Historical Poem e Seerah.' 



93 



the scriptures, was to be distinguished, protected him from 

 the plots laid against him by the Christians and Jews in the 

 place, and sent him back to Mecca in safety. 



The tenth chapter, consisting of eighty -three stanzas, relates 

 to Mohammed's obtaining money and goods on loan from Kha- 

 dija (a lady of great opulence in Mecca), and proceeding to 

 Syria, in his twenty-fifth year, on a commercial speculation. 



The eleventh chapter, consisting of twenty stanzas, treats of 

 a miracle wrought by Mohammed, by causing a spring of water 

 to gush forth in the desert. 



The twelfth chapter, consisting of twenty-three stanzas, gives 

 an account of a prodigious serpent which lay on the route to 

 Syria, and went to devour travellers, and which Mohammed 

 slew by merely throwing a straw at it as it hissed and sprang 

 up to swallow him. 



The thirteenth chapter, consisting of thirty-one stanzas, de- 

 scribes how Mohammed and his caravan, by the interposition 

 of the angel Gabriel, passed over a river which had overflown 

 its banks and threatened to arrest their progress. 



The fourteenth chapter, consisting of fourteen stanzas, re- 

 lates to a tiger speaking to Mohammed, allowing him to stroke 

 its head, and retiring from the road which it had heretofore 

 infested to the great dread of the travellers. 



The fifteenth chapter, consisting of eighteen stanzas, treats 

 of a serpent, which had long lain on the road to Syria waiting 

 to meet Mohammed ; and having at last met him did him homage, 

 and retired into the deep recess of the forest at his desire. 



The sixteenth chapter, consisting of fifty-five stanzas, is oc- 

 cupied with the particulars of an interview between Mohammed 

 and Ezura, a Christian monk, whom Jesus had assured that he 

 should not die before he had seen the prophet of the last times, 

 and had given him a sign, namely, that when he fMohammedJ 

 should arrive at the grove of palm trees in which the monk 

 dwelt, one of the dead palms should instantly blossom and 

 bear fruit, which occurred. 



The seventeenth chapter, consisting of sixteen stanzas, states 

 that when Mohammed and his caravan were attacked by a party 



