How did the Islam born in Mecca spread

Our Prophet Muhammad (saas) expended enormous energy on preaching the
Islamic moral values taught him by Allah until the very end of his
life. By Allah's leave, this message initiated through such sincere
endeavors on the part of our Prophet (saas) spread across a very wide
region in a short space of time by means of his honesty, determination
and moral virtues. This message, which continued after the death of
our Prophet (saas) was a means whereby millions of people came to have
faith; in this way, peoplelearned true love, peace and justice, based
on themoral precepts of the Qur'an.
The Prophet Muhammad (saas), whom Allah tells us in the Qur'an He sent
as a "Mercy to the Worlds," abided by Islamic moral values with the
utmost joy and enthusiasm right up to the end of his life, a life
which constituted a role model for others. This message,
single-handedly initiated by our Prophet (saas), soon spread, by
Allah's leave, over a wide area. And it continued after him, again
through the efforts of sincere believers. According to the latest
research, this joyous rise of Islam, regarded as the most rapidly
spreading faith in the world, will cause Islam Allah'ın izni ile to
rule over the whole world with the coming of the Prophet Isa (pbuh)
and the Mahdi in the end times.
Ever since the first days of its revelation, Islam spread at enormous
speed by means of the determination and sincerity displayed by our
Prophet (saas). The determination and justice of the Muslims of that
time who adopted our Prophet (saas) as a role model was highly
influential in many Arab tribes' turning to Islam. The moral values of
the Qur'an brought about positive changes in the lives of the people
of theregion and replaced the chaos, injustice and blood feuds of the
age of ignorance with peace and security. An order based on the true
love, respect, compassion and justice of Qur'anic moral precepts was
establishedfor the first time uzun süre sonra among the people of the
region.
Following the death of our Prophet (saas) on 8 June 632 (Gregorian),
Islam continued to rise at a great speed, spreading within a few
decades to Mesopotamiain the north, Africa in the west and as far as
India in the east. Local people, who until shortlybefore had lived
unaware of religious moral values became rulers of a world empire
thanks to the reason, awareness and elevated culture bestowed on them
by Islamic moral values. This Islamic State,the like of whose rapid
rise had rarely been equaled, established a far more powerful
administration than other regimes by spreading over a wider extent
than the ancient Roman Empire. At the heart of this matchless
development of Islam lies the fact it was made possible by the
superior virtues, intelligence, foresight, determinationand sincere
endeavors of our Prophet (saas), by the will of Allah.
Our Prophet (saas) began communicating his message immediatelyafter
the Hegira. His method was to employ companions to call on the rulers
of neighboring countries to adopt Islamic moral precepts. Our Prophet
(saas) who acted on our Lord's command on this subject in the finest
possible manner, used wisdom and gentle advice to invite others
toadopt Islamic moral precepts by way of theseemissaries:
Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair admonition, and
argue with them in the kindest way. Your Lord knows best who is
misguided from His way.And He knows best who are guided. (Surat
An-Nahl, 125)
The Companions Begin Communicating the Message
The companions chosen by our Prophet (saas) also took with them a
letter to the rulers of theareas they were sent to. The companions,
who had an excellent knowledge of the languages of the areas to which
they were dispatched, acted in the light of our Prophet's (saas)
advice and soon won people's love and respect with the moral virtues
they exhibited and their rational, wide and sincere communication. One
of our Prophet's (saas) pieces of advice on this subject that all
Muslims must scrupulously abide by is: "Make matters easy, not
difficult. Impartglad tidings and do not inspire hatred. Act as one,
do not fall out among yourselves. Treat people with kindness and do
not resort to violence." (Muslim, 3263)
How Rulers Were Called on to Adopt Islamic Moral Precepts, and the
Spread of Islam
How the Ruler of Abyssinia Negus was Called on to Adopt Islam
On the 7 th year of the Hegira our Prophet (saas) first sent the
companion Amr ibn Umayya with a letter to Negus Al-Asham, king of
Abyssinia. The letter read: "From Muhammad,Prophet of Allah, to Negus,
king of Abyssinia!...
O king! I desire you to become a Muslim.
In your name I give thanks to Allah, Lord of the Titles of the One and
Only, the King, the Most Pure, the Perfect Peace.
