NORTH AFRICA AND SPAIN 29 religion. ** Whenever after a victory there were a number of slaves put up for sale, he used to buy all those who, he thought, would willingly embrace Islam, who were of noble origin, and who looked, besides, as if they were active young men. To these he first proposed the embracing of Islam, and if, after cleansing their understanding and making them fit to receive the sublime truths, they were converted to the best of religions, and their conversion was a sincere one, he would then, by way of putting their abilities to trial, employ them. If they evinced good dispositions and talents he would instantly grant them their liberty, appoint them to high commands in his army, and promote them according to their merits."

If they showed no good dispositions, he returned them to the common stock of captives belonging to the army.

The effect of such a system in bringing about an amalgamation of the two races and in inducing the acceptance of Mohammedanism by the Berbers does not need to be insisted upon. The races became by degrees so mixed that in many cases the Berber could hardly be distinguished from the Arab nor the Arab from the Berber. In all that was subsequently done by the Arabs leading Berbers had their share.

The amalgamation of the Arab and the Berber peoples, which could not have taken place but for the similarity in their dispositions noted by Musa, was very shortly to be illustrated in that conquest of Spain which has left Musa's name enshrined in the sacred places of Arab history.

Having assured himself of the necessary command of the sea, Musa sent "the Berber Tar Ik, one of his freedmen," to possess himself of Tangiers and the strong places of the neighbouring districts with a view to crossing over into Spain. Tarik accordingly marched thither and took the strong places and cities of those Berbers. This being done, Tarik wrote to his master, **Musa, I have found here six vessels." Musa told him to take them and to sail for Spain. Tarik did so in the year 710, and was joined by Musa himself in the year 711. As is well known, the