LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 241 



authority, whether secular or sacred, could never 

 be said to rest on a solid foundation. Mecca, the 

 ancient and venerable sanctuary of Arabian worship, 

 though he had granted protection to its commerce 

 by an order to allow the caravans to pass unmolested, 

 was still in the hands of his enemies, and a stranger 

 to the true religion. To revisit the city and the 

 temple from which he had been driven as a seditious 

 outcast, and to which his followers still looked with 

 a longing affection, was the cherished object of his 

 fondest hopes : and the apostle imagined the time 

 had arrived when he could gratify the devotion of 

 his subjects ; for such was the pretext under which 

 he covered his design to surprise the capital of the 

 Koreish. The Mussulmans were transported with 

 delight ; the holy banner was unfurled, and the most 

 splendid preparations made for this famous expedi- 

 tion. Fourteen hundred of his bravest troops at- 

 tended his march, ostensibly to protect him from 

 insult or opposition. Seventy camels, adorned with 

 garlands of flowers and leaves, the victims destined 

 for sacrifice, advanced in front of the army. 



This religious pageant did not, however, impose 

 upon the inhabitants, who distrusted the intentions 

 of an ambitious fanatic, veiled as they were under 

 the humble garb of piety. Notwithstanding his de- 

 clarations of peace, and of his extreme veneration 

 for their temple, the Meccans informed him that if 

 he entered their city it must be by force. " The 

 Koreish," said Arwa, one of the deputies who had 

 discoursed familiarly with the Prophet, " have put 

 on their tiger-skins, and vowed resistance in the 

 face of heaven." Mohammed sought a pretext for 

 war and vengeance ; and the conduct of his enemies 

 in violating the law of nations, by seizing the person 

 of Othman his ambassador, gave him the advantage 

 of having the appearance of justice and right on his 

 side. But neither party seemed disposed to appeal 

 to the sword. 



Vol. I.— X 



