he dismissed them, with the exception of 5000 men. The Saracens had only conquered those cities which lay in their way: there were many others, occupied with Roman troops. These, during the absence of Okba, united themselves with the native Berbers, and, under the command of Kuscile, a Moorish prince, determined to expel their common enemy.

Accordingly, Kuscile marched his troops toward Kairwan, the capital city of the Mohammedans. In the meantime Dinar, who was still in prison, and who was the first to be informed of this insurrection, gave notice of it to Okba; who, notwithstanding his inferior force, determined to meet the enemy, and to die honourably in the cause of God. But first sending for Dinar, he addressed him in these affecting words: ‘‘O noble-minded slave! I might have had to have been thankful to thee for the safety of the Mohammedans, had I not been so imprudent as to have dispersed my army, which it is now too late to recall. I give thee thy liberty ; depart for thy safety ; endeavour to collect troops, and use all thy power to re-establish the dominion of our prophet in this part of the world. As for me, I cannot disgrace the Mohammedan cause and my office by flight. I therefore go to be slain by “my enemies; but I will at the same time show them the last actions of Okba.”—“‘ I haye reason to hate thee,” answered Dinar; ‘but I have more reason to love my religion, the cause of our prophet, and the prosperity of our people. Thinkest thou I am more capable to disgrace our cause by flight than thou art? I will die with thee, with whom I could not live.” Both thus determined to sacrifice themselves in the cause of their prophet, placed themselves at the head of their army, and marched towards Zaab, where the enemy was encamped. ‘When the two generals saw the enemy, amounting to about 80,000, they encouraged their 5000 men not to fear death, but to fight manfully, and to remember that God was able to make them victorious, though inferior in point of number; and, unsheathing their swords, they threw their scabbards at their feet, an example which all their mem” imitated. No sooner was the command given, than the Saracens, with a courage amounting to despair, fell upon their enemies, and made a most. horrible carnage amongst them. The scene of bloodshed did not cease till not one of the Saracens remained alive. The place where this battle was fought is to this day called the “Field of Okba,”’ as a monument of the valour of this general. Kuscile then marched to Kairwan, and remained sole master of this part of Africa. io

This defeat, however, did not discourage the Saracens. They made several other very bold attempts to subjugate Africa. Carthage was several times taken and retaken; and, had it not been for the indiscreet practices of the Emperor of Constantinople, and for the religious discords which them so unhappily divided the Christian church, this country might, perhaps, have remained in the possession of the Christians. No sooner did the Saracens lose ground, than the Emperor, in utter disregard of the provincials, imposed upon his African subjects new and oppressive taxes. The murmurings of the people against this injustice, and their declared preference of a Saracenian governor, soon reached the court of Damascus, and another attempt of the conquest of Africa was resolved upon.

A few years before the close of the seventh century, Hassan, the viceroy of Egypt, was ordered to attack Carthage, and subject the whole of the surrounding country to the religion and authority of the Caliph. But he had hardly reduced the metropolis of Africa, when a large force arrived from Constantinople, which compelled him to retire to Kairwan. The issue of a battle, however, again put the city of Dido into his hands; and a second engagement, which took place near Utica, proved so disastrous to the Greeks, that they fled to their ships, and finally relinquished the country.* Thus, with the fall of Carthage, all their settlements on the sea-coast, from Tripoli to Tangiers, were added to the empire of the Saracens. The Barbarians, or Berbers, the ancient Lybians,—a race of wandering shepherds, who inhabited this country before the arrival of the Phesnicians,—made several struggles for independence, both in government and religion. They were headed, according to some Arabian authors, by a queen named Kehena ; but, finding themselves unsuccessful, they submitted to their conquerors. Between the Bedouins of Arabia and the Berbers of Africa, there was a striking similarity of character: it was therefore natural, that when the Africans adopted the religion of the Arabs, they should adopt their name and language also. However, in adopting the Arabic language, they have not given up their own; for they continue to speak it amongst themselves. From this

* See the Edinburgh Cabinet Library; Barbary States, PUBL AIVS: »:

epoch, Northern Africa may be segeees as a section of the great Mohammedan empire.*

Of the various governors who succeeded Atsas or Hassen, in the command of Africa, very little is known, except of Mussa, who was so instrumental in the conquest of Spain. Kairwan, the city built by Ukba, was the abode. of the governors, or Ameers, from whence they extended their cares to the government of the western provinces, and over Spain.

