ENGLISH. MANDINGA. ARABIC.One Kalen WahudTwo Fula ThanineThree Seba ThalataFour Nani ArbaFive Lulu KumsaSix Uruh SettaSeven Urn'klu SebbaEight Säae TiminiaNine Kanuntée TaseudTen Dan AshraEleven Dan kalen Ahud ashTwelve Dan fula AtenasheThirteen Dan seba TeltasheNineteen Dankanartée TasatasliTwenty Mulu AshreenThirty Mulu nintau ThalateenForty Mulu fula Arbä'inFifty Mulu fula neentan KumseenSixty Mulu sebaa SetteenSeventy Mulu sebaa nintan Sebä'in.Eighty Mulu nani T'aramana'eenNinety Mulu nani neentaan Tasa'eenOne hundred Kemi MiaOne thousand Uli ElfThis Neen HaddaThat Waleem HaddukGreat Bawa KabeerLittle Nadeen SereerHandsome Nimawa ZinUgly Nuta Uksheen (k guttur.)White Kie BeadBlack Feen KhalRed Williamma HummerHow do you do? Nimbana mcuntania Kif-entaWell Kantée Ala-khereNot well Moon kanti MurredeWhat do you want Ala feta matume Ash-brightSit down Siduma JilsGet up Ounilee NodeSour Akkumula HamdSweet Timiata HelluhTrue Aituliala HackFalse Funiala KadubeGood Abatee MiliahBad Minbatee KubiahA witch Bua SaharA lion Jatta SebaâAn elephant Samma El feleA hyæna Salua DubbahA wild boar Siwa El kunjerA water horse Mali Aoud d'ElmaA horse Suhuwa AoudA camel Kumaniun JimmelA dog Wallee KillebHel el Killeb Hel Wallee Hel El Killebor the dog-facedrace.A gazel Tankeen Gazel (g guttural)A cat Niankune El mishA goat Baâ El mâizeA sheep Kurenale KibshA bull Nisakia ToôrA serpent Saâ HenshA camelion Mineer TattaAn ape Ku'nee DzatuteA fowl or chicken Susee DjezA duck Beruee El WeeseA fish Hihu El houtButter Tulu ZibdaMilk Nunn El hellibBread Mengu El khubs (k guttur.)Corn Nieu ZraWine Tangee Kummer (k guttur.)Honey Alee AselSugar Tobabualee SukarSalt Kuee Mil'hAmbergris Anber AnberBrass Tass TassSilver Kudee NukraGold-dust Teber TiberPewter Tass ki KusdeerA bow Kula El kosAn arrow Binia ZeragA knife Muru JenuiA spoon Kulia MogerfaA bed El arun El ferrasheA lamp El kundeel El kundeelA house Su Ed darA room Bune El beetA light-hole Jinnee Reehâhaor windowA door Daa BebA town Kinda MidinaSmoke Sezee Tkan (k guttural)Heat Kandia Skanna (k guttural)Cold Nini BerdSea Bedu baha BaharRiver Bedu WedA rock Berri JerfSand Kinnikanni RummelThe earth Binku DuniaMountain Kuanku JibbelIsland Juchüi DzeeraRain Sanjukalaeen ShtaGod Allah AllahFather Fa BaMother Ba MaHell Jahennum JehennumeA man Kia RajilA woman Musa MurrahA sister Bum musa Kat (k guttural)A brother Bum kia KaThe devil Buhau IblisA white man Tebabu Rajil biadA singer Jalikea Runai (r guttural)A singing woman Jalimusa Runaiah (r guttural)A slave June AbeedA servant Bettela Mutalem
Having now given some account of the languages of Africa, we shall proceed to animadvert on the similitude of language and customs between the Shelluhs of Atlas and the original inhabitants of the Canary Islands. The words between inverted commas, are quotations from Glasse's History of the Discovery and Conquest of the Canary Islands.
"The inhabitants of Lancerotta and Fuertaventura are social and cheerful;" like the Shelluhs of Atlas; "they are fond of singing and dancing; their music is vocal, accompanied with a clapping of hands, and beating with their feet;" the Shelluhs resemble them in all these respects; "Their houses are built of stone, without cement; the entrance is narrow, so that but one person can enter at a time."
