was destiny, and that man cannot alter what God has ordained. He reminded them of the example which they have in their Prophet's battle with Abu Sophian, which was fought in the third year of Hegira,* near Medina, in which the Prophet's army was almost entirely routed, Abdallah his lieutenant killed, and the Prophet himself severely wounded.

66

This defeat was almost the overthrow of Mohammed's cause, when he most cunningly invented the doctrine of Fate and Destiny, of which his priest now availed himself. Mohammed, at the time referred to, said:-" No person could die one hour, or one minute, sooner or later than was decreed by heaven. That this necessarily followed from the certain and infallible foreknowledge of God, according to which all things inevitably happen, in all the circumstances of time, place, and manner, in which they were eternally foreknown." But in cases where this argument would not do, the Impostor told them he could not conquer because of the sins and unbelief of many of his followers: and in such a manner, he satisfied the complaints of those who had lost their friends or relations in this battle.

The Mohammedans are so much governed by this doctrine of Fate and Destiny, that the priests had but little trouble to engage their blind followers for another attack upon their enemies. Accordingly, they all returned towards Bugia, fully determined to extirpate the French; but no sooner were they again in sight of their enemies, than their courageous determinations were * A. D. 624.

changed into a pusillanimous fear, and all of them determined rather to return to their families than fight the infidels. But not to return altogether like cowards, one of the priests, an old man of about ninety years of age, took a large stick into his hands, blessed it, and pretended to load it as a gun; he then called the attention of the people, and, with a loud shriek, he did as if he fired it off towards Bugia, after which, clapping his hands for joy, he said to the people,-"Now all infidels are dead! Sidy Ali, the lieutenant of our Prophet, has made an end of them; we may now, with gladness, return to our respective homes: they will no more disturb God has taken up our cause.

us.

When this old man had finished his oration, the people seated themselves on the ground, partook of some food, and offered thanksgivings to God for the mercy shown them in destroying their enemies. This finished, a priest rose, read the Fatiha,* blessed the Mohammedans, and cursed all infidels and unbelievers; after which they all separated, each party returning to their respective homes; Krüger also, with his people, returned to Tremry, the name of the village from which all had set out.

*The Fatiha is the introductory chapter of the Koran. It is a kind of prayer, and is as frequently used among Mohammedans as the Lord's Prayer among Christians. It runs thus:-"Praise be to God, the Lord of all creatures, the most merciful, the King of the day of judgment. Thee do we worship; and of Thee do we beg assistance. Direct us in the right way, in the way of those to whom thou hast been gracious; not of those against whom thou art incensed, nor of those who go astray."

CHAPTER III.

Krüger goes to Chifza.—Is liked by the people there. Their anxiety to hear news from Europe. One old man is particularly pleased with him.-The Moadsan calls to prayer. -A Description of Mohammedan prayers and lustrations. -The attributes of God.-Mohammed's injunctions for prayer.—The strictness with which they are obeyed urged as an example for Christians.-The old man takes Krüger to his house.-Instructs him in the Mohammedan religion. -Produces the Koran as a miracle.-Refutation.

KRUGER was now better acquainted with the customs and manners of the Arabs; he also could make himself understood in the Arabic language; and as he thought he had found out the key how to pass unmolested amongst them, (viz., by repeating their creed, and thus passing for a Mohammedan,) he determined to leave Tremry, and travel from one tribe to another. Accordingly, one day he made the acquaintance of a respectable-looking Arab, by name Farhal Ben Mosa, who was from a village called Chifza. This Arab requested Krüger to go with him to his home, and live with him. general appearance pleased Krüger, and, as there was nothing to detain him longer in Tremry, he at once consented. They departed the same day, and reached their destination after a fatiguing journey of three days.

His

The arrival of the new convert to the Moham

medan faith became soon known among the people of Chifza; for Farhal spared no trouble to let his countrymen know what jewel he had brought with him. The day after Krüger's arrival at Chifza, many of the inhabitants, of all sexes and ages, came to him to hear some news from Bar Nassara, or the land of the Christians. Towards evening, they brought him to a tree, where they all seated themselves, enjoying the cool air, and at the same time eagerly listening to Krüger's tales.

Amongst this audience there was one old man, a sort of saint, who listened more attentively than the rest, and who seemed to take a great interest in Krüger. But whilst they were thus engaged, the moadsan, or clerk, called the people to their fourth prayer; at the hearing of which, though they were all so interested in what Krüger related them, yet they arose, and went to perform their devotions. Instances of this kind ought to make the Christian blush. How few do we find who would imitate the example of these benighted and ignorant Mohammedans! But this will appear more forcibly, when the reader is told that the Mohammedan is obliged to attend public prayer no less than five times daily. He may perform these prayers at home, or anywhere else, but it must be at a stated time.

The Mohammedan's first prayer is in the morning before sunrise; 2. When the sun begins to decline from the meridian; 3. In the afternoon before sunset; 4. An hour in the evening after sunset; 5. At midnight.

These prayers are attended with many incon

prayer,

veniences, as the Mohammedan must, before undergo a kind of lustration, or purification, which, except he perform rightly, he dare not pray. The purification consists of washing the face, the hands up to the arms, and the feet up to the ankles and legs; gargling the throat, and washing the mouth. and nose; wiping the head and the neck. In certain instances, which decency prevents me from mentioning, they are obliged to bathe their whole body before they can offer prayer. Every part of the purification is accompanied with short prayers. When they happen to be in a place where they can obtain no water, these ceremonies are performed with sand, or earth. They may also, in case of necessity, rub the palm of the hand against a stone, and then, with the hand, go over those parts of the body which are commanded to be purified.

The prayer consists of reciting certain repetitions, and performing certain gestures, which vary according to the time of prayer. To give the reader an idea of them, I shall briefly describe one of their services; but, before doing so, I may just state, that the Mohammedans are commanded to turn their faces, while they pray, towards the temple of Mecca. The quarter where the same is situated is pointed out in their mosques by an altar, called mohrab.

After the purification, the Mohammedan enters the mosque, at the door of which he takes his shoes or slippers off, and when all the people are assembled, the Emam, or priest, goes to his place, in the front of the congregation, upon equal ground with them, where he turns his face to the mohrab, so