in case the Moslem would disdainfully say, 'In such a spot', the Nubian would never miss it. They were fond of fighting with arrows; but their arrows would scarcely ever hit on the ground.[1] One day, they arrayed themselves against us and we were desirous to carry the conflict with the sword ; but they were too quick for us and shot their arrows, putting out our eyes. The eyes that were put out numbered 150. We at last thought that the best thing to do with such a people was to make peace. We could carry very little booty away from them; and their ability to inflict injury was great. ʿAmr, however, refused to make peace with them and went on contending against them until he was dismissed and was succeeded by ʿAbdallâh ibn-Saʿd ibn-abi-Sarḥ, who concluded peace with them."
According to al-Wâḳidi, Muʿâwiyah ibn-Ḥudaij al-Kindi lost his eye in Nubia and thus became one-eyed.
The legality of selling their children as slaves. Abu-ʿUbaid al-Ḳâsim ibn-Sallâm from Yazîd ibn-abi-Ḥabîb:—The latter said, "Between us and the black tribes [Ar. asâwid], no treaty or covenant exists. Only a truce was arranged between us, according to which we agreed to give them some wheat and lentils, and they to give us slaves. It is all right to buy their slaves from them or from others."
Abu-ʿUbaid from al-Laith ibn-Saʿd:—The latter said, "The terms we made with the Nubians stipulated only that we neither fight against them nor they against us, that they give slaves and we give them their value in terms of food. If they desire, therefore, to sell their wives or children, there is no reason why they should not be bought."
In a report of abu-l-Bukhturi and others, it is stated that ʿAbdallâh ibn-Saʿd ibn-abi-Sarḥ made terms with the Nubians to the effect that they give four hundred slaves per
- ↑ i. e. they scarcely ever missed their aim.