And I bear witness that Isa, son of Maryam, is theservant and the Word
of Allah. Allah breathed that Word (which is the address "Kun" that
gave the body to Isa) and thatsoul into the most pure and chaste
Maryam, whowas completely withdrawn from the life of this world. And
in this way Maryam became pregnant with Isa. This Allah created Isa.
In the same way that Allah created Adam by His mighty hand (and as a miracle).
O King!
I invite you to faith in Allah, He Who has no equal, and to worship
Him, and to abide by me and to believe in those Allah has sent to me.
Because I am the emissary of the message of Allah.
I call on you and your people to (have faith in) Allah, the Great and Glorious.
I have now communicated to you (the essence of Islam) and given you
counsel. Now you accept that counsel!
Once the letter had beenread to him Negus, king of Abyssinia, declared
that he had no qualms about becoming a Muslim, and gave a letterto the
emissary, Amr. B. Umeyye. That letter spoke of fulfilling the wishes
of the Prophet Muhammad (saas). He also announced that he was sending
him precious gifts and openly stated that he could even visit him in
person if he so desired. This country, which first became aware of
Islam thanks to the emigrants who first came to Abyssinia during the
Hegira, became a means whereby the peoples of the area we today know
as Eritrea and Somalia were influenced by and converted to Islam.
How the Greek Emperor Heraclius was Invited to Islam
According to historical sources, our Prophet (saas) sent the companion
Dihya al Kalbi to call on the GreekEmperor Heraclius to convert to
Islam in the seventh year of the Hegira.
Our Prophet (saas) also sent a letter to Heraklius,quoting verse 64 of
Surah Al 'Imran: "Greetings to those who follow the true path."
"'' In the name of Allah, All-Merciful, Most Merciful!
"In the name of Allah, All-Merciful, Most Merciful, from Muhammad,
Emissary of Allah, to Heraclius, Lord of the Greeks: Greetings to he
who follows the true path! May I add thatI invite you to Islam as one.
Turn to Islam that you may find happiness. Turn to Islam that Allah
may redouble your worth. But if you reject this, then that sin will
equally be ascribed to you. And you, come directly to a word that is
the same for you, O Peoples of the Book, andus; that is that we
worship Allah alone, ascribe no equals to Him,and that none among us
takes any other than Allah as his Lord. If they are unwilling, tell
them, 'Bear witness that we are Muslims (of those who have submitted
to Allah)'."
How Badhan, Governor of Yemen, Came to the Faith
In a letter that our Prophet (saas) personally had written to Badhan ,
the governorof Yemen at that time, he announced that Persia would be
torn down and Chosroes killed by his son. Shortly thereafter, Badhan
received a letter from Shireveyh, son of Chosroes, saying he had
killed his father.
The killing of Chosroes took place on the night of the day and at the
same hour of that night as our Prophet (saas) had told Badhan . At
this, Badhan converted and announced to our Prophet (saas) that he had
become a Muslim.
How the Ruler of al-Yamama was Invited to Islam
Haudha b. 'Ali, the ruler of al-Yamama, was a Christian. According to
historical sources, our Prophet (saas) charged Salit bin Amr' with
calling this ruler to Islam.
In his letter our Prophet (saas) wrote: "Bismillahirrahmanrrahim! From
Muhammad, Prophet of Allah, to Haudha b. 'Ali! Greetings to those on
the true path!
You must know that my faith will soon shine as far as the furthest
horizons of the world!
O Haudha!
You, too, become a Muslim so that you may attain salvation!
And that I may leave the government of the country under your rule to you!"
In this way, our Prophet (saas) informed all the most eminent men of
state of the time about Islam through the emissaries and letters
hesent, and thus first caused these countries, most of which would
later become part of the Muslim world, to hear the voice of Islam.
Following the death of our Prophet (saas) the blessed caliphs Abu
Bakr,Omar, Uthman and Ali followed in his path, continuing to
represent a just order based on Qur'anic moral precepts over a wider
area. With the conquests achieved at that time, the Islamic Empire
began expanding passed the boundaries of the Arabian Peninsula,
growing as far as Tripoli in the west, Horasan in the east and the
Caucasus in the north. The peoples in the conquered territories soon
adopted Islamic moral values. The foundations of the new states to be
founded were also laid during this period.
