pon Mecca with about ten thousand
men. Abu Sofian having come out of the town in the evening to
reconnoitre, he fell in with Al Abbas, who, out of friendship to his
countrymen, had ridden from the army with the hope of meeting some
straggling Meccans whom he might send back with the news of Mahomet's
approach, and advise the Meccans to surrender. Al Abbas, recognizing Abu
Sofian's voice, called to him, and advised him to get up behind him, and
go with him, and in all haste make his submission to Mahomet. This he
did, and, to save his life, professed Islamism, and was afterward as
zealous in propagating as he had hitherto been in opposing it.

Mahomet had given orders to his men to enter Mecca peaceably, but Kaled
meeting with a party who discharged some arrows at him, fell upon them,
and slew twenty-eight of them. Mahomet sent one of his helpers to bid
him desist from the slaughter; but the messenger delivered quite the
contrary order, commanding him to show them no mercy. Afterward, when
Mahomet said to the helper, "Did not I bid you tell Kaled not to kill
anybody in Mecca?"

"It is true," said the helper, "and I would have done as you directed
me, but God would have it otherwise, and God's will was done."

When all was quiet, Mahomet went to the Kaaba, and rode round it upon
his camel seven times, and touched with his cane a corner of the black
stone with great reverence. Having alighted, he went into the Kaaba,
where he found images of angels, and a figure of Abraham holding in his
hand a bundle of arrows, which had been made use of for deciding things
by lot. All these, as well as three hundred and sixty idols which stood
on the outside of the Kaaba, he caused to be thrown down and broken in
pieces. As he entered the Kaaba, he cried with a loud voice, "Allah
acbar," seven times, turning round to all the sides of the Kaaba. He
also appointed it to be the Kebla, or place toward which the Mussulmans
should turn themselves when they pray. Remounting his camel, he now rode
once more seven times round the Kaaba, and again alighting, bowed
himself twice before it. He next visited the well Zem-zem, and from
thence passed to the station of Abraham. Here he stopped awhile, and
ordering a pail of water to be brought from the Zem-zem, he drank
several large draughts, and then made the holy washing called _wodhu_.
Immediately all his followers imitated his example, purifying themselves
and washing their faces. After this, Maho