The houses of the Shelluhs are sometimesbuilt without cement, but always with stone; the doors and entrances are low and small, so that one person only can enter.
"In their temples they offered to their God milk and butter."
Among the Shelluhs milk and butter are given as presents to princes and great men; the milk being an emblem of good will and candour.
"When they were sick (which seldom happened) they cured themselves with the herbs which grew in the country; and when they had acute pains, they scarified the part affected with sharp stones, and burned it with fire, and then anointed it with goat's butter. Earthen vessels of this goat's butter were found interred in the ground, having been put there by the women, who were the makers, and took that method of preparing it for medicine."
The custom of the Shelluhs on such occasions is exactly similar; the butter which they use is old, and is buried under ground many years in (bukul) earthen pots, and is calledbudra: it is a general medicine, and is said to possess a remarkably penetrating quality.
"They grind their barley in a hand-mill, made of two stones, being similar to those used in some remote parts of Europe".
In Suse, among the Shelluhs, they grind their corn in the same way, and barley is the principal food.
"Their breeches are short, leaving the knees bare;" so are those worn by the Shelluhs.
"Their common food was barley meal roasted and mixed with goat's milk and butter, and this dish they call Asamotan."
This is the common food of the Shelluhs of Atlas, and they call it by a similar name, Azamitta.
The opinion of the author of the History and Conquest of the Canary Islands, is, that the inhabitants came originally from Mauritania, and this he founds on the resemblance of names of places in Africa and in the islands: "for," says he, "Telde214, which is the name of the oldest habitation in Canaria, Orotaba, and Tegesta, are all names which we find given to places in Mauritania and in Mount Atlas. It is to be supposed that Canaria, Fuertaventura, and Lancerotta, were peopled by the Alarbes215, who are the nation most esteemed in Barbary; for the natives of those islands named milkAho, and barleyTemecin, which are the names that are given to those things in the language of the Alarbes of Barbary." He adds, that--
"Among the books of a library that was in the cathedral of St. Anna in Canaria, there was found one so disfigured, that it wanted both the beginning and the end: it treated of the Romans, and gave an account, that whenAfrica was a Roman province, the natives of Mauritania rebelled and killed their presidents and governors, upon which the senate, resolving to punish and make a severe example of the rebels, sent a powerful army into Mauritania, which vanquished and reduced them again to obedience. Soon after the ringleaders of the rebellion were put to death, and the tongues of the common people, together with those of their wives and children, were cut out, and then they were all put aboard vessels with some grain and cattle, and transported to the Canary islands."216
Footnote 214:(return)Telde or Tildie is a place in the Atlas mountains, three miles east of Agadeer; the castle is in ruins.
Footnote 215:(return)The Alarbes, this is the name that the inhabitants of Lower Suse and Sahara have,El Arabor Arabs.
Footnote 216:(return)One Thomas Nicols, who lived seven years in the Canary Islands, and wrote a history of them, says, that the best account he could get of the origin of the natives, was, that they were exiles from Africa, banished thence by the Romans, who cut out their tongues for blaspheming their gods.
The following vocabulary will show the similarity of language between the natives of Canaria and the Shelluhs (inhabitants of the Atlas mountains south of Marocco).
LANCEROTTA AND SHELLUH OR ENGLISH.FUERTAVENTURA DIALECT. LYBIAN TONGUE.Temasin Tumzeen BarleyTezzezes Tezezreat SticksTaginaste Taginast A palm-treeTahuyan Tahuyat A blanket,covering, or petticoat.Ahemon Amen WaterFaycag Faquair Priest or lawyerAcoran M'koorn GodAlmogaren Talmogaren TemplesTamoyanteen Tigameen HousesTawacen Tamouren HogsArchormase Akermuse Green figsAzamotan Azamittan Barley meal fried in oilTigot Tigot HeavenTigotan Tigotan The HeavensThener Athraar A mountainAdeyhaman Douwaman A hollow valleyAhico Tahayk A hayk, or coarse garmentKabeheira Kabeera A head man or a powerfulAhoren ---- Barley meal roastedAra ---- A goatAna ---- A sheepTagarer ---- A place of justice
Benehoare, the name of the natives of Palma.Beni Hoarie, a tribe of Arabs in Suse between Agadeer and Terodant.217
Footnote 217:(return)For further particulars, see Glasse's History of the Canary Islands, 4to. page 174.