Following the age of the Four Caliphs, the Umayyads (661-750) and the
Abbasids (750-1258) led the way in the dissemination of Islamic moral
precepts. During the Abbasid age new states far from the center were
founded. In the east were the Ghaznavids, the Seljuks, the Sultanate
of Delhi, the Timurs, the Golden Horde and Uzbek dynasties and the
Baburs. In the west, the Umayyads of Andalusia, the Murabits, the
Eyyubites, the Mamelukes and the Ottoman Empire served the spread of
Islamic moral values with the states they founded and the work they
performed.
The Spread of Islam in Different Regions
AFGHANISTAN
Islam is the official religion in Afghanistan, thought to have a
population of 30 million,and 99% of the population are Muslim.
Islam came to Afghanistan with the sending by the blessed Uthman or
Muaviya of the governor of Basra, 'Abdur-Rahman ibn Samura to that
country. Islam spread rapidly once the people became acquainted with
Islamic moral precepts.
The country was run by various tribes for a long while to come. In the
second half of the 9th century a large part of Afghanistan fell into
the hands of the Samanids, and later still the Ghaznavid State was
established. Today, Islamis the official religion in Afghanistan,
thought to have a population of 30 million, and 99% of the population
are Muslim. In addition to Muslims, there are small numbers of Hindus,
Sikhs and Jews. Afghanistan, whichunified in the face of theoccupation
in the 1980s, possesses some of the world's most significant mineral
deposits.
ALGERIA
Algeria became part of the territories of the Islamic Empire when it
was captured by Islam armies shortly after the death of our Prophet
(saas). Islam is the official religion in Algeria and around 99% of
its 32 million population are Muslim.
In a declaration published in November 1954, the people of Algeria
announced their wish to free themselves from occupation by
establishing an independent state in thearea based on Islamic moral
values. Despite long years of oppressionand cruelty, the Algerian
people's devotion to Islam had always remained strong and vibrant, the
wealth of studies by scholars livingin the countries being one of the
main causes of this. Scholars such as Emir Abdulqadr, Sheikh
Abdulhamid bin Badis, Sheikh Abdullatif, the famous thinker Malik
IbnNabi and Sheikh Ahmad Sahnun were in the forefront of the
Algerianpeople's learning about Qur'anic moral precepts.
INDONESIA
With a population of 230million, of whom 87% are Muslim despite coming
from widely diverse ethnic backgrounds, Indonesia is the most populous
Muslim country in the world.
Even if Islam reached Indonesia before, the first traces according to
the historical records go back to the 1290s. A History of Islamic
Societies, by the California University professor of History Ira M.
Lapidus, describes how Marco Polo encountered Muslim communities in
the Pasairegion in the north of the island of Samudera.
The Ottoman Empire is known to have had various contacts with the
communities in Indonesia in 1526. Freed by the Ottomans from
Portuguese attacks and Dutch occupation, the people of the region felt
a particular affinity for the Ottomans. That affinity revealed itself
in a number of events; for example, sermons in the name of the caliph
declaring their devotion began to be read in mosques. During the reign
of the Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamid II, relations intensified still
further. The people of the region sent 10,000 Spanish florins to
support the Ottoman Empire during the Crimean war between 1854 and
1856. In addition, the populace secretly established an Ottoman Fleet
Society in 1909, aimed at supporting the Ottoman fleet, sending money,
and also announced both during the Balkan wars and the First World
War, despite British occupation, that they backed the Ottoman Empire.
The people also extended a helping hand to the Turks duringthe War of
Independence, and maintained the Hamidiye Schools set up during the
reign of Abdülhamid right down to the present day. The fact that
Turkish teams were permitted to enter certain areas in the wake of the
tsunami disaster in the last days of 2004 is yet another indication of
that closeness.
MOROCCO
Islamic moral values first entered Moroccan territory in the year 686
with the Islamic armies under the command of Uqba Ibnu Nafi'. Today,
some 98.7% of the population of Morocco, whose official religion
isIslam and with a total population of around 34million, are Muslims.
Moroccan lands are referred to as "al-Maghrib al-Aqsa" (FarWest) in
Islamic historical sources. The Maghrib is the name given to all those
lands that comprise northwestAfrican countries. Tariq İbn Zaid, one of
Musa Ibn Nusayr's commanders, entered modern-day Spain by crossing the
Straits of Gibraltar and thus laid the foundations of the Andalusian
Islamic state.
