familiarizedtheideaoftheirlanguage，religion，andmanners；
andexhausted，byclandestinepurchase，themagazinesandarsenalsofthecitieswhichtheyreturnedtobesiege。Theyaggravatedtheransomofthemorewealthy，orthemoreobstinate；
andChalcisalonewastaxedatfivethousandouncesofgold，fivethousandouncesofsilver，twothousandrobesofsilk，andasmanyfigsandolivesaswouldloadfivethousandasses。Butthetermsoftruceorcapitulationwerefaithfullyobserved；andthelieutenantofthecaliph，whohadpromisednottoenterthewallsofthecaptiveBaalbec，remainedtranquilandimmovableinhistenttillthejarringfactionssolicitedtheinterpositionofaforeignmaster。TheconquestoftheplainandvalleyofSyriawasachievedinlessthantwoyears。Yetthecommanderofthefaithfulreprovedtheslownessoftheirprogress；andtheSaracens，bewailingtheirfaultwithtearsofrageandrepentance，calledaloudontheirchiefstoleadthemforthtofightthebattlesoftheLord。Inarecentaction，underthewallsofEmesa，anArabianyouth，thecousinofCaled，washeardaloudtoexclaim，\"MethinksIseetheblack—eyedgirlslookinguponme；oneofwhom，shouldsheappearinthisworld，allmankindwoulddieforloveofher。AndIseeinthehandofoneofthemahandkerchiefofgreensilk，andacapofpreciousstones，andshebeckonsme，andcallsout，Comehitherquickly，forIlovethee。\"Withthesewords，chargingtheChristians，hemadehavocwhereverhewent，till，observedatlengthbythegovernorofHems，hewasstruckthroughwithajavelin。
[Footnote67:IntheGeographyofAbulfeda，thedescriptionofSyria，hisnativecountry，isthemostinterestingandauthenticportion。ItwaspublishedinArabicandLatin，Lipsiae，1766，inquarto，withthelearnednotesofKochlerandReiske，andsomeextractsofgeographyandnaturalhistoryfromIbnOlWardii。
Amongthemoderntravels，Pocock\'sDescriptionoftheEastofSyriaandMesopotamia，vol。ii。p。88—209isaworkofsuperiorlearninganddignity；buttheauthortoooftenconfoundswhathehadseenandwhathehadread。]