he successful prosecution of his increasing
labours. At the termination of one hundred years, consumed in toil and
sorrow, Adam having been instructed by the angel Gabriel in a
penitential formula by which he might hope yet to conciliate Allah, the
justice of Heaven was satisfied, and his repentance was finally accepted
by the Most High. The joy of Adam was now as intense as his previous
sorrow had been extreme, and another century passed, during which the
tears with which Adam--from very different emotions--now bedewed the
earth were not less effectual in producing every species of fragrant and
aromatic flower and shrub, to delight the eye and gratify the sense of
smell by their odours, than they were formerly in the generation of
medicinal plants to assuage the sufferings of humanity.

Tradition has ascribed to Adam a stature so stupendous that when he
stood or walked his forehead brushed the skies; and it is stated that he
thus partook in the converse of the angels, even after his fall. But
this, by perpetually holding to his view the happiness which he had
lost, instead of alleviating, contributed in a great degree to aggravate
his misery, and to deprive him of all repose upon earth. Allah,
therefore, in pity of his sufferings, shortened his stature to one
hundred cubits, so that the harmony of the celestial hosts should no
longer reach his ear.

Then Allah caused to be raised up for Adam a magnificent pavilion, or
temple, constructed entirely of rubies, on the spot which is now
occupied by the sacred Kaaba at Mecca, and which is in the centre of the
earth and immediately beneath the throne of Allah. The forlorn Eve--whom
Adam had almost forgotten amidst his own sorrows--in the course of her
weary wanderings came to the palace of her spouse, and, once more
united, they returned to Ceylon. But Adam revisited the sacred pavilion
at Mecca every year until his death. And wherever he set his foot there
arose, and exists to this day, some city, town, or village, or other
place to indicate the presence of man and of human cultivation. The
spaces between his footsteps--three days' journey--long remained barren
wilderness.

On the twentieth day of that disorder which terminated the earthly
existence of Adam, the divine will was revealed to him through the angel
Gabriel, that he was to make an immediate bequest of his power as
Allah's vicegerent on earth to Shayth, or Seth, the discreetest and most
virtuous of all his sons