Page:Baladhuri-Hitti1916.djvu/398

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382
THE ORIGINS OF THE ISLAMIC STATE

small force, and the king of al-Bujah made a sally with his numerous men on camels fastened with girths. Al-Ḳummi brought bells and put them on his horses. As soon as the camels heard the bell sounds, they ran away with the al-Bujah men over hills and valleys. The chief of al-Bujah was killed and was succeeded by his sister's son,[1] whose father was one of the kings of al-Bujah. He sued for a truce, which al-Mutawakkil granted only on condition that he [the chief] should tread on his [al-Mutawakkil's] carpet. Accordingly, he came to Surra-man-raʾa and made terms in the year 241, agreeing to pay tribute in money and slaves. He was then sent back with al-Ḳummi. Thus, the people of al-Bujah are in a state of truce in which they pay tax and do not prevent the Moslems from working in the gold mine, which terms are mentioned in the conditions imposed upon their chief.

  1. Maḳrîzi, vol. i, p. 317: "his brother's son"; cf. Quatremère, op. cit., vol. ii, p. 136.