Servant of God.
Commander, Captain, or Leader of the(Mumeneen)Faithful[i.e. in Muhamed],upheld by the Grace of God.
Prince of Hassenee. Ever supported by God.
Sultan of Fas, of Maroksh[Marocco],of Suse, and of Draha, and of Tafilelt and Tuat, together with all the kabyles[tribes]of the West, and of the Berebbers of Atlas, &c.
The Sultan calls his soldiers (ketteffee) "my shoulders or support, or strength;" his subjects he calls his sons (woledee), and himself the father of his people.
N.B. The Hejra, or Muhamedan æra began A.D. 622. The Muhamedan years are lunar, 33 of which are about 32 solar years.
"Sultan of exalted dignity, whom God preserve. May the Almighty protect that royal purity, and bestow happiness, increase of wealth, and prosperity on the nation of believers [i.e. in Muhamed], whose welfare and power is attributed entirely to the favour and benevolence of the Exalted God."
The Sultan is head of the ecclesiastical, military, and civil law, and is universally considered by his subjects God's Vicegerent, or Lieutenant on Earth. All letters written to his Imperial Majesty, are begun with the praise of God, and with the acknowledgment, (in opposition to idolatry,) that there is neither beginning nor power but what proceeds from God, the eternal God, (La hule û la kûa ela billa, Allah el adeem.)
The following Letters are literal translations from the original Arabic, and, although not of great importance, yet it is some satisfaction to the enquiring mind, to observe the various modes of address, and to note the style of Epistolary Correspondence practised by the Muhamedans, which is so different from that which is used among European and other nations.
LETTER I.
From Muley Ismael, Emperor of Marocco, to Captain Kirke at Tangier; Ambassador from King Charles the Second, dated 7th Du Elkadah, in the 1093d Year of the Hejra, (corresponding to the 27th October, A. D, 1682.)
Praise be to God, the most High alone! and the blessing of God be upon those who are for his prophet.
From the shereef218, the servant of God, who putteth his trust in God, the commander of the p. 385 faithful, who is courageous in the way of the omniscient God.
Footnote 218:(return)Shereef is a general term in the Arabic for a prince, king, or emperor, signifying royal blood.
L.S.
Ismael Son of a shereef; God illumineand preserve him.
God assist his commanders, and give victory to his forces and armies, Amen! To the captain of Tangier, Kirke,peace be to those who follow the right way;219this by way of preface. Your letter came to the lofty place of our residence, and we understand what your discourse contained. As for the asking a cessation of arms by sea; know, that it was not treated of between us till this present time. Neither did we make truce with you concerning any thing but Tangier alone. When you came to our illustrious house, we treated with you about that matter for four years, and if you had sojourned there yourself, no Muselman would ever have gone into that town hostilely against you, but merely as a peaceable merchant.
Footnote 219:(return)This is a sentence which frequently occurs in the Koran, but when used in epistolary correspondence with Christians (for it is never used by Muhamedans between themselves), it bears the appearance of a salutation, but the allusion is to Muhamedans, whothese people thinkare the only men who follow the true path or right way; it is, however, a compliment to all whothink themselvesin the right way.
As to a cessation of arms by sea, it was not negociated by us, neither did we discourse about it; but, when you desired it of us, we wrote to your Master in England, saying, If you desirea cessation of arms by sea, and are willing to receive a firm peace from us, send us two understanding men, of the chief of the Divan of England, by whom the peace of all the Christians here may be confirmed; and, when they shall arrive at the lofty place of our residence, and sit before us, whatsoever they shall hear from us, by way of agreement, shall be acceded to! And we have given you security, at sea, for four months, viz. from the time we sent you our letter to Tangier, till the day that there shall come an answer from your Master, and until the arrival of the two ambassadors aforementioned, after the aforesaid manner. As for those men who in thy letter thou didst say were taken at sea: I neither know nor have heard any thing of them. Your discourse about that matter having been with Aly ben Abdallah, and he administered justice (to you) upon the Muselmen who had taken these men prisoners for the sake of him, for whom you made your complaint to us; and he returned the Christians to you, and imprisoned the sailors for capturing them. Now, if there shall happen to be a peace between me and you at sea, as there is for four years by land, through your mediation, and by reason of your coming to us, I will hang them, and blot out their footsteps, and be revenged on them with the most severe revenge.
