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his death, when fainting with thirst, and covered with blood gush- 

 ing from his wounds. They daub themselves with black paint, 

 to represent the first, supposing that extreme thirst produced this 

 effect on the prince; others use a red powder to resemble him 

 when covered "with blood. Hymns are sung in the royal palace 

 in honour of the race of Ali, in presence of the prince, as well as 

 the funeral dirges among the populace. 



In the Tanzea, or Lamentations, composed for this occasion, 

 and annually recited at the commemoration of this martyrdom, 

 are the following stanzas, which I have selected from the affectionate 

 dirge supposed to have been uttered by the Lady Zineb, sister to 

 the murdered prince, Sekeena, his daughter, and the youth Zeen- 

 ul-Abedeen his son, upon the horse of Houssain, called Zu-al- 

 Jinnah, returning to the tents, covered with blood, without his 

 master. 



Zineb. 

 O ! Zu-al-Jinnah ! where is the son of Ali ? 

 Where is the martyr of Kerbela? 

 Whither is fled my comfort, my support? 

 The favoured of God, whither is he fled? 



Zeen-ul-Abedeen. 

 O! Zu-al-Jinnah! what hast thou done with the prince of re- 

 ligion? What is become of the fragrant flowers of the garden of 

 Kheen-ul-Nissa, the most excellent of women ? Of Fatima, the 

 daughter of the prophet, the wife of Ali, and the mother of Hous- 

 sain? Alas! alas! O misfortune, and distress! 