EGYPT
Islam came to Egypt in the time of the blessed Omar, between the
years639 and 642, by way of Amr Ibn Al-Aas. It spread rapidly among
the people in Egypt, where governors chosen by thecaliphs served until
868. Egypt, which was ruled by a great many dynasties, remained under
the rule of the Ayyubid State founded by Saladin Ayyubi, who had
defeated the Crusader armies, from 1171 to 1250. Following the
Mamelukes and the Abbasids, Egypt came under Ottoman rule in 1517,
achieving independence in 1922. Ninety-two percent of Egypt's
population of 75 million are Muslim, with Christian Copts, a second
significant element of the population, representing 7%.
YEMEN
As stated earlier, the spread of Islam in Yementook place during the
lifetime of our Prophet (saas). When our Prophet (saas) first
established the Islamic Empire, Yemen was under Persian control and
was administered by a governor named Badhan appointed by that country.
Badhan converted to Islam at theinvitation of our Prophet's (saas)
emissaries and continued as governor of Yemen. These lands, which were
ruled by various countries, came under Ottoman control in 1517. Islam
is the official religion in Yemen, which has a population of 16
million,99% of whom are Muslim.
MALAYSIA
Before Islam reached it, Brahmins and Buddhists has established
various states in this region. According to various sources, Islam is
known to have come to Malaysiaafter the year 1400. The marriage of
Prince Prameswara of Malacca to the daughter of the king of Pasai and
subsequent conversion to Islam was influential in the rapid spread of
the faith, and Prameswara changed hisname to Sultan Megat Iskandar
Shah. Islam began spreading very fast in those regions under his
administrationfollowing his conversionto the faith. Islam was adopted
as the official religion during the time of Sultan Muzaffar Shah, who
acceded to the Malaccan throne in 1446.At that same time, Malacca also
became the centre of Islam in southeast Asia. As its commercial and
economic importance grew, Muslim traders began visiting more often.
The Malaysian Confederation was founded. There is enormous devotion to
Islam in Malaysia, with its powerful economy, especially among the
young. The country has apopulation of 25 million,with 70% of young
people performing their religious obligations. The turn towards Islam
isparticularly powerful among university students.
Ubidiah Mosque, Malaysia
SUDAN
Following their first exposure to Islamic moral precepts in 639,
Muslims settling in Egypt shortly afterwards began traveling to Sudan
for its markets. That was how the Sudanese first became acquainted
with Islam. The rapid spread of Islam in Sudan led to many people who
had originally adopted Christianity now converting to Islam.
Ninety-nine percent of Sudan's current population of 28 million are
Muslims.
JORDAN
The present-day land of Jordan joined the IslamicState in the time of
the Rashid caliphs at the invitation of the blessed Omar. In the 12 th
century, Jordan came under the temporary control of the Crusaders, a
result of the Crusader conquests. Wrested fromthe Crusaders in 1187,
it then passed into the hands of the Ayyubids, Fatimids and
Mamelukes.It became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1517 after being
taken by Sultan Selim the Stern.
Jordan has a population of 6.5 million, 95% of whom are Muslims.
TUNISIA
Islam came to Tunisia in 648 with Abdallah ibn Abi Sarh. Subsequent
conquests in the wake ofthat first arrival led to allof Tunisia
becoming partof the Islamic State. Following the region's accession to
the territories of the Islamic State, the local inhabitants soon
became Muslims, the entire population having done so in the 7th
century. Tunisia remained a province of the Ottoman Empire until1881,
achieving independence in 1956.
Islam is the official religion in Tunisia, with a population of 12
million, 99.3% of whom are Muslims.
At the heart of this matchless development of Islam lies the fact it
was made possible by the superior virtues, intelligence, foresight,
determination and sincere endeavors of ourProphet (saas)
According to World Christian Encyclopedia figures, the 962 million
world Muslim populationin 1990 has reached 1.2 billion today, out of a
total world population of 6.2 billion. That figureis expected to climb
to 1.8 billion by 2025, and to 2.3 billion by 2060.
According to Canadian Society of Muslims estimates, Muslims will
comprise 30% of the world population by 2025.
According to the U.S. Center for World Mission Islam grew more rapidly
than Christianity in 1997.This figure, standing at 2.9% each year, is
increasing. At this rate, Islam will overtake Christianity to become
the world's largest religion by 2023.