Our servant Muhamed ben Hadu Aater, who came from your presence, told us that lions are scarce in your country, and that they are in highestimation, with you. When your servant came to us, he found we had two small young lions, wherefore by him we send them to you. And know, that we have received by our servants from your Master,threecoach-horses, now a coach requiresfourhorses to draw it, wherefore you must needs send us another good one of the same kind and size, that they may draw the coach with four horses. Oblige us in this by all means. Farewell: we depend upon it.
Written 7th of the sacred monthDu El Kadah, in the year of the Hejra, ninety-three and a thousand, (A.D. 1682.)
LETTER II.
From the same Muley Ismael to Sir Cloudesly Shovel, on board the Charles Galley, off Salee, written Aug. 26. A.D. 1684, year of the Hejra 1095.
L.S.
I, servant of God, and Emperor ofMarocco and King of Mauritania,whom God preserve in allhis undertakings, &c.
I Salute you and the rest of the captains.
As for the captives you have taken, they belong to several places, and are not all my subjects; and what I do is out of charity, as they are Muhamedans, being forced to go to sea for want of maintenance. As for those that are my soldiers, they go to sea to fight and to die in my quarrels;but, thoseMoorsthatyouhave taken, are inconsiderable and of no account.
Henceforward I shall have ships as big as yours, if not bigger, hoping to take some of your ships and captains, and cruise for you in your English seas, as you do for us in these.
I have written letters to the King of England, in which are kind expressions: And when you had Tangier, all things were given to you as you wanted, and all done out of kindness; and now that you have left Tangier for the Moors, whatever His Majesty of Great Britain wants, either by sea or by land, it shall be granted, so that there be a peace betwixt the two crowns; for which I pass my word and faith.
Now,I have written several letters to his Majesty of Great Britain, to which I have received as yet no answer; but, when it (the answer) reaches my hands, I hope there will be a good accommodation between us.
You have taken several of our ships and destroyed others, and you are cruising on our coast, which is not the way to make a good peace, neither the actions of honesty in you.
God be praised that you have quitted Tangier and left it to us, to whom it did belong: from henceforward we shall keep it well supplied with stores, for it is the best port of our dominions.
As for the captives you have taken, you may do as you please with them, heaving them into the sea, or otherwise destroying them. TheEnglish merchants that are here resident, shall satisfy all their debts, which being done, none of them shall remain in my country.
LETTER. III.
Captain Shovel's Answer.
May it please Your Majesty,
We, the King of England's captains, return Your Majesty humble thanks for your kind wishes to us. Your Majesty by this may know, that we have received your letter, and by it we understand, that Your Majesty is informed that most of these people that are taken are not your subjects. We perceive by this, as well as in other things, how grossly Your Majesty has been deceived by those people you trust; else, we doubt not, but that, long before this, our Master, whom God preserve, and Your Majesty had accommodated all differences, and we should have had a firm peace.
Of those fifty-three slaves that are here, (excepting two or three,) they are all Moors of their own country, as they themselves can make appear; but, if they are to be disowned because they are poor, the Lord help them!! Your Majesty tells us, that we may throw them overboard, if we please: all this we very well know; but we are Christians, and they bear the form of men, which is reason enough for us not to do so.
As to Tangier, our Master kept it twenty-one years; and the world is sensible, that in spite of all your force, he could, if he had pleased, have continued to keep it to the world's end; for, he levelled your walls, filled up your harbour, and demolished your houses, in the face of your Alkaid and his army; and when he had done, he left your220barren country (without the loss of a man) for your own people to starve in: but our departure from thence, long before this, we doubt not, but you have repented of. When you tell us of those mighty ships Your Majesty intends to build and send to our coast, you must excuse us if we think ourselves the better judges; for we know, as to shipping, what you are able to do.
