70 TPIE NATIVE MANUSCRIPTS IV. ab. lxxvi.

kings of the Dufar, who were an independent people ; and his an-

cestor in the fifth degree was el Malik Nasir, son of Salah son of Musa "Masu el Kebir," and ancestor of the Malik-Nasiria.

LXXVII This term, which is pronounced "Melkanasiria," denotes the stock of our said ancestor and also the other descendants of

el Malik Nasir, with the reservation that our ancestor [Bishara] with-

drew apart from the rest, and became so famous for his religious attainments that he came to be regarded by his descendants as founder of a race of his own; and they traced their descent to him and

were known among the tribes of Ga'al el Dufar as the Gharba- wiNGi (spelt with a w and i and n and then a letter [pronounced] between a g and sh).

LXXVIII So then you have learnt the facts about him; and if you

have regard to his ultimate origin he was an 'Abbasi, and if to the tribes of Ga'al, he was a Ga'ali Dufari, and if to the kings of the Dufar, he was a Melkanasiri.

LXXIX And he lived a life of the greatest godliness and sanctity and purity, and pre-eminent in piety and truth and faithfulness and nobihty of character, and ennobled by the greatest virtues.

LXXX Thus finally he became greatly respected among the people and with his children was held in the highest honour by the greatest men of the land.

LXXXI The truth of all that has been said and proved and written

of him is shown by the attention and regard paid to him by the kings and the honour and high esteem in which they held him; and they used to write letters patent for him to every one living in their realms directing that no one should interfere with him and his children or with anyone related to him by blood or by marriage among the noble Ga'al that men know so well.

LXXXII And I found a document signed by the learned pious and powerful conqueror the late Sultan Badi son of the Sultan Nul, and dated 1145 a.h.^ and it runs as follows, after the preface. . . :

LXXXIII "These letters patent I have written for the feki Bishara son of the feki 'Ali son of Bursi that no man interfere with him and his brothers and his sons and his relatives by marriage and his family and any connection of his or any one under his protection: let no one of my subjects interfere with him! And I, the Sultan Badi son of the Sultan Nul have confirmed the honours conferred by the

Sultan Badi son of the Sultan Arbat on el feki Bishara son of feki

'Ali son of Bursi, on him and on him that is with him, — honours done to God and His Prophet, a sacred duty.

^ 1732 A.D.