ISLAM'S BRIGHT FUTURE
Today, Islam has a population in excess of 1billion and is the most
rapidly growing faith in the world. The peoples of more than one
quarter of the states of the world are Muslim.
During the last 20 years, the number of Muslims in the world has been
increasing steadily. Statistics for the year 1973 indicate that the
world population of Muslims was 500 million; now, it has reached 1.5
billion. Today, every fourth person is a Muslim. It is probable that
the Muslim population will continueto increase and that Islam will
become the world's largest religion.
The reason for this steady rise is not only the increasing population
in Muslim countries, but also the growing numbers of people who are
turning to Islam.
All of these developments have beenrevealed in the Qur'an: "When God's
help and victory have arrived, andyou have seen people entering God's
religion in droves, then glorify your Lord's praise and ask His
forgiveness" (Surat an-Nas 2-3)
The message of moral virtues initiated kararlığıve samimi çabasıyla by
our Prophet (saas), to whom the Holy Qur'an, the final scripture of
our Lord, was revealed, and whose moral values, piety and closeness to
Allah makes him a role model for all, continues to illuminate the
entire world. By Allah's leave, that illumination will increase still
further, andthe radiance of Islamic moral values will eradicate the
wars, chaos and oppression being experienced in so many parts of the
world.As revealed in the Qur'anand the hadiths of our Prophet (saas),
this century will be the holy age when Islamic moral precepts come to
rule the Earth, and the world comes to enjoy peace and well-being.
Another glorious rise in Islamic moral values, as described in this
article that began in the time ofthe Prophet (saas) and soon spread
over three continents, will, by Allah's leave, take place in the end
times, in the time known as the Golden Age, when the Prophet Isa
(pbuh) and the Mahdi will appear. These tidings are imparted as
follows in the Qur'an:
They desire to extinguish Allah's Light with their mouths but Allah
will perfect His Light, though the disbelievers hate it. It is He Who
sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth to exaltit
over every other religion, though the idolaters hate it. (Surat
As-Saff, 8-9)
Our Lord will definitely abide by this promise. What believers need to
do is to prepare themselves for this holy age by living according to
the precepts of Islamicmoral values and imparting these glad

The eminence Islam attaches to women

God's commandments about the status of women and the relations between
men and women, which havebeen revealed to us through the Qur'an,
consist of full justice. In this regard, Islam suggests equality of
rights, responsibilities and duties between the two genders. Islam is
based on sympathy, tolerance and respect for human beings, and does
not discriminate against women in this matter. On the contrary, Islam
gives women greatsocial value, freedom and comfort.
In the Qur'an God tells usthat the tasks and responsibilities of women
are the same as those of men. While performing these tasks and
responsibilities men and women must help and support each other:
The men and women of the believers are friends of one another. They
command what is right and forbid what is wrong, and establish prayer
and pay alms, and obey Allah and His Messenger. They are the people on
whom Allah will have mercy. Allah is Almighty, All Wise. (Qur'an,
9:71)
God emphasizes that believers will be rewarded in the same manner
according to their deeds, regardless of their gender:
Their Lord responds to them: 'I will not let the deeds of any doer
among you go to waste, male or female - you are both the same in that
respect... (Qur'an, 3:195)
Anyone who acts rightly,male or female, being a believer, We will give
them a good life and Wewill recompense them according to the best of
what they did. (Qur'an, 16:97)
In another verse, Muslimmen and women are considered together, and it
is stressed that both have the same responsibility and status in God's
sight:
Men and women who are Muslims, men and women who are believers, men
and women who are obedient, men and women who are truthful, men and
women who are steadfast, men and women who are humble, men and women
who give alms, men and women who fast, men and women who guard their
private parts, men and women who remember Allah much: Allah has
prepared forgiveness forthem and an immense reward. (Qur'an, 33:35)
In the Qur'an there are many more verses stating that men and women
are exactly equalin terms of their tasks and responsibilities and
their rewards or punishments in return. There are a few differences in
social issues, but these are for the comfort and protection of women.
The commands of the Qur'an regard the congenital differences between
the two genders resulting from their creation, and suggest a system
maintaining equal justice for men and women in this light.
Many rules and commandments exist in the Qur'an regarding
theprotection of women's rights on marriage. Marriage is based on
thefree will of both parties; the husband has to provide economic
support for his wife (4:4); the husband has tolook after his ex-wife
after divorce (65:6).
