to the house; but before entering, he caused all the lights to be extinguished, so that his heart might not be softened by the sight of the offender.

7. When all was darkness, he entered the house, and struck the soldier dead with his scimitar. "Now bring a light," cried the caliph. His attendants did so. Mahmud Gazni held a torch over the bloody corpse of the soldier, and found that his suspicions were correct. He had killed his own son!

8. The last of the caliphs was named Mostasem. He was so proud and vain-glorious, that he considered his subjects unworthy to behold his face. He therefore never appeared in public without wearing a veil of golden tissue. Whenever he rode through the streets, thousands would flock to get a glimpse of his golden veil.

9. But at length Hulaku, chief of the Tartars, took the city of Bagdad. He stripped off the golden veil of the caliph Mostasem, and put him alive into a leathern bag. The bag, with the poor caliph in it, was dragged by horses through the same streets where he had formerly ridden in triumph.

10. Thus perished the caliph Mostasem, being bruised to death on the stones. With him ended the empire of the Saracens, in the year 1258 of the Christian era.

11. But the termination of this empire did not put an end to the religion of Mohammed, which continued to flourish, and finally extended over nearly all the countries of Asia and Africa.

QUESTIONS. 1. Who were the Saracens? What of them? What was the capital of their empire ?2. Who was Ali? Who opposed him? Who was Ayesha ? -3. Describe the conflict between Ali and Ayesha. Who was victorious?- -4. Who were the Caliphs? Where did they reign?

What of Mahmud Gazni?

5. Relate the story of the poor man and Mahmud Gazni.- -8. Who was Mostasem ? What can you say of him?- -9. How did he die? -10. When did the empire of the Saracens end ?- -11. What of the religion of Mohammed?

CHAPTER XXXI.

ASIA continued.About Syria,

Phoenicia, and Asia Minor.

1. I WILL now give you a short account of Syria, which lay to the north of Palestine. It was bounded on the north by Asia Minor, on the east by the river Euphrates and Arabia, on the south by Palestine and a part of Arabia, and on the west by the Mediterranean Sea.

2. Syria is frequently mentioned in the Bible. The people were engaged in almost constant wars with the Jews from the time of David nearly to the time of Christ, when it became a Roman province.

3. At this period its capital was Antioch, which was one of the most splendid cities in the world. This was the native place of St. Luke, and here both St. Peter and St. Paul lived for some time. Here, too, the followers of Christ were first called Christians.

4. Damascus, another city of Syria, one hundred and thirty-six miles northward of Jerusalem, appears to have been known ever since the time of Abraham. It is frequently mentioned in the Bible, and here St. Paul was miraculously converted to the Christian faith.

5. This city was famous in later times for making the best swords, sabres, and other cutlery; but the art which the people once possessed is now lost. The inhabitants of this city were also celebrated for manufacturing beautiful silks, to which the name of damask was given, from the place where they were made.

6. Another place in Syria mentioned in the Bible was Tadmor, sometimes called " Tadmor in the desert;" this was built by Solomon for the convenience of his traders; it was ten miles in extent, but it is now in ruins. The splendid remains of this place, consisting of columns and other things beautifully sculptured in stone, show that it must have been a rich and powerful city. In later

times it was called Palmyra. You will find a view of this city at page 4.

7. At the distance of thirty-seven miles north-west of Damascus are the remains of Balbec, a very splendid city in the time of the apostles, and then called Heliopolis. It is now in ruins, and contains scarcely more than a thousand inhabitants.

8. I must not forget to mention Phoenice, or Phoenicia, which lay along the border of the Mediterranean Sea; it contained the cities of Tyre, Sidon, Ptolemais, and other celebrated places. In very early times, the Phoenicians were famous for their skill in commerce, navigation, and other arts. They were an independent nation, but in after times their country became a province of Syria.

9. Syria is at the present day governed by the Turks, and, like every other country under their sway, is stamped with an aspect of desolation and decay. The term Syria is now applied, not only to what anciently bore that name, but to Palestine also.

10. Asia Minor, or Natolia, as it is now called, lies at the north-eastern corner of the Mediterranean Sea; it is a kind of peninsula, bounded on the north by the Euxine or Black Sea; on the west by the Ægean Sea; and on the east by Syria, Mesopotamia, and Armenia.

11. It is about six hundred miles in length, from east to west, and four hundred in breadth. It is at present under the government of Turkey, and its inhabitants are mostly believers in Mohammed. The chief city now is Smyrna, to which many vessels go from this country, and bring back figs, dates, coral, sponge, and other things.

12. Asia Minor appears to have been settled in very early times. Several kingdoms have arisen and flourished here at different periods, but it has never been the seat of any great empire. The kingdom of Lydia, in Asia Minor, existed as early as eight hundred years before Christ. Ardysus, who reigned seven hundred and ninety-seven

years before Christ, appears to have been one of its earliest kings.

13. The last king of Lydia was Croesus, who was so famous for his great riches, that to this day we say, "As rich as Croesus." But, in spite of his wealth, he was conquered by Cyrus, king of Persia, 548 years before Christ.

14. From this period, Lydia, with a great part of Asia Minor, continued subject to the Persian empire till the time of Alexander, about 330 years before Christ, when it was conquered by that famous leader.

15. Three hundred years before Christ, Pontus, which had once been a part of Lydia, became an independent country. It continued to flourish for many years, and Mithridates VII. for a time successfully maintained a war with the Romans.

16. By his skill and courage, he long baffled their best generals. But at length, in the year 64 before Christ, he was conquered, and his kingdom, with the rest of Asia Minor, was subjected to the Roman dominion.

17. Notwithstanding the wars in Asia Minor, the country became filled with people, and superb cities rose up in various parts of it. Ephesus, situated in Lydia, was a splendid place, and it had a temple so magnificent that it was called one of the seven wonders of the world.

18. This temple was one hundred and twenty years in building; but a man named Erostratus, wishing to make himself remembered, set it on fire, and it was burnt to the ground.

19. There were also many other fine cities in Asia Minor, several of which are mentioned in the New Testament. Among these was Tarsus, the birthplace of Paul; also, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea, which are spoken of in the book of Revelations.

20. Through the labours of Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Luke, and perhaps others, Christianity was early planted in nearly all the divisions of Asia Minor.