Footnote 220:(return)The gallant and magnanimous captain was better acquainted with the coast than with the country, which is any thing but barren.
If you think fit to redeem those slaves, at 100 dollars a-piece, they are at Your Majesty's service, and the rest shall be sent to you; or, if you think fit to give us so many English in exchange, we shall be well satisfied; but we think you will hardly comply with that, for the poorest slave that ever our Master redeemed out ofyourcountry, cost him 200 dollars; and some of these five times that sum, for he freely extended his charity to all, and never forgets his peoplebecause they are poor.
It is great wonder to us, that you should tax us with unjust proceedings in taking your ships in time of truce, when Your Majesty may remember that, during the time your ambassador was in England, your corsairs took about twenty sail of my Master's ships; and this very year, you have fitted out all the force in your kingdom to sea, who have taken several of our ships, and at the same time pretend to a truce for peace! But some of your ships, for their unjust dealings, have had their reward, and the rest, when they shall come to sea, we doubt not but God Almighty will put them into our hands.
If Your Majesty think fit to send proposals to my Master concerning peace, I shall take care for the speedy and safe conveyance of the same. I desire Your Majesty's speedy answer; for I do not intend to stay long before Salee.
Wishing Your Majesty long life and happiness, I subscribe myself, Your Majesty's
Most obedient and humble Servant,
Cloudesly Shovel.
Sept. 1684 A.D.
LETTER IV.
A literal Translation of Muley Ismael, Emperor of Marocco's Letter to Queen Anne, in the year of our Lord 1710, extracted from the Harl. MSS. 7525.
L.S.
In the name of the mostmerciful God.
He that depends upon God goeth straight to the right way. From the servant of God, the Emperor of the believers, who maketh war for the cause of the Lord of both worlds, Ismael ben Assherif Al Hassanee to the Queen of the English, nay of England, and the mistress of the great parliament thereof, happiness to every one that followeth the right way, and believes in God, and is so directed.
This premised, we have heard from more than one of the comers and goers from thy country, that thou hast seized our Armenian servant, a person of great esteem. We sent him to thee, to compose a difference between us and thee, and we wrote to thee concerning him, that thou shouldst use him well. Then, after this, we heard that thou didst set him at liberty: And wherefore didst thou seize him? Hath he exceeded any covenant, or hath he made any covenant with thee and broke it? We should not have sent him to thee, but on account of our knowledge and assurance of his understandingand integrity; and when he resolved upon his journey into your country, we gave him directions to dispatch some of our affairs. Wherefore we wrote unto thee concerning him, and said, If thou hast any necessity or business with us, he will convey it to us from thee. And we said unto thee, Speak with him, and whatsoever thou sayest unto him, he will communicate unto us, without addition or diminution.
As for what our servant Alkaid Ali ben Abdallah did to ----, the Christian, thy servant, by God we know nothing of it, nor gave him any permission as to any thing that passed between them; and, at the instant that we heard that he had taken thy man, we commanded him to set him at liberty forthwith; and since then we have never manifested any favour to Alkaid Ali, nor was our mind ever right towards him afterwards till he died.
Our Christian servant, the merchant, Bayly, told us, that thou hadst a mind to an ostrich, and we gave him two, a male and a female, which shall come to you, if God will. And, lo! a secretary, our servant, (who is much esteemed by us,) when he cometh he shall bring what goods he hath collected with him, if it please God. And we are in expectation of thy messenger the ambassador; and if he comes, he shall see nothing from us but what is fair; and we will deliver to him the Christians, and do what he pleases, if God will. Wherefore be kind to our servant, with respect.
Written the first of the Glorious Ramadan, in the year of the Hejra 1125 (corresponding with A.D. 1710).
LETTER V.
Translation of an Arabic Letter from the Sultan Seedi Muhamed221ben Abdallah, Emperor of Marocco, to the European Consuls resident at Tangier, delivered to each of them, by the Bashaw of the province of El Grarb, on 1st day of June, 1788, corresponding with the year of the Hejra, 1202.
Footnote 221:(return)Father of the present Sultan Soliman ben Muhamed.
L.S.
Mohamed ben Abdallah, benIsmael, Sultan ben, Sultan,&c.