The Islamic Emancipation of Women
In fact, Islam brought with it a great emancipation for women, who
were severely persecuted in the pagan era. Prof. Bernard Lewis, known
asone of the greatest Western experts on the history of Islam and the
Middle East, makes the following comment:
In general, the advent ofIslam brought an enormous improvement in the
position of women in ancient Arabia, endowing them with property and
some other rights , and giving them a measure of protection against
ill treatment by their husbands or owners. Thekilling of female
infants, sanctioned by custom in Pagan Arabia, was outlawed by Islam.
But the position of women remained poor, and worsened when, in this as
in so many other respects, the original message of Islam lost its
impetus and was modified under the influence of pre-existingattitudes
and customs. [i]
Karen Armstrong, another Western expert on Islam, makes the following comment:
We must remember what life had been like for women in the pre-Islamic
period when female infanticide was the norm and when women had no
rights at all. Like slaves, women were treated as an inferior species,
who had no legal existence. In such a primitive world, what Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) achieved for women was extraordinary . The very idea
that a woman could be witness or could inherit anything atall in her
own right was astonishing. [ii]
In fact, during the manycenturies that followed Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh), women of the Islamic societies had a much higher social
position than the women of Christendom. Karen Armstrong emphasizes
that, during the Middle Ages;
... the Muslims were horrified to see the way Western Christians
treated their women in the Crusader states, and Christian scholars
denounced Islam for giving too much power to menials like slaves and
women. [iii]
Anna King, a modern Muslim woman and a convert - or, better to say, a
revert - to Islam, explains the Islamic emancipation of womenas
follows:
Islam gave women the right to buy and sell on their own, own
businesses and express her views politically, alsoencouraged women to
study and learn Islamic knowledge, breaking a ban which several
beliefs had stipulated, which forbid women to acquire any religious
knowledge or touch religious texts... It also abolished the practice
ofmarrying a woman without her consent.
The tendencies to see women as "an inferior species" who has no right
for education and that must be totally secluded from the society arose
much later in the Islamic world, as aresult of deviations fromthe
right Qur'anic path.
Thus, the mentality that despises women, excludes them from society
and regards them as second class citizens has no place in Islam.
In fact, devout women are depicted as good examples for mankind inthe
Qur'an. One is Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. Another is the wife
of the Egyptian Pharaoh who, despite her husband's wickedness, is also
described as an ideal Muslim. (see, 66:11-12) The Qur'an also
describes very gentle conversations between the Prophet Solomon and
the Queen of Sheba (27:42-44), and between Moses and two young ladies
(28:23-26), which symbolize the civilized social relationship between
the two genders.
Therefore, it is impossible for a Muslim to have a bigoted approach
to women. In a society where true Islamic morals are practiced,
immense respect and sympathy will be shown to women, and it will be
ensured that they can live in comfort.
The fundamental rule inQur'anic exegesis is ensuring that the derived
meaning is in conformity with the integrity of the Qur'an. When this
is considered, it is seen that all the rules mentioned to us byAllah
regarding women form a social structure allowing them to live in the
most comfortable and happiest way. In a society where all the moral
values mentioned by Islam are practiced comprehensively, the social
position of women becomes even more exalted than in societies that we
today regard as modern.

Valentines Day - greating tips ::

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u are unique u are caring and u are the best.And i am the luckiest 2
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When You Realize Valentines Day is Approaching Fast AndThe 0nly 0ne
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Ever since u walked in2 my life my meaning of life has changed i have
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Story,- The Boats of the Glen Carrig: Chapter 12

XII
THE MAKING OF THE GREAT BOW
THE FOURTH night upon the island was the first topass without
incident. It is true that a light showed from the hulk out in the
weed; but now that we had made some acquaintance with her inmates, it
was no longer a cause for excitement, so much as contemplation. As for
thevalley where the vile things had made an end of Job, it was very
silent and desolate under the moonlight; for I made a point to go and
view it during my time on watch; yet, for all that it lay empty, it
was very eerie, and a place to conjure up uncomfortable thoughts,so
that I spent no great time pondering it.
This was the second night on which we had been free from the terror of
the devil-things, and it seemed to me that the great fire had put them
in fear of us and driven them away; but of the truth or error of this
idea, I was to learn later.
