392 CONQUEST OF AFRICA AND SPAIN. 



sons were supplanted by the ambition and the in- 

 trigues of Roderick, the last of his race, whose fa- 

 ther had been a provincial governor. But the mate- 

 rials of revolution were lurking in the bosom of the 

 country, and the smallest spark was sufficient to 

 throw tlieni into combustion. Count JuUau, by his 

 rash invitation of a foreign power, was the individ- 

 ual that fired the train. 



The influence of this nobleman rendered him a 

 useful subject or a formidable enemy. His estates 

 were ample ; his followers bold and numerous ; and 

 as governor of Andalusia and the opposite province 

 of Mauritania, it was evident he held in his hand the 

 keys of Spain. The alleged seduction of his daugh- 

 ter, Cava, by Roderick, made him a rebel and a trai- 

 tor to his king. Too feeble, however, to venture 

 with his own resources on the execution of revenge, 

 he determined to implore the aid of the Saracens ; 

 and crossing the sea, he repaired to the camp of 

 Musa. In a personal interview with that general, 

 he revealed the weakness and the wealth of his 

 country ; for in the abundance of its gold and silver 

 Spain was the Mexico and Peru of antiquity. 



Before embarking in this new conquest, Musa sent 

 to obtain the permission of Walid. The answer of 

 the caliph was favourable ; but it implied that the 

 science of geography had been little studied at the 

 court of Damascus. He cautioned him not to ven- 

 ture rashly with the Moslems on the navigation of a 

 perilous ocean ; and directed him to make an incur- 

 sion into the country, that he might previously as- 

 certain its actual state. The lieutenant, in reply, 

 gave the emperor of the faithful to understand, that 

 the sea between Africa and Spain was not a tre- 

 mendous ocean, but merely a narrow strait (Sebtah) 

 which the eye could reach across ; in compliance 

 with his instructions, however, he resolved to make 

 a previous trial of this uaknoum region. At once 

 to prove the sincerity of Julian, and obey the cau- 