I translated the following from Ibn Wadrak, an Arabic historian :—

The first of the dynasty of the Abasites that entered Africa was one of the sons of Beni Abas, called Ashath, who was son of Okba the Huzite, He received his appointment from the Caliphat Gjafer Elmasor, in the year (a.p.) 729.t On his arrival

* See Mills’ History, p. 107.

+ For the sake of convenience, I have here given the dates according to the Christian era. Ibn Wadrak gives the Hejra, or Hegira. The flight of Mohammed from Mecca to is the epoch of the Mohammedan nations. Omar, the second Caliph, instituted the Hegira in imitation of the Christians, who counted their years from their persecution by Diocletian, (A.D, 284,) and who called it the era of the martyrs, Thus the Mohammedans wished to commence their calculation of time from the period of the most memorable persecution they had suffered. ‘The learned Mohammedan astronomers have been divided in opinion on the exact year of the Christians which corresponds with the Hegira. But the generality of writers place this epoch on Friday, the 16th of July, a.p. 622. The ancient Arabs counted time by solar months; these months always returned in the same season, and their names correspond with the employments which the seasons rendered necessary. Since the epoch of the Hegira was fixed, the Mohammedans count time by lunar months, the Arabian year consisting of 354 days, eight hours, and forty-eight

INTRODUCTION. 1l in Africa, he destroyed and dispersed the Beni Ameiah, and then occupied himself in tranquilizing the country.

Shortly after, the Hargites, headed by Hatab, rebelled and committed great hostilities; Ashath no sooner heard of it, than he went out against them and destroyed their army, and killed their chief Hatab.

The country again in peace, Ashath occupied himself in building the walls of Kairwan. He commenced this work in the month Rabia-el-Aul, (May,) and finished it in Ragiab (September) of the same year of the Hegira 731. The height of the wall, according to the historian Ibn Nebuta, was seventeen ells.

The ensigns and standards of the governors of this dynasty were black, on account of their having gone to Africa to revenge the blood of Hussian, Said, and Abraham the priest. Even their clothes

re black, as a token of mourning for these great men,

After Ashath, Omar, son of Kabisah, son of Abo Zaphra, was sent to Africa. This Omar was surnamed Hizar Mird, a Persian word, which means one thousand men, He was so called, on account of minutes. The intercalary days are adjusted by a cycle of

lunar years, of which nineteen are of 354 days, and eleven of 355 days. The years of excess are in the following order :—2, 5, 7,10, 13, 15, 18, 21, 24, 26, 29.—D’Herbelot’s Bib. Orient. Art. Hegira; De Guigné’s Histoire Genér. des Huns, tom. i. p. 43; Marsden on the Hegira, p. 8. Thirtytwo of our years are nearly equal to thirty-three Mohammedan years.—Mills’ History, p. 20.

