encompassed and surrounded by the enemy's cavalry the Prophet himself was wounded, and narrowly escaped with life; seventy Moslems were slain, and amongst them Hamza, the uncle and standard-bearer of Mohammed. The Koreish wanted strength or courage to pursue their advantages, by laying siege to Medina; and the Musulmans rallied again. The following specimen of his skill in restoring the spirits of his party, is in the third chapter of the Koran: "It was," he " to try and prove them. We cause these days of different success interchangeably to succeed each other among men, that God may know those who believe, and have martyrs from among you; and that God might prove those that believe, and destroy the infidels." He further says, "Thou shalt by no means reckon those that have been slain in the cause of God at Ohod, dead; nay, they are sustained alive with their Lord, rejoicing for what God of

says,

his favour has granted them, and being glad for those who, coming after them, have not as yet overtaken them; because there shall no fear come on them, neither shall they be grieved. They are filled with joy for the favour which they have received from God and his bounty, and that for that God suffereth not the reward of the faithful to perish."

The third and last expedition of the Koreish is variously named, from the nations who marched under the banners of Abu-Sophian, and from the ditch drawn before the city. A tempest of wind and hail, and mutual disagreements, separated the confederates. Mohammed improves these incidents to his advantages. "O true believers, remember the favour of God towards you, when armies of infidels came against you, and we sent against them a wind, and hosts of angels, which ye saw not," &c.

Koran, chap. 35.

The Jews were visited with his deepest vengeance: the Jewish tribe of Kainoka was driven from Medina, to implore a refuge on the confines of Syria. The Nadhirites, who surrendered at discretion, perhaps with the expectation of mercy, experienced the vanity of their hopes in the humanity of the Prophet. Seven hundred Jews were dragged in chains to the market-place at Medina: they descended alive into the grave prepared for their execution and burial, and the apostle beheld, with an inflexible eye, the slaughter of his helpless enemies'.

After having reduced Chaibar, the chief was tortured in the presence of Mohammed, to force a confession of his hidden treasure,

1 Mohammed at one time destroyed nearly seven hundred Koradhites, his prisoners, under aggravating circumstances of cruelty. The command was not issued in the heat of action, when his passions were inflamed by opposition, but on his return to Medina, after a considerable time had elapsed for his anger to cool.-See Koran, chap. 33, note.

i Gibbon. Koran, chap. 33.

and here he narrowly escaped being poisoned. A Jewish female, with a view to ascertain the truth of his prophetical pretensions, placed before him at supper a poisoned dish; one of his companions fell a victim, and it is supposed, that Mohammed, who partook of it more sparingly, never recovered from the fatal effects. It is superfluous to enter into the details of the various battles where victory and defeat eventually promoted his cause; some reckon no less than twenty-seven expeditions in which Mohammed was personally present. The eyes of the Prophet were constantly di rected towards Mecca: he proceeded against it: his attack was not successful, but ended in a truce for 10 years, which still strengthened his power.

At length in the 8th year of the Hegira, with 10,000 men devoted to his service, he again attacked Mecca, on account of the vio

* Prideaux, Sale, Gibbon.

lation of the agreement entered into with him, and took possession of it, purging the temple of its idols, and fixing there the chief seat of his religion. The people professed Islam, and he was enthroned as the Prince and Prophet of his native country. The next, the 9th year of the Hegira, the Moslems term the year of embassies, for ambassadors flocked from all quarters to form or seek alliance, both at Mecca while he staid there, and at Medina, whither he returned this

year.

His conquests rapidly increased till his death his mortal disease was a bilious fever which occasionally affected his reason, and originated, as is thought, from the poison taken two years before. His enthusiasm accompanied him to the last hour of expiring nature. The Prophet seems wrought to such a pitch as to imagine himself an instrument in the hand of Heaven for accomplishing particular purposes. If however according to