"Do not talk of the court of Bagdad and its glittering magnificence. Do not praise Persia and China, and their manifold advantages, For there is no spot on earth like Cordova, Nor in the whole world beauties like its beauties." To which our guide instantly replies, with a sweet and pure tenor voice: "O, my beloved Cordova! Where shall I behold thine equal. Thou art like an enchanted spot, Thy fields are luxuriant gardens, Thy earth of various colors Resembles a flock of rose colored amber." The challenging oarsman had met his peer. He is pleased with the reply and clears the path. Now our oarsman impedes the path of a boat, and taking for his theme, "The Ladies," challenges its oarsman thus: "Bright is the gold and fair the pearl, But brighter, fairer, thou, sweet girl. Jacinths and emeralds of the mine, Radiant as sun and moon may shine, But what are all their charms to thine?" To which the challenged replies: "The Maker's stores have beauties rare, But none that can with thee compare, O pearl, that God's own hand hath made; Earth, sky and sea, Compare with thee, See all their splendors sink in shade." We have reached the landing place. Again we tread in the streets of Cordova, that had surprised and delighted us so much during our first visit. We have not advanced far, when suddenly there breaks on our ear a voice, loud and mighty, as never heard before. We look in the direction whence the voice comes, and on the graceful balcony around the "minaret"--the "muezzin," who calleth, with a solemn power in his living voice, which neither flag, trumpet, bell nor fire could simulate or rival, the Faithful thus to prayer: "Come to prayer! Come to prayer! Come to the Temple of Salvation! Great God! Great God! There is no God except God!"