Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-08-23
From Irving's sMahomet and Successors.
DARING EXPLOIT.

In Irving's new work, 'the Successors
of Mahomet,' we find an account of the
siege OF Aleppo, from which we take the
the narrative of the following daring ex-
ploit:--
For five months did the siege of this
fortress continue: all the attacks of the
Moslem were repulsed, all their strata
gems discovered and circumvented; for
Youkenna had spies in the very camp of
the enemy, who gave him intelligence by
word or signal, of every plan and move
ment. Abu Obediah despaired of redu-
cling this impregnable cas,le. which impe-
ded him in his career of conquest, aud
wrote TO the Caliph, proposing to aban-
don the siege and proceed against Anti
och. The Caliph, in reply, ordered him
by no means to desist as that would give
courage to the enemy, but to press the
siege hard and trust the event TO God.-
As an additional reliance, he sent him a
reinforcement of horse and foot, with
twenty camels to facilitate the march of
the infantry. Notwithstanding all this,
tie siege was continued for seven and
forty days, with no greater prospect for
success. While in this state of vexatious
impediment and delay, Abu Obediah was
one day accosted by one of the ne WY ar
rived 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; he was of herculean
strength and gigantic size, a brave soldier
and Of great natural sagacity, although un-
improved by education, as he was born
slave. Khaled backed his application,
having heard of great exploits performed
by him in Arabia. Abu Ooediah, in his
perplexities, was willing to adopt any ex-
pedient to get possession of this obsti-
nate castle, anG the Arabs were always
prone TO strange and extrayagant strata
gems in their warfare. He accordingly
placed thirty of his bravest men under
The command of Damas, charging them
TO obey him implicitly, Notwithstanding
his base conditional the same time, in
compliance 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 conceal
ed his thirty men near TO the castle, char
ging them not TO stir or 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 repli-
ed in their own tongue.
The curse of Allah on these Chris
tian dogs and their barbarous jargon,
which no man can understand cried the
rude Arab, and in his rage lac smote off
their heads.
He went forth again and saw man
sliding down the wall, whom he seized
the moment he touched the ground. He
was Christian Arab, and was endeay-
oring to escape from the tyranny of
Youkenna, and from him Damas obtain
ed the information he desired. He in
stantly dispatched two men TO Abu Obe-
diah, requesting linn to send him some
horses about sunrise. He then took a
great skin from his wallet, with which he
covered his back and shoulders, and a
dry crust of bread in his hand, and crept
on all fours close to the castle. His men
crept silently after him. When he heard
a noise he gnawed his crust with the
sound like that of dog gnawing bone,
and his followers remained motionless.
In this way he reached part of the cas-
lie 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 on till seven were
thus mounted on each other. Then he
who was uppermost 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 uppermost man was now
enabled to scramble upon the battlement,
where he found Christian sentinel
drunk and asleep. He siezed him and
threw him down to the Moslems below
the wall, who instantly despatched him.
He then unfolde6 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 enjoined silence on them
all, and left them. He found two other
sen,inels sleeping, whom he dispatched
with his dagger, and then made his way
to an aperture for the discharge of ar
rows, looking through which he beheld
Youkenna in a spacious chamber richly
clad. seated on the tapestry of scarlet
silk, lowered with gold, drinking and