The mention of gunpowder as in use among the Arabians, long before its supposed discovery in Europe, is introduced by _Ebn Fadhl_, the Egyptian geographer, who lived in the thirteenth century. “Bodies,” he says, “in the form of scorpions, bound round and filled with nitrous powder, glide along, making a gentle noise; then, exploding, they lighten, as it were, and burn. But there are others which, cast into the air, stretch along like a cloud, roaring horribly, as thunder roars, and on all sides vomiting out flames, burst, burn, and reduce to cinders whatever comes in their way.” The historian _Ben Abdalla_, in speaking of the sieges of Abulualid in the year of the Hegira 712, says, “A fiery globe, by means of combustible matter, with a mighty noise suddenly emitted, strikes with the force of lightning, and shakes the citadel.”—See the Extracts from _Casiri_’s Biblioth. Arab. Hispan. in the Appendix to _Berington_’s Literary History of the Middle Ages. Footnote 142: p. 103.—_And horrible as new;—javelins that fly._ The Greek fire, which was occasionally lent by the emperors to their allies. “It was,” says Gibbon, “either launched in red hot balls of stone and iron, or darted in arrows or javelins, twisted round with flax and tow, which had deeply imbibed the inflammable oil.” Footnote 143: p. 103.—_Discharge, as from a kindled Naphtha fount._ See _Hanway_’s Account of the Springs of Naphtha at Baku (which is called by _Lieutenant Pottinger_ Joala Mokee, or, the Flaming Mouth) taking fire and running into the sea. _Dr. Cooke_, in his Journal, mentions some wells in Circassia, strongly impregnated with this inflammable oil, from which issues boiling water. “Though the weather,” he adds, “was now very cold, the warmth of these wells of hot water produced near them the verdure and flowers of spring.” _Major Scott Waring_ says, that naphtha is used by the Persians, as we are told it was in hell, for lamps. ... many a row Of starry lamps and blazing cressets, fed With naphtha and asphaltus, yielding light As from a sky. Footnote 144: p. 104.—_Like those wild birds that by the Magians oft._ “At the great festival of fire, called the Sheb Sezê, they used to set fire to large bunches of dry combustibles, fastened round wild beasts and birds, which being then let loose, the air and earth appeared one great illumination; and as these terrified creatures naturally fled to the woods for shelter, it is easy to conceive the conflagrations they produced.”—_Richardson_’s Dissertation. Footnote 145: p. 106.—_Keep, seal’d with precious musk, for those they love._ “The righteous shall be given to drink of pure wine, sealed; the seal whereof shall be musk.”—_Koran_, chap. lxxxiii. Footnote 146: p. 110.—_On its own brood;—no Demon of the Waste._