But, having sworn upon the Holy Grave Here stands to crush the rebels that o'errun b Ne'er did the march of MAHADI display On their light mountain steeds, of royal stock; a «The Persians swear by the Tomb of Shah Besade, who is buried at Casbin; and when one desires another to asseverate a matter, he will ask him if he dare swear by the Holy Grave."-Struy. ↳ Mahadi, in a single pilgrimage to Mecca, expended six millions of dinars of gold. c Nivem Meccam apportavit, rem ibi aut nunquam aut raro visam.-Abulfeda. d The inhabitants of Hejaz or Arabia Petræa, called by an Eastern writer "The People of the Rock."-Ebn Haukal. e «Those horses, called by the Arabians Kochlani, of whom a written genealogy has been kept for two thousand years. They are said to derive their origin from King Solomon's steeds."-Niebuhr. Then, chieftains of DAMASCUS, proud to see Nor less in number, though more new and rude Burning and headlong as the Samiel wind- TURKOMANS, Countless as their flocks, led forth c a "Many of the figures on the blades of their swords are wrought in gold or silver, or in marquetry with small gems."-Asiat. Misc. v. i. b Azab or Saba. "The chiefs of the Uzbek Tartars wear a plume of white heron's feathers in their turbans."-Account of Independent Tartary. Wild warriors of the turquoise hills,a—and those Of HINDOO KOSH," in stormy freedom bred, Vengeance at last for their dear country spurned Her throne usurped, and her bright shrines o'erturned. From YEZD's eternal Mansion of the Fire, Where aged saints in dreams of heaven expire; That burn into the CASPIAN, fierce they came, a In the mountains of Nishapour and Tous (in Khorassan) they find turquoises.-Ebn Haukal. b For a description of these stupendous ranges of mountains, see Elphinstone's Caubul. c The Ghebers or Guebres, those original natives of Persia, who adhered to their ancient faith, the religion of Zoroaster, and who, after the conquest of their country by the Arabs, were either persecuted at home, or forced to become wanderers abroad. d❝ Yezd, the chief residence of those ancient natives, who worship the Sun and the Fire, which latter they have carefully kept lighted, without being once extinguished for a moment, about three thousand years, on a mountain near Yezd, called Ater Quedah, signifying the House or Mansion of the Fire. He is reckoned very unfortunate who dies off that mountain,"-Stephen's Persia. e «When the weather is hazy, the springs of naphtha (on an island near Baku) boil up the higher, and the naphtha often takes fire on the surface of the earth, and runs in a flame into the sea to a distance almost incredible."-Hanway on the Everlasting Fire at Baku. Careless for what or whom the blow was sped, Such was the wild and miscellaneous host, Twice hath the sun upon their conflict set,. And risen again, and found them grappling yet; While streams of carnage, in his noontide blaze, Smoke up to heaven-hot as that crimson haze,. By which the prostrate Caravan is awed,a In the red Desert, when the wind's abroad. "On, Swords of God!" the panting CALIPH calls, "On, brave avengers, on," MOKANna cries, "And EBLIS blast the recreant slave that flies!" Now comes the brunt, the crisis of the day They clash-they strive-the CALIPH's troops give way! a Savary says of the south wind, which blows in Egypt from February to May, "Sometimes it appears only in the shape of an impetuous whirlwind, which passes rapidly, and is fatal to the traveller, surprised in the middle of the deserts. Torrents of burning sand roll before it, the firmament is enveloped in a thick veil, and the sun appears of the colour of blood. Sometimes whole caravans are buried in it." MOKANNA's self plucks the black Banner down, In glorious panoply of Heaven's own mail, The Champions of the Faith through BEDER'S vale,“) Turns on the fierce pursuers' blades, and drives At once the multitudinous torrent back While hope and courage kindle in his track; In vain he yells his desperate curses out, To foes that charge and coward friends that fly, a In the great victory gained by Mahomed at Beder, he was assisted, say the Mussulmans, by three thousand angels, led by Gabriel, mounted on his horse Hiazum.-See The Koran and its Commentators. |