In the name of God, for there is no power or strength but from God.
To all the Consuls at Tangier.
Peace (be) to those who follow the right path.
Bythis you will learn that we are in peace and friendship with all the Christian powers until the month of May of the next year, (of the Hejra, 1203,) and such nations as shall then be desirous to continue in peace and friendship with us, are to write a letter to us, when the month of May comes, to inform us if they are in peace and friendship with us, then we shall be the same with them; but, if any Christian nation desire to go to war with us, they will let us know beforethe month above-mentioned; and we trust God will keep us in his protection against them; and thus I have said all I had to say.
2d day of Shaban, year of the Hejra 1202, (corresponding with 7th May, 1788.)
Letter VI.
Letter from Muley Soliman ben Muhamed, Emperor of Marocco, &c. &c. to His Majesty George III. literally translated from the original Arabic, by James Grey Jackson, at the request of the Right Hon. Spencer Perceval, after lying in the Secretary of State's Office here for several months, and being then sent ineffectually to the Universities for translation, and after various enquiries had been made on behalf of the Emperor, to the Governor of Gibraltar, the Bashaw of El Garb, and the Alkaid of Tangier, to ascertain if any answer had been returned to his Imperial Majesty.
In the name of God! the all-merciful and commiserating God, on whom is our account, and we acknowledge his support; for there is neither beginning nor power but that which proceeds from God, the High Eternal God.
From the servant of God, the commander of the faithful [in Muhamed] upheld and supported by the Grace of God.
Soliman the son of Muhamed, the son of Abdallah, the son of Ismael, Prince of [the house or dynasty of Hassan]222who was ever upheld by thepower of God, Sultan of Fas and Marocco, and Suse, and Draha, and Tafilelt, and Tuat, together with all the territories of the West.
Footnote 222:(return)The words between brackets are not in the original, but implied.
L.S.
Soliman, son of Mohamed, sonAbdallah, God illumine and supporthim!
To our dearly beloved and cherished, exalted by the power of God, the Sultan223George the Third, Sultan of the territories of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Ireland, Duke of Mecklenburg Strelitz, Prince, descended from the dynasty of the Sultans of Rome and Palestine, &c.
Footnote 223:(return)This perhaps is the only letter extant, wherein a Muselman Prince gives the title of Sultan to a Christian king.
This premised, we inform you, that we make diligent inquiry about you, desiring heartily that you may be at all times surrounded by health and prosperity. We wish you to increase in friendship with us, that our alliance may be more strongly cemented than heretofore, even stronger than it was in the days of our ancestors, whom God guard and protect.
Now therefore we make known to you, that your physician, Doctor Buffé, has been in our royal presence, [which is] exalted by the bounty of God, and we have been well pleased with his medical knowledge and diligent attention, and moreover with the relief he has given to us.
We have therefore to entreat of you to givehim your royal order to return to Gibraltar, in our neighbourhood, well provided with all good and necessary medicines; that he, residing at Gibraltar, may be ready to attend quickly our royal presence, whenever we may be in need of his [medical] assistance. We trust you will return him without procrastination to our throne, seeing that he has been of essential service to us.
We recommend you to exalt Dr. Buffé, in your favour and esteem on our account, and we will always be your allies and friends. May you ever be well and in prosperity! Peace be with you, 4th of the month Jumad El Lule in the year [of the Hejra] 1221, (corresponding with 5th July, 1806, A.D.)
LETTER VII.
In Muhamedan countries, an insolvent man continues liable to his creditors till the day of his death, unless the debt is discharged; but he can claim by law his liberation from prison, on making oath, and bringing proof of his insolvency: but then if he succeed afterwards and become possessed of property, he is compelled to pay the debts formerly contracted; so that an European should be cautious how he contracts debts with the Moors, lest the misfortunes that commerce is liable to should oblige him to remain all his life in the country. A letter, similar to the following, should be procured by every European, about to quit the country, toprevent the extortion of the alkaid, who might, as has often happened before, throw impediments in the way for the purpose of extorting presents, &c.
Translation of a Firman of Departure, literally translated from the Original Arabic, by James Grey Jackson.
L.S.
Soliman ben Muhamed, benAbdallah, ben Ismael Sultan,&c.
