amongst the citizens of Mecca; and by his quiet demonstration of power, at the head of such an army of devoted followers, — Mohammed decidedly advanced his cause during this pilgrimage, and effectually smoothed the way for his almost unopposed seizure of the city, a year later. Nothing shows more the success of these measures, and the attraction already possessed by Islam for military talent, than the fact that, almost immediately after this pilgrimage, the two great cavalry generals of Mecca, Khalid Ibn Walid and Amr Ibn As, who had taken a distinguished part against the Moslems at the battle of Ohod and the siege of Medina, openly went over to Mohammed, and took service under his banner in the rival city. Others followed their example, and many more became convinced of his ultimate triumph, and prepared to join him on the first occasion.

Not quite a year elapsed between this first successful pilgrimage to Mecca and the conquest of the city, with the sacred territory in which it was situated; and this short interval was again crowded with exploits of the usual marauding and military character. Only a few weeks after the pilgrimage, a small expedition, of not more than fifty warriors, was sent against the Beni Soleim, at some distance to the east of Medina. But having already been attacked once before, they were now on their guard, and so effectually resisted their invaders, that most of these were slain, and their leader fled back to Mohammed, wounded. To avert an attack in greater force, which they had now to dread, several of their chief men thought it best to treat with Mohammed, and to conciliate him, by promising him their conversion to Islam. These matters were so speedily settled, that, nine months later, we find 1000 Soleimites marching under his banner to the conquest of Mecca.

Another party of Moslems was sent against a section of the Beni Leith. Having arrived in their neighbourhood, they concealed themselves till night had set in; and when the Bedouins were fast asleep, they rushed upon their flocks and drove them away in great haste. Though hotly pursued, they effected their escape, being aided by a swollen brook.

To avenge the defeat inflicted on Bashir, 200 warriors were despatched against the Beni Morra, near Fadak, with

the injunction to kill all the enemies who might fall into their hands. Still, Mohammed afterwards rebuked them for having killed a man, who had professed himself a Moslem, at the time, though, in self-justification, they expressed their opinion that he had made that profession merely from the fear of death.

A small body of only twenty-four chosen Moslems was sent to attack a camp of the Beni Amir, a section of the hostile Hawazin. They were so successful, despite their small number, that each one's share in the booty amounted to fifteen camels. About the same time, fifteen men proceeded to Zat Atlah, north of Wadi el Kora and not far from Syria, where they were all slain by a party of Bedouins whom they had requested to embrace Islam, with the exception of a single one who returned to Medina, badly wounded. Mohammed would at once have sent a strong body of troops to punish them, had he not been informed that the victorious Bedouins could not be found, having quitted that locality.

But in the autumn of 629 he sent an army of revenge, 3000 strong, still further northward, for the bold purpose of invading the southern parts of the Roman empire. The Mohammedan historians affirm that one of the messengers, who was the bearer of a letter in which the Emperor Heraclius was summoned to embrace Islam, had, on his return journey, been slain amongst the Ghassanide tribe, in the neighbourhood of the Dead Sea. This death had to be avenged and, at the same time, a way was to be opened, if possible, to the much coveted riches of the north. The army was placed under the command of Zeid Ibn Haritha, who, as originally coming from Syria, may have had some acquaintance with those parts. When leaving, Mohammed told them that he expected to see them come back 'laden with spoil.' But though, a few years later, the overwhelming hosts of Moslem horsemen bore down everything before them, on this first occasion, notwithstanding all their bravery and daring, the comparative smallness of their number invited a signal defeat. It is probably a great exaggeration, when we are told that Zeid found himself opposed by an army of 100,000 Christian warriors, and that,