agut spoke in vain: he was even accused of
being a secret partisan of the Christian; and the embassy was decreed.

But Zagut was not the only one who foresaw the catastrophe to which that
embassy must inevitably lead: Al Raxid shared the same prophetic
feeling. In reply to his father, who, after the separation of the
assembly, expatiated on the absolute necessity of soliciting the
alliance of Aben Taxfin as the only measure capable of saving the rest
of Mahometan Spain from the yoke of Alfonso, he said: "This Aben Taxfin,
who has subdued all that he pleased, will serve us as he has already
served the people of Almagreb and Mauritania--he will expel us from our
country!"

"Anything," rejoined the father, "rather than Andalusia should become
the prey of the Christians! Dost thou wish the Mussulmans to curse me? I
would rather become an humble shepherd, a driver of Yussef's camels,
than reign dependent on these Christian dogs! But my trust is in Allah."

"May Allah protect both thee and thy people!" replied Al Raxid,
mournfully, who saw that the die of fate was cast.

The course of this history must be interrupted for a moment, while the
origin and exploits of this formidable African are recorded.

Beyond the chain of Mount Atlas, in the deserts of ancient Getulia,
dwelt two tribes of Arabian descent--both, probably, of the greater one
of Zanhaga, so illustrious in Arabian history. At what time they had
been expelled, or had voluntarily exiled themselves, from their native
Yemen, they knew not; but tradition taught them that they had been
located in the African deserts from ages immemorial. Their life was
passed under the tent; their only possessions were their camels and
their freedom. Yahia ben Ibrahim, belonging to one of these tribes--that
of Gudala--made the pilgrimage of Mecca. On his return through the
province of Cairwan he became acquainted with Abu-Amram, a famous
_alfaqui_, originally of Fez. Being questioned by his new friend as to
the religion and manners of his countrymen, he replied that they were
sunk in ignorance, both from their isolated situation in the desert and
from their want of teachers; he added, however, that they were strangers
to cruelty, and that they would be willing enough to receive instruction
from any quarter. He even entreated the alfaqui to allow some one of his
disciples to accompany him into his native country; but none of those
disciples was willing to undertake so long and perilo