§32 LltE OF 3I0HAMMED. 



Usual watering stations, about forty miles frorti 

 Mecca. Spies had brought him intelligence that a 

 caravan of the idolaters, consisting of about 1000 

 camels richly laden with grain, fruit, and other 

 costly merchandise, was on its return from Syria, 

 guarded with an escort of only thirty or forty men, 

 commanded by Abu Sofian in person. Persuaded 

 that this valuable and apparently easy prey was 

 within his grasp, he resolved to advance at the head 

 of a small detachment of troops to intercept it. 

 This sacred band of warriors did not exceed 313 

 men, of whom seventy-seven were Mohajerins, and 

 the rest chiefly Ansars. So poorly were they ac- 

 commodated in regard to cavalry, that they could 

 muster only two horses and seventy camels, which 

 they mounted by turns. The plan of their future 

 operations being decided, the leader of the faithful 

 advanced, and pitched his tents at a short distance 

 from the enemy. A slight intrenchment was thrown 

 up to cover the flailk of his troops ; and for the 

 safety of his own person, a temporary structure 

 of wood, overshadowed with green boughs, was 

 erected, with a fleet camel standing ready harnessed, 

 that in case of defeat he might avoid the chance 

 of being taken prisoner ; for, however assured the 

 Prophet might be of Divine assistance, he had too 

 much sagacity to despise the use of human means. 

 Burning with zeal and mutual hatred, the troops on 

 both sides rushed furiously to the charge. The 

 idolaters were three to one ; but the superiority of 

 numbers was overbalanced by the reckless intrepid- 

 ity of fanaticism. 



While the Moslems nobly sustained the assault 

 of their adversaries, their commander fervently ad- 

 dressed Heaven in their behalf. Seated with Abu 

 Beker in his wooden sanctuary, with his eye fixed 

 on the field of battle : " Courage, my children, and 

 fight like men ! — close your ranks, discharge your 

 arrows, and the day is your own. O God ! execute 



