efficacious remedy for pains in the kidneys and in the bladder, is dug out in the environs of Hisnu-l-bónah; and the territory round Lorca, a city belonging to the district of Tudmir, is full of mines of lapis-lazuli of the finest quality, which rare and precious article may also be found in other parts of Andalus. We cannot pass in silence the spring of Liblah (Niebla), which pours out glass 35 of the best quality; nor a mountain in the neighbourhood of Toledo called Jebalu-t-tafal, where tafal,36 surpassing in quality any other in the East or West, grows in prodigious quantity. Andalus is equally rich in marbles, and stones for building. Ar-rází says that Marbles. the mountains of Cordova abound in marbles of all sorts and colours, such as the purest white without any spot, and that having the colour of wine; the green is also to be found in the Alpuxarras in large blocks, from which columns are cut; and in the neighbourhood of Vega, a town depending on Granada, are several quarries of the most exquisite marbles, such as the spotted, the red, the yellow,' and others. Almeria is famous for some small pebbles 37 (agates) which are found in its territory, and which are exported to distant countries, owing to their similarity to pearls, which they strongly resemble in brightness and transparency. In short, Andalus is, in the opinion of historians and geographers, the country which abounds most in marbles and jaspers, white, black, red, and of all colours. If from the productions of nature, or the fruits of the soil, we pass to the animal Animals. kingdom, we shall find that Andalus contains a larger number of the animals useful to man, while it has fewer wild beasts, than any other country in the world; as a proof of what we advance we shall quote the words of Al-hijárí in his Al-mashab. "Andalus," says that author, that author," abounds in antelopes, deer, zebras, oxen, and other quadrupeds common to other countries; but there are neither elephants nor 'giraffes, lions, tigers, nor other beasts of warmer countries; instead of these we "have an animal peculiar to our country which we call al-lúb38 (lupus), somewhat larger than a jackal,39 but equally cruel and ferocious, and which, when insti'gated by hunger, attacks and devours men. The mules are strong and surefooted, and the horses powerful and swift, and equally fit for sport and for battle, enduring fatigue and weight most admirably, since in time of war they will not only carry a cavalier armed cap-à-piè with all his provisions, but be themselves caparisoned and barbed in steel." Birds of all sorts, whether small or of prey, are found in such quantities, that were we to stop to enumerate them we should protract this our narrative to an undue length; the same might be said of the fishes, and other monsters of the sea, especially of the Ocean, where many are to be found so prodigiously large that we are afraid even to guess at their dimensions lest we should still remain far from the truth. Ibnu Sa'id tells us that he once saw one of these monsters, while on a sea voyage, and that it was so large that the crew of the vessel were trembling lest it should by a sudden jerk overturn the vessel. "We looked at it in amazement," says Ibnu Sa'id, "and were filled with horror and consternation, for a long time unable "to utter a word, and expecting every moment to be drowned, for whenever "the monster breathed it raised large columns of water to a height really sur'prising." We find likewise in those authors who have written on the natural history of Andalus that frequent allusion is made to an amphibious quadruped, whose skin is used as a garment, and whose scrotum is reckoned to be a specific in several diseases. As the name of this animal is differently written, and there are besides many extraordinary circumstances attached to it, we shall transcribe here the words of the different writers who have mentioned it. Ibnu-l-hijárí, in the Al-mashab.-" The Andalusians make jackets of the skin "of a certain amphibious quadruped called al-wabrah10 (seal), whose skin is very “much prized; they are found in great abundance on the shores of the Ocean, and "in that part of Andalus which faces the island of Britannia. Thence they are brought to Saragossa, where the skins are dressed, and then made into jackets." Ibnu Ghalib, mentioning these jackets, which he observes were also manufactured at Cordova, says "the skins here alluded to and called samúr11 are very much used " in Cordova for jackets, but I am unable to say to what animal they belong, whether "to some quadruped peculiar to that country, or to the wabrah (seal); in case of their being those of the latter animal, it is a well-known amphibious quadruped, very strong and muscular." But the best account is that given by Hamíd Ibn Samjún 2 the physician, in his work on the simples employed as remedies in medicine. It reads thus: "the seal is "a quadruped whose scrotum is used as a remedy in several diseases; they abound "in the Mediterranean, where they generally live in the water, although they often come on shore, and are pursued by huntsmen, who catch them, and after cutting "off their scrotum, let them go. I have heard the people who practise this trade say "that if one of these quadrupeds happens to fall a second time into their hands, "he fails not to throw himself on his back, to show his pursuers that he no longer "has the object of their wishes, upon which the men let him go unhurt." 