. Then Lulu slew
him likewise, and returning to her followers, who were pillaging the
city, related what she had done. The report soon spread abroad, and
readied the two hostile armies, both of which were indignant at the
death of Ali; so they advanced rapidly, and surrounding the place,
attacked and utterly destroyed the followers of Lulu. She herself was
taken prisoner, and being led before the queen of Damascus, was
condemned by her to a cruel death, which she suffered accordingly. The
city afterwards fell gradually to ruin, and the neighbouring country
became desert.

* * * * *

This sanguinary story, though containing some of the staple machinery
of Eastern fiction, was evidently rather of Bedawin than civilised
origin; and, as such, interested me, in spite of the inartificial
manner in which it was told, the meagre details, and the repulsive
incidents. Ismaeen's only qualities as a historian were animation and
faith. He had heard the narrative from his father, to whom, likewise,
it had been handed down hereditarily. Everybody in the country knew it
to be true. I might ask Abd-el-Mahjid. A shot close at hand announced
the presence of that worthy, who soon appeared with a fine large hare.
On being appealed to, the cunning rogue--perhaps anxious to be thought
a philosopher--said that, for his part, though most people certainly
believed the story, he really had no decided opinion about the matter.

IRON SHIPS.

As a quarter of a century has not elapsed since the commencement of
iron ship-building, its history is soon told. Previous to 1838, it may
be said to have had no proper existence, the builders being mere tyros
in their profession, and their efforts only experimental. The first
specimen made its appearance some twenty years ago on the Clyde--the
cradle of steam-navigation. The inconsiderable Cart, however, claims
the honour of for ever deciding the contest between iron and timber--a
contest which can never be renewed with even a remote chance of
success. In the year referred to, and subsequent years, an engineering
firm in Paisley, with the aid of scientific oversight and skilful
workmen, constructed a fleet of iron vessels upon entirely novel
principles, which maintained the sovereignty of the waters for a
lengthened period, and whose main features are retained in the most
approved models of the present day. Their characteristics were speed,
buoyancy, comfort, and ele