338 CONQUESTS OF THE SARACENS. 



government to attempt a more effectual resistance 

 to the encroachments of the Arabs ; and even to 

 expel them from their usurpations in Irak, where 

 Mothanna presided over the interests of the caliph 

 and the Koran. The attention of Omar was called, 

 at the commencement of his reign, to the " golden 

 soil of Chaldea," so famed for its fertility, the mag- 

 nificence of its cities, the variety of its manufac- 

 tures, and the multitude of its flocks and herds. The 

 avarice of the behevers was stimulated by the 

 illusions of dreams and the exhortations of prayer ; 

 and the ancient awe of the power and resources of 

 the Persian monarchs faded away before the dazzling 

 splendour of conquest and spoliation. Amru, Obeid, 

 and Saleit were despatched with fresh supplies from 

 Medina, to join the troops in Irak ; and their first 

 victory was over two small detachments of the 

 enemy, commanded by Jaban and Roostum; the 

 latter showing great personal gallantry, by killing 

 with his own hand several of the bravest of the 

 Moslems. But the main army, amounting to 80,000 

 under the command of Jalanous or Galen, was on 

 its march, and took post on the eastern bank of the 

 Euphrates, opposite the bridge constructed by Obeid, 

 whose rashness proved fatal to the Saracens. Dis- 

 pirited by the death of their leader, they fled in con- 

 fusion. Numbers were slain, and 4000 drowned in 

 attempting to recross the river. 



Mothanna, who made a good retreat, communi- 

 cated to the caliph the news of this disaster, which 

 had nearly lost for ever the fruits of Khaled's victo- 

 ries. A fresh levy marched into Irak under Jarir ; 

 and in a second encounter near Hira, which lasted 

 from noon till sunset, the enemy were put to flight, 

 Mahran, their general, having fallen in single combat 

 by the hand of the Moslem leader. The pursuit 

 was most sanguinary, and was remembered as the 

 Day of Decimation, every Mussulman being said to 

 have slain ten of his adversaries ; so that the slaughter 