43 Another author says that the remedy to which we allude is also called jendu-bádastar, from the animal's name, which is likewise jendu-bádastar; that it is considered a great specific in all diseases originating from cold temperaments, on account of its being held by the physicians and naturalists as hot and dry in the fourth degree. Some say that in size this quadruped is like a hare, others that he is somewhat smaller, and that his flesh has a better taste; others again make him much larger, but God only knows; one thing is certain, that the skins of the wabrah (seal), or some other quadruped resembling it, were used as an article of dress, and much worn by Christians as well as Moslems. But it is quite time that we should say a few words about the different manufac- Manufactures. tures that existed in Andalus, which are generally acknowledged to have reached the utmost degree of perfection, so much so that when an Andalusian begins upon this subject there is no end to his praises of his native land: we shall here slightly mention a few; as, for instance, its manufactures of sashes, 45 which were famous all over the world for brilliancy of colours and fineness of texture; its silver and gold tissues manufactured at Almeria, Malaga, and Murcia, with such perfection that when taken to Eastern countries the people were amazed and bewildered at the sight of them. Of the manufactures established at Almeria we have already spoken elsewhere, when we gave the description of that city; we shall only add here, by way of supplement, that all the stuffs woven by its industrious inhabitants were at all times in great demand in the East and West, and that a very considerable trade was carried on in this, as well as in other products of their industry, both with Moslems and Christians. At Tentala, a town depending on Murcia, there were manufactures of carpets called Tentalí,46 which, when exported to the East, brought a very high price. Both Granada and Baza were famous for the manufacture of certain warm stuffs for winter called Al-mulabbad,47—they were generally of woollen, stamped,48 and dyed of the most beautiful and delicate colours. Murcia was likewise famous for the manufacture of coats of mail, breast-plates, and all sorts of steel armour, inlaid with gold; saddles and horse-harness richly set in gold; all kinds of instruments of brass and iron, as knives, scissors, and other trinkets, inlaid with gold, such as are used in weddings to present to the bride; and, above all, weapons and other warlike instruments, which were so highly finished and wrought in such perfection as to dazzle with their brightness the eyes of the beholder.49 All these articles, Ibnu Sa'id informs us, were exported to Africa and other more distant countries, where they were held in great estimation. Murcia was likewise renowned for the fabrication of glass and pottery, of both which materials they made large vases of the most exquisite and elegant shapes; they manufactured also glazed pottery, and another kind which was washed over with gold. The manufactures of Malaga have already been described by us under the head of that city; it was famous above all things for its glass and pottery, and for many articles of clothing. 50 We find also that there were in Andalus several manufactures of al-mafssass,5 which is known in the East by the name of al-foseyfasá (mosaic), as well as of a sort 51 of tile called az-zulaj 51 (azulejo), which they used in paving the floors of their houses. The azulejos were made of all sorts of gay colours, and very much resembled the al-mafssass; they were exported in great quantities to the East, and used instead of marble flags to make mosaic floors, to pave fountains, and other similar ornaments. As to weapons and military stores of all kinds, such as shields, swords, spears, helmets, breast-plates, bows, arrows, saddles, bits, bridles, and all kinds of horsetrappings, the manufactures of Andalus exceeded those of any other country in the world; and according to Ibnu Sa'id (from whom the preceding narrative is abridged) that part of the country which was in the hands of the infidels was likewise famous for the manufacture of arms, so highly polished as to dazzle the eyes; amongst which he makes particular mention of certain sharp-edged, well-tempered swords, called al-bordheliat,52 from Bordhil (Bourdeaux), a city placed at the north-eastern extremity of Andalus. The same author speaks in the highest terms of the swords manufactured at Seville, and which, he says, were not inferior to those of India. Seville is likewise represented by him as a city of great trade, and where several manufactures of rich clothing and costly articles existed. The town of Xativa, near Valencia, was well known for its paper manufactures, of which a large quantity was annually exported to Maghreb, and to other parts of Africa. But we shall not dwell any longer on this topic, inasmuch as we have already given some details, under the head of those cities and districts where the objects were manufactured, and we may again occasionally allude to them in the course of this our narrative. CHAPTER VIII. Government-Public functionaries-Wizír-Kátib-Sáhibu-l-ashghál-Sáhibu-sh-shartah-Mohtesib- HAVING thus far sketched some of the peculiarities of Andalus, we shall now Government. proceed to say a few words on its government and institutions, as well as on the customs and manners of its inhabitants. Our narrative will be mostly borrowed from Ibnu Sa'íd, an author who has treated the question at large in his Kitábu-lmugh'rab, in a chapter entitled "Shining stars in the just and impartial description of the eastern and western governments."1 These are that author's words : "Andalus, which was conquered in the year 92 of the Hijra, continued for many years to be a dependency of the Eastern Khalifate, until it was snatched away "from their hands by one of the surviving members of the family of Umeyyah, who, crossing over from Barbary, subdued the country, and formed therein an independent kingdom, which he transmitted to his posterity. During three centuries and a half, Andalus, governed by the princes of this dynasty, reached the utmost degree of power and prosperity, until civil war breaking out among its inhabitants, the Moslems, weakened by internal discord, became every where the prey of the artful Christians, and the territory of Islám was considerably reduced, "so much so that at the present moment the worshippers of the crucified hold "the greatest part of Andalus in their hands, and their country is divided into various powerful kingdoms, whose rulers assist each other whenever the Moslems "attack their territories. This brings to my recollection the words of an eastern geographer who visited Andalus in the fourth century of the Hijra,2 and during the prosperous times of the Cordovan Khalifate, I mean Ibnu Haukal Annassíbí,3 who, describing Andalus, speaks in very unfavourable terms of its inhabitants. As his words require refutation I shall transcribe here the whole of the passage. 'Andalus,' he says, 'is an extensive island, a little less than a "month's march in length, and twenty and odd days in width. It abounds in "of |