MERAT. 
219 
he crushed the immortal Aboo Obaida, as a fly is 
crushed under a barrel of honey. 
There was likewise the incomprehensible Aboo 
Nudjedar, of a. d. 657 ; whose daring exploits are 
too miraculous to be calmly perused by the sensible 
reader. There were three equally distinguished 
Aboo Saiuds, and seven no less astonishing Aboo 
Alis, besides Aboo Jafiers, Aboo Mirzas, Aboo Ab- 
dallas, Aboo Shujas, and other Aboos in duplicate 
and triplicate, all of extraordinary merit. But, after 
all, perchance, the best method of giving the reader 
a faint impression (no more can be hoped) of the 
glory of the Aboos, will be to relate the circumstance 
which attaches an interest even to the lowliest and 
least meritorious of all the Aboos ; and then to leave 
the identity of the particular Aboo of Merat, looming 
the more important in the dim perspective of 
mysterious uncertainty. 
Aboo Akkur was a slave in the royal household of 
the ever- memorable Ameer Xshmael, and his name 
has been preserved through the following incident. 
Ishmael having defeated the army of Omar Lais,* 
captured that chief owing to the fiery spirit of Ills 
charger, which bore him headlong into the enemy’s 
ranks; but the conqueror was still unable to 
possess himself of the great treasure which he knew 
was somewhere concealed in the capital ; and he 
therefore inquired personally of Omar where it might 
* Brother of the celebrated Yakoob Lais. See page 142. ^ 
