342 CONQUESTS OF THE SARACENS. 



era historians, " had conducted the chariot of the 

 sun to the obscure chambers of the West, the battle 

 still raged, with unabated fierceness, by the light of 

 their flambeaux, during the whole of the succeeding 

 night ; the cupbearers of death busily paraded the 

 bloody field with remorseless rapacity, administer- 

 ing to the unfortunate the bitter draught of dissolu- 

 tion, while the stars in the enamelled vault of 

 heaven continued to witness the sanguinary tumult 

 till the harbingers of the morning announced the 

 return of day." This nocturnal conflict received 

 the whimsical though descriptive name of the Night 

 of Barking; from the discordant clamours of the 

 troops resembling the inarticulate sounds of fero- 

 cious animals. 



Neither fatigue nor want of rest could slacken 

 their exertions, till near the noon of the fourth day, 

 when a real or imaginary whirlwind drove a cloud 

 of dust against the faces of the infidels. It bore 

 away the pavilion or canopy under which Roostum, 

 on his bed of state, was viewing the progress of the 

 action ; and so impetuous were the heat and the 

 tempest, that he was compelled to take shelter 

 among the baggage-mules. The ranks of the Per- 

 sians were soon thrown into disorder, and attacked 

 by the Arabs, better accustomed to the hurricanes 

 of the Desert. The empty throne arrested their 

 attention ; abandoned by its master, who was de- 

 tected behind one of the beasts of burden. The 

 beauty of his tiara, and the surpassing richness of 

 his girdle and mail, proclaimed the prize which for- 

 tune had cast in their way. The danger was immi- 

 nent, and in the hope of escape he threw himself 

 into the rivulet. HuUal instantly dismounted; 

 plunged without hesitation after him into the stream ; 

 and, seizing him in the struggle by the heel, he 

 succeeded in making him his prisoner. The victor 

 then ascended the throne, and with the head of the 

 Persian general fixed on his lance, announced to the 



