122 CHRONOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 



About " A. D. 1124" (Marcel), the fanatical sect of the Bathenians 

 or Hassassins was formed : their leader, Ismael, established himself 

 in the new Christian kingdom, in the mountains near Damascus, and 

 rendered himself formidable to all around, by means of his secret 

 emissaries. 



In "A. D. 1130," El-Amr was assassinated by emissaries of Ismael. 

 He was succeeded by El-Hafez, of the Fatimite Dynasty, the eighth 

 sultan of Egypt. A coin issued at Alexandria during the reign of El- 

 Hafez, is figured by Marcel, p. 127. 



The "zubbad" of Edrisi and Ibn Baitar, is admitted to be civet; a 

 perfume obtained from a weasel-like animal (Viverra zibetha). — The 

 "galia muscata" (from the Greek yaXm) of Nicolaus Propositus and 

 Franciscus Pedemontium, may also be compared. Cadamosto met with 

 civet on the Gambia ; Alpinus iii. 15, mentions its medicinal use in 

 Egypt ; and I found it a well-known article of commerce at Mocha. 

 According to Browne, the civet animal is kept in cages in Darfour, and 

 occurs wild further South. 



In " A. D. 1149-50," the accession of Dhafer, of the Fatimite Dy- 

 nasty, the ninth sultan of Egypt, took place. A coin issued at Alex- 

 andria during his reign, is figured by Marcel, p. 128. 



About this time, the manufacture of ardent spirits, or alcoholic dis- 

 tillation, is said to have been first practised in Europe. 



In "A. D. 1155," the accession of Fayez, of the Fatimite Dynasty, 

 the tenth sultan of Egypt, took place. 



The cmcuarbt of Nicolaus Propositus, and Christophorus de Hones- 

 tis, may be compared with the seeds of Cardiospermum helicacabum. 

 — This plant is noticed by Valerius Cordus, Tragus, Fuchsius, and 

 Matthioli ; was seen by Delile in gardens at Cairo ; and according to 

 Cailliaud, has a native name in Dongola. 



In "A. D. 1160," the accession of Adhed, of the Fatimite Dynasty, 

 the eleventh sultan of Egypt, took place. 



In "A. D. 1168" (Munk and Marcel), an army of Crusaders from 

 Palestine, employed in Egypt to repel a Syrian invasion, captured 

 Bilbeis or Bubastis, and advanced as far as Cairo ; but were finally 

 compelled to retire. 



On the death of Adhed, "A. D. 1171," the Fatimite Dynasty 

 became extinct : the succeeding Egyptia% sultans made no claim to 

 spiritual authority, but acknowledged that of the Abbassid khalifs. 



