CALIPHS OF BAGDAD. 37 



offering. What we require of thee is to give us some 

 indication with respect to thy hidden treasures." 

 The object of the barbarian could no longer be mis- 

 understood. The captive prince pointed in s-ilence 

 to the area in the court of his palace ; and on open- 

 ing the ground there was discovered what might 

 have been amply sufficient to glut the utmost crav- 

 ings of avarice; — a tank, or covered reservoir, 

 loaded to the brim with ingots of solid gold, each 

 weighing 100 meskals, or nearly a pound and a 

 quarter avoirdupois. This immense wealth did not 

 satiate the vengeance of the remorseless Hoolaku, 

 who is said to have kept his illustrious but unfor- 

 tunate prisoner several days without food or sus- 

 tenance of any kind. When the pangs of hunger 

 could no longer be endured, the wretched Mostasem 

 sent to implore relief ; but the tyrant, in mockery 

 of his distress, ordered his attendants to set before 

 him a dish full of gold and jewels. The last act of 

 the tragedy approached ; and it became a subject of 

 deliberation how the sacred person of the caliph 

 should be disposed of, as it was superstitiously be- 

 lieved that the shedding of his blood would be fol- 

 lowed by some awful and tremendous convulsion of 

 nature. " To quiet these uneasy apprehensions, the 

 ferocious Tartar resolved that he should be sewed 

 up in a leathern bag ; others say wrapt tightly in 

 felt, or coarse hair blankets, and in this manner 

 dragged through the streets of the city until he ex- 

 pired ; every joint and bone of his frame being 

 pounded as in a mortar. The rest of his children, 

 his brothers, his relations, his household officers, and 

 every agent of his government, were cut off with the 

 same unsparing cruelty. The devoted city was 

 now surrendered to the license of the Mogul Hrmy, 

 and, for the space of forty days, such a scene of pil- 

 lage, massacre, and blood ensued, as outraged hu- 

 manity, and almost surpassed the bounds of be- 

 lief. The Persian authors assure us, that in the 

 Vol. II.— D 



