But, dreadful as it was, the Persian conquest was but a prelude to the great event, the story of which we have now to relate--the Southern revolt against Christianity.

Its issue was the loss of nine-tenths of her geographical possessions--Asia, Africa, and part of Europe.
MOHAMMED.

In the summer of 581 of the Christian era, there came to Bozrah, a town on the confines of Syria, south of Damascus, a caravan of camels.

It was from Mecca, and was laden with the costly products of South Arabia--Arabia the Happy.

The conductor of the caravan, one Abou Taleb, and his nephew, a lad of twelve years, were hospitably received and entertained at the Nestorian convent of the town.
The monks of this convent soon found that their young visitor, Halibi or Mohammed, was the nephew of the guardian of the Caaba, the sacred temple of the Arabs.