Praise be to God alone.
Our servants El Hage Mohamed o Bryhim, and Seid Mohamed Bel Akkia, peace and the mercy of God be with you! This premised, I command you to suffer the Christian merchant, Jackson, to embark for his own country, if it appears to you that no one pursues him in law [for debt,] as I wrote to you on this subject in my last letter: if no one claims of him any right by law, allow him to go, and do not impede him.224God protect you, and peace be with you. 3d day of Saffer, the good year 1220 of the Hejra, (A.C. 1805.)
Footnote 224:(return)This repetition of the principal subject in Arabic correspondence, is a mode of impressing on the mind more forcibly, the subject intended to be impressed, and is commonly practised by the best Arabian, and African writers; it also frequently occurs in the inspired writings. See Psalms lxxv, l. lxxvii, 1. &c.
LETTER VIII.
As a specimen of the lofty style of writing so much in use among the Eastern authors, I shalladd the summons which Hulacu the Tartar conqueror of the East, (who took Bagdad, and entirely subverted the government of the Saracens,) sent to Al Mâlek Annâsar, sultan of Aleppo, in the year of the Hejra 657, (of Christ 1259.)
Let Al Mâlek Annâsar know, that we sat down before Bagdad in the 655th year (of the Hejra,) and took it by the sword of the most high God: and we brought the master of it before us, and demanded two things of him; to which he, not answering, brought deserved punishment upon himself. As it is written in your Koran, "God doth not change the condition of a people, till their own minds are changed." He took care of his wealth, and fate brought him to what he is come to. He chose to exchange precious lives for pieces of money made of vile metal; which is plainly the same that God saysThey found[the reward of]what they had done present with them.225For we have attained by the power of God, what we desired; and by the help of the most high God we shall increase. Nor is there any doubt of our being the army of God upon his earth. He created us, and gave us power over every one upon whom his anger rests. Wherefore, let what is past be to you an example, and what we have mentioned a warning. Fortifications are nothing in our hands, nor doththe joining of battle avail you any thing; nor will your intreaties be heard or regarded. Take warning therefore by others, and surrender entirely to us, before the veil be taken off, and [the punishment of] sin light upon you. For we shall have no mercy upon him that complains, nor be moved by him that weeps. We have wasted countries, we have destroyed men, we have made children orphans, and the land desolate. It is your business to run away; ours to pursue; nor can you escape our swords, nor fly from our arrows. Our horses are racers; our arrows strike home; our swords pierce like lightning; our fortifications are like mountains, and our numbers like the sand. Whosoever surrenders comes off safe: whosoever is for war, repents it. If you will obey our command, and come to our terms, your interest and ours shall be the same; but if you be refractory and persist in your error, blame not us, but yourselves. God is against you, ye wicked wretches: look out for something to screen you under your miseries, and find somebody to bear you company in your affliction. We have given you fair warning, and fair warning is fair play. You have eaten things forbidden226, you have been perfidious in your treaties. You have introduced new heresies, and thought it a gallant thing to commit sodomy. Prepare yourselves therefore forscorn and contempt. Now you will find what you have done; for they that have done amiss, will now find their state changed. You take it for granted, that we are infidels. We take it for granted, that you arevillains; andHeby whose hand all things are disposed and determined, hath given us the dominion over you. The greatest man you have is despicable among us; and whatyoucall rich, is a beggar. We govern the world from east to west, and whosoever is worth any thing is our prey; and we take every ship by force. Weigh therefore what is fit to be done, and return us a speedy answer, beforeinfidelity227shall have kindled its fire, and scattered its sparks among you, and destroy you all from off the face of the earth. We have awakened you by sending to you: make haste with an answer, lest punishment come upon you unawares.
Footnote 225:(return): A quotation from the Koran. The Tartar was a deist, and quotes the Koran in derision.
Footnote 226:(return)The Muhamedans, whose religion is a compound of Judaism and Christianity, have borrowed many customs from either, they abstain like the Jews from swine's flesh, &c.
Footnote 227:(return)As the Muhamedans charge every nation that doth not believe Muhamed to have been a prophet with infidelity, so the Tartar (who was a Deist) returns it upon them.