HISTORY OP THE WAHABEES. 321 



leader, possessing all the talents necessary for the 

 eminent situation which he held. Victory never 

 abandoned his col ^urs while he was at the head of 

 his troops ; and to his loss may be attributed the 

 disasters which soon after befell his nation. His 

 last words, it is said, were addressed to his eldest 

 son and successor, Abdallah, advising him never to 

 engage the Turks in open plains; a principle which, 

 if strictly followed, would have ensured in all pro- 

 bability the recovery of Hrjaz. 



Abdallah had been trained to arms from infancy, 

 and it is recorded of him, that at the early age of 

 five years he could gall >p his mare. He was even 

 more distinguished for courage than his father, as 

 he made it a constant rule to fight every where in 

 person. His mental qualities were considered to be 

 of the first order, and so long as Saoud filled the 

 throne he occupied the second place in his dominions ; 

 none of his other brothers being allowed to exercise 

 any influence in public affairs. With all his supe- 

 rior reputation for bravery and skill in war, how- 

 ever, he knew not so well as his predecessor how to 

 manage the political interests of the tribes under 

 his command, whose general strength was now 

 weakened by the quarrels of the great sheiks; while 

 the measures which he adopted in opposing Mo- 

 hammed Ali seemed to prove that he by no means 

 possessed the wisdom and sagacity of his father. 



The prospects of the Turks began to assume a 

 brighter aspect. Their army had been strengthened 

 by various reinforcements : 20,000 men were now 

 at the command of the viceroy, and distributed over 

 different parts of the country. At Mecca 350 were 

 stationed under Ibrahim Aga and the Sheriff Yahia ; 



