Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-06-17
MISCELLANEOUS.
A DARING EXPLOIT,
FROM IRyING's "MAHoMET AND SUCCESSORS"

In Irving's new work, ssThe Successors of Ma
homet." we find tie following account of The
siege of Aleppo, from which we take the nara
tive of the following daring exploit =
For five months did the siege Of this fortress con-
tnue; all the attacks of the Moslem were repulsed
all their stratagems discovered and crcumyented ;
for Youkenna had spies in the very camp Of the
enemy, who gave him intelligence by word or
signal, of every plan and movement. Abu ODE
dial despaired Of reducing this npregnable castle,
which impeded him in his career Of conquests, and
wrote to the Callp proposing to abandon the siege
and proceed against Antoch. The Calip, in re-
ply, ordered HIM by no means to desist, as that
would give encouragement to the enemy, but to
press the siege hard and trust the event to God -
As an additional reliance, he sent him reiniorce-
ment of horse and foot. with twenty camels to
facilitate the march Of the infantry. Nutwith-
standing all this, the siege was continued seven
and forty days, with no greater prospects of sue
cess.
While in this state of vexatious impedimen,
and delay, Abu Cbedah was one day accusted by
one of the newly arrived soldiers who told him
that, if he would give him thirty men, all strong
and valiant, he would pledge his head to put him
in possession Of the castle. The man who made
this singular proposition was named Damas no
was Of heIculean strength and gigantic size,
brave soldier and OF great natural sagacity, al
though unimproyed by educaon as he was born
slave. khaed backed his application, having
heard of great exploits performed by him in Arabia
Abu Obedah, in his .perple4ities was willing to
adopt any expedent to get possession Of this OBJ
stinate castle, and the Arabs were always prone
to strange and extravagant stTatagerns in their
warfare. He accordingly placed thirty of his
bravest men under the command of Damas, charr-
ing them to obey him implicitly, notwithstanding
his base conditional the same time, in compli-
ance with his request, he removed with his army
to the distance Of league, as though about to
abandon the siege.
1t was now night and Damas concealed his
thirty men near to the castle, charging them not
to stir, nor utter sound He then went out
alone, and brought in six christian prisoners, one
after another. He questioned them in Arabic, but
they were ignorant OF the language, and replied
In their own tongue
The curse Of Allah on these Christian dogs
and their barbarous jargon, which no man can
understand" cried the rude Arab, and in his rage
he smote off their heads.
lie went forth again and saw man sliding
down the wall, whom he seized as soon as he
touched the ground, He was Christian Arab,
and was endeavqrlng to escape from the tyranny
of Youkenna, and from him Damas obtained the
lnuIiatioii ilc ueSireu. Ilo Instantly ueSpalCned
two men to Abu Obedah, requesting him to send
him some horse about sunrise lie then took a
goat,skin from his Wallet with which he covered
his back and shoulders, and dry crust Of bread
in his hand, and crept on all fours close to the
wall OF the Castle. His men crept silently after
him. w hen lie heard noise he gnawed his
crust with The sound like that Of dog gnaWing a
bone, and his followers remained motonless. in
this way he reached part Of the castle wall which
was easiest OF access. Then seating himself on
the ground, he made one of his men seat himself
on his shoulders, and SO Oh until seven were thus
| mounted on each other. Then he who was up
pernost stood upright, and SO did the others in
succession, until Damas rose from the ground
upon his feet, and sustained the whole by his
wondrous strength, each rendering such aid as he
could by bearing against the wall. The upper
| most man was now enabled to scramble upon the
| baltlements, where he found Christian sentinel
| drunk and asleep. He seized him and threw him
down to the Moslems below the wall, who instant
| ly dispatched him. He then untolded his turban
and drew up the man below him, and they two
the next, and so on until Damas was also on the
wall.
Damas now enjoned silence on them all, and
left them. lie found two other senlnels sleeping
whom ne dispatched with his dagger. and Then
made his way to an aperture for the discharge
Of arrows, looking through which he beheld You
| kenna IN spacious chamber, richly clad, seatec
on tapestry OF the richest scarlet silk. tloweret
with gold, drinking and making merry with |