his great strength. He was considered to be able to resist one thousand men, Omar, before ¢ to Africa, had been governor of many parts in East. He arrived at his new office with five sak dred cavalry. In his time the Hargites increased greatly, notwithstanding his having orders from Mansor the Caliph to exterminate them; which or ders he executed to the best of his abilities. After governing in Kairwan three years, he went to Zaab, and built the city Tobna. In a subsequent enga ment with the Hargites he was killed, and Jasid Ben Hatem was appointed in his place. {269 Jasid entered Africa with 50,000 troops ; and, like the former, he commenced the extermination of the Hargites, or dissenters, in which he was 86 successful, that in a short time the whole coun was in a perfectly tranquil state. Through exercise of his sound judgment, and impartial gene= rosity, he made himself beloved and esteemed all his subjects. He used to say—*TI have don harm to nobody; but if there is one who pretends that I have wronged him, may God judge between us!”’ Jasid demolished the mosque at Kairwan, except the Mohrab, (altar,) and completely rebuilt it. He embellished this edifice with green marble (verde antique) columns, which he bought at an immense price. He encouraged learning at large, but was especially fond of poets: many of these learned men were supported by him; but there was one in particular, a certain Maroan, to whom he was passionately attached. After this man had once recited to him a few of his verses, Jasid presented to him 50,000 pieces of money, and pro- = that those of his army that loved him should al favourably with the poet, which proclamation brought him another 50,000; so that Maroan left the prince with 100,000.* _,Jasid died in 753, after a reign of fifteen years, and left his son to rule after him; but Rashid having come the same year to the Caliphat, he sent Ruah, son of Hatem, of the tribe Asad, to take the rule of Africa in preference to young Jasid. ; Ruah was the brother of Jasid, and in many respects like him.

He appointed his nephew to the command of Nineyeh. Ruah was very courageous, and full of generosity ; he boasted of haying served under Saffa, Mansur, Mehedi, and now under the Caliphat of Rashid. Abn Rashik, the historian, relates a story of this Ruah, which greatly illustrates his character. ‘‘ One day,” he says, ‘‘ whilst Ruah was sitting in his pleasure-house, and with him his rite wife, one of his servants entered with a large vase filled with roses, of yellow and white colours, as a present to H. H.; and, as these kinds were out of the proper season, Ruah ordered the wase to be returned to the man, and, as a recom-, pence, to be filled with silver coins. ‘But, O prince!’ said the lady, ‘why are you wronging this man? Did he not bring you the vaso filled with roses of yellow and white colours? why do you return it with money of one colour only?’ The prince, on hearing this witty observation, laughed, and ordered ye |." Equal to about 1.1700 English money, the vase to be filled, one half with gold and the other with silver.”’ Ruah reigned over this ki dom five years, and then died at Kairwan in

The end of all things is known to God! Rual was governor of India, and his brother Jasid of Africa, so that all wondered at the great distance that separated them, but God has brought them both to the same grave!

Rashid, the Caliph of the faithful, then sent Harthama. Halcaan, the historian, says that this prince built the city of Munisteer, in the year 764 ; but Abn Shabath says he built only a palace in it; and the city was built by Zakariah, son of Kaderan. — To Harthama is also ascribed the building of Tripoli. This governor was just and prudent ; in — all his actions he studied the welfare of his people, yet he could not please them ; this annoyed him so much, that he requested of Rashid to be recalled. Rashid recalled him, and made him his minister of private affairs, in which office he remained till the accession of Mamun to the Caliphat of the faithful. Harthama advanced higher and higher, till Mamun, for unknown reasons, had him beheaded. Some say that Fozal killed him without the knowledge of bee ‘Caliph.

After Harthama returned to the East, Abraham, or Ibrahim, son of Aglab, was sent to Africa about the year 770.

This Abraham is the first of the Dynasty o Aglab ; the first action he did was to build the city Kazar, about three miles from Kairwan. The king’s palace, which was to the south of the large mosque at Kairwan, he destroyed, and transported the seat of government to his new city. His reign was short and tranquil, and when he died the Caliph Mamun appointed Abo Abas, his (the former goyernor’s) son, to rule over Africa.

Abo Abas, son of Aglab, reigned in Africa two years, when Manzur Tabandi, one of his generals, conspired against him, and kept him for some time besieged. Affairs remained in an unsettled state twelve years, when all was arranged in favour of Abo Abas. He died at Kairwan, and was buried with his father; and Saidat Allah, his son, succeeded him in the government, in the year 785.