i82 THE NATIVE MANUSCRIPTS iv.dli.

that glosses have been added fairly lavishly both in Part II and in Part III.

A translation of the first part (GhulamuUa's) is not given as it is irrelevant for all practical purposes, but its contents may be sum-

marized as follows before we proceed to the translation of Parts II and III.

It begins : In the name of God . . . Now this is a book in which I will collect all

that has been verified by the historians and proved by the genealogists, and the fruit of my work shall be that he who has viewed the records of the past and the events of antecedent ages, when he reads of them shall be as it were their contemporary, and when he understands them shall be as it were a spectator of them . . . And the exposition of pedigrees will show who are exalted and noble by race, and men will learn to know one tribe from another, and by this knowledge shall war become peace and the distant be brought near, and there shall be that observance of the ties of consanguinity ordained by God Almighty. . ..

The author then explains how historical research began in the

time of the Khalifa 'Omar and how the Year of the Flight was agreed upon as the basis of MusUm chronology. He then sets to work upon

his history, and begins with an account of the creation of the uni-

verse, and discusses the planets, the stars, the seasons, etc. Then follow the creation of man, the sojourn in Paradise, the generations that followed Adam, the Flood, and the descendants of Noah.

This leads the author to an account of the ancient tribes of Arabia and the other races of the world, and to the stories of Nimrod, and of Abraham, Job and other prophets, and the foundation of Mekka. Thence we pass to the history of the Israelites, of Persia, of Rome, and of Byzantium, including an account of Christ, and so on to the foundation of Islam.

After a very brief history of the Khalifas and a yet shorter mention

of the struggle between the Beni Ommayya and the Beni 'Abbas the work of Sheikh Ghulamulla comes to an abrupt end, and Part II

commences, without any preface beyond the single word " tanbih" ("note"), as follows:

I Khuzam and the Beni Khuzayma are both sub-tribes of Sulaym. II Makhzum are a sub-tribe of Kuraysh and are descended from Makhzum son of Yakza son of Murra son of Ka'ab son of Luai son of Ghahb son of Fihr.

III Ghatafan are a section of Kays 'Aylan and are descended from Ghatafan son of Sa'ad son of Kays 'Aylan.

IV Beni Kutayf are a Syrian people, of the Beni Tai.