tificers of Persia. Night and day had they laboured, under the
direction of Jabaster, to produce this wondrous spectacle. Once more
the children of Israel beheld the cherubim. They burst into a triumphant
hymn of thanksgiving, and many drew their swords, and cried aloud to be
led against the Canaanites.

From the mysterious curtains of the tabernacle, Alroy came forward,
leading Jabaster. They approached the altar. And Alroy took robes from
the surrounding priests, and put them upon Jabaster, and a girdle, and
a breastplate of jewels. And Alroy took a mitre, and placed it upon the
head of Jabaster, and upon the mitre he placed a crown; and pouring oil
upon his head, the pupil anointed the master High Priest of Israel.

The victims were slain, the sin-offering burnt. Amid clouds of incense,
bursts of music, and the shouts of a devoted people; amid odour, and
melody, and enthusiasm, Alroy mounted his charger, and at the head of
twenty thousand men, departed to conquer Media.

The extensive and important province of Aderbijan, of which Hamadan was
the capital, was formed of the ancient Media. Its fate was decided
by one battle. On the plain of Nehauend, Alroy met the hastily-raised
levies of the Atabek of Kermanshah, and entirely routed them. In the
course of a month, every city of the province had acknowledged the
supremacy of the new Hebrew monarch, and, leaving Abner to complete the
conquest of Louristan, Alroy entered Persia.

The incredible and irresistible progress of Alroy roused Togrul, the
Turkish Sultan of Persia, from the luxurious indolence of the palaces
of Nishapur. He summoned his emirs to meet him at the imperial city of
Rhey, and crush, by one overwhelming effort, the insolent rebel.

Religion, valour, and genius, alike inspired the arms of Alroy, but he
was, doubtless, not a little assisted by the strong national sympathy
of his singular and scattered people, which ever ensured him prompt
information of all the movements of his enemy. Without any preparation,
he found agents in every court, and camp, and cabinet; and, by their
assistance, he anticipated the designs of his adversaries, and turned
even their ingenuity to their confusion. The imperial city of Rhey was
surprised in the night, sacked, and burnt to the ground. The scared
and baffled emirs who escaped, flew to the Sultan Togrul, tearing their
beards, and prophesying the approaching termination of the world. The
palaces of Nishapur resounded