the royal standard in his hand, and desired that we should advance against the enemy immediately. I told him, he had better wait till they approached us nearer. He refused, ajid advanced by himself and people. I, being very ill, was obliged to remain behind. They reached the enemy, prepared, and darted upon them. After a severe action of an hour, the enemy fled, but not without a great number of our people having fallen martyrs. By this time, our uncle, the vizier, came to our succour, followed by the noble shaikh, our father, and his party. “ They pursued the enemy, and God gave them the victory, and enabled them to plunge their weapons into their bodies, and disperse them in shreds (small parties). In this engagement we lost about 2,000 martyrs, most of whom were of our best soldiers, and of the most pious and virtuous of our men : as the chief justice Mohammed Thanboo, the noble Saado, Mahmood Ghordam, Mohammed Jamm, the learned and intelligent poet and reciter Zaid, Aboo-bakr Bingoo, the true diviner Es-sudani, and several others. After burying as many as we could of them, we retired and encamped till the next morning, when we buried the rest. This battle took place about two miles from Kadawee.” The manuscript ends thus: “ Ended, by the grace and assistance of God, the writing of this extract, by the hand of its writer, on Wednesday about noon, the 29th of Rajab, 1239 of Hejra, for Rayes Abdallah, the English Christian, in the city of Sackatoo, of the country of Houssa, residence of the prince of the believers, Mohammed Bello; whom may God cause to be ever victorious! Amen.” No. XIV. The Song o f Mohammed-Alameen ben Mohammed ELKanemy, Sheikh o f the Koran, Lawgiver to Bomou, and Governor o f Kanem, on his return from the Begharmi Country in 1821. Translated by Major Denham. “ I return to my people, the people of my heart, and the children of my solicitude ! At break of day, fasting, coming towards Kouka, with my morning prayer on my lips, in sight of the gate, the gate that saw me depart! The morning wind blew fresh and cool, yet mild as the evening breeze. The battle of spears had been long doubtful; but had ended in glory! had covered my people with honour and victory, God Almighty assisting u s! These were our deeds ; they lived in the memory of all. Oh ! glorious expedition! But the greatest joy must be told ; the joy, oh, how exquisite ! the recovery of my lost love ! a part of myself. Her high and noble forehead, like the new moon, and nose like the rainbow ! Her arched eyebrows reaching to her temples, overhanging eyes than which the moon is less bright, as it shines through darkness! large piercing eyes, whose looks never could be mistaken ! A single glance at these her all-conquering beauties instantly called her to my mind with all the graces of her disposition ; lips sweeter than honey, and colder than the purest water ! O h ! dearest of my wives ! Heaven’s own gift! what were my sensations when I removed the veil from thy face ! Thou knewest me not in thy alarm ; animation had left thee! Thou knewest not what was to follow; and thy large eyes had closed in despair ! It seemed that lightning had struck me with its fire! As the light of morning dispels the blackness of night, so did she, reviving, impart to me a gladness overpowering as the blood-red sun, when it breaks forth in its splendour, warming the sons of earth with its re-animating fires. I thought of the day when she was blooming in my presence, when the news of her loss came to me like a blast from the desert. My head was laid low with sorrow! The Spring returned with its freshness ; but its showers could not revive my drooping head! Who shall now tell of my joy? From her shoulders to her waist, how fair is her proportion! When she moves, she is like branches waved by a gentle
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