Now it must be admitted that, apart from a short look into the valley,
and occasional starings at thelight out in the weed, I gave little
attention to aught but my plans for the great bow, and to such use did
I put my time, that when I was relieved, I had each particular and
detail worked out, so that I knew very well just whatto set the men
doing so soon as we should make a start in the morning.
Presently, when the morning had come, and we had made an end of
breakfast, we turned-to upon the great bow, the bo'sun directing the
menunder my supervision. Now, the first matter to which I bent
attention, was the raising, to the top of the hill, of the remaining
half of that portion of the topmast which the bo'sun had split in
twain to procure the batten for the boat. To this end, we went down,
all of us, to the beach where lay the wreckage, and, getting about the
portion which I intended to use, carriedit to the foot of the hill;
then we sent a man to the top to let down the rope by which we had
moored the boat to the sea anchor, and when we had bent this on
securely to the piece of timber, we returned to the hill-top, and
tailed on to the rope, and so, presently, after much weariful pulling,
had it up.
The next thing I desired was that the split face of the timber should
be rubbed straight, and thisthe bo'sun understood to do, and whilst he
was about it, I went with some of the men to the grove of reeds, and
here,with great care, I made aselection of some of the finest, these
being for the bow, and after that I cut some which were very clean and
straight, intending them for the great arrows. With these we returned
once more to the camp, and there I set-to and trimmed themof their
leaves, keeping these latter, for I had a use for them. Then I tooka
dozen reeds and cut them each to a length of twenty-five feet, and
afterwards notched them for the strings. In the meanwhile, I had sent
two men down to the wreckage of the masts to cut away a couple of the
hempen shrouds and bring them to the camp, and they, appearing about
this time, I set to work to unlay the shrouds, so that they might get
out the fine white yarns which lay beneath the outer covering of tar
andblacking. These, when they had come at them, we found to be very
good and sound, and this being so, I bid them make three-yarn sennit;
meaning it for the strings of the bows. Now, it will be observed that
I have said bow s , and this I will explain. It had been my original
intention to make one great bow, lashing a dozen of the reeds together
for the purpose; but this, upon pondering it, I conceivedto be but a
poor plan; forthere would be much lifeand power lost in the rendering
of each piece through the lashings, when the bow was released. To
obviate this,and further, to compass the bending of the bow, the which
had, at first, been a source of puzzlement to me as to how it was to
be accomplished, I had determined to make twelve separate bows, and
these I intended to fasten at the end of the stock one above the
other, so that they were all in one plane vertically, and because
ofthis conception, I should be able to bend the bows one at a time,
and slip each string over the catch-notch, and afterwards frap the
twelve strings together in the middle part so that they would be but
one string to the butt of the arrow. All this, I explained to the
bo'sun, who, indeed, had been exercised in his own mind as to how we
should be able to bend such a bow as I intendedto make, and he was
mightily pleased with mymethod of evading this difficulty, and also
one other, which, else, had been greater than the bending, and that
was the stringing of the bow, which would have proved a very awkward
work.
Presently, the bo'sun called out to me that he had got the surface of
the stock sufficiently smooth and nice; and at that I went over to
him; for now I wished him to burn a slight groove down the centre,
running from end to end, and this I desired tobe done very exactly;
for upon it depended much of the true flight of the arrow. Then I went
back to my own work; for I had not yet finished notching the bows.
Presently, when I had made an end of this, I called for a length of
the sennit, and, with the aid of another man, contrived to string one
of the bows. This, when Ihad finished, I found to be very springy, and
so stiff to bend that I had allthat I could manage to do so, and at
this I felt very satisfied.
Presently, it occurred to me that I should do well to set some of the
men to work upon the line which the arrow was to carry; for I had
determined that this should be made also from the white hemp yarns,
and, for the sake of lightness, I conceived that one thickness of yarn
would be sufficient;but so that it might compass enough of strength, I
bid them split the yarns and lay the two halves up together, and in
this manner they made me a very light and sound line; though itmust
not be supposed that it was finished at once; for I needed over half a
mile of it, and thusit was later finished thanthe bow itself.
Having now gotten all things in train, I set me down to work upon one
of the arrows; for I was anxious to see what sort of a fist I should
make of them, knowing how much would depend upon the balance and truth
of the missile. In the end, I made a very fair one, feathering it with
its own leaves, and trueing and smoothing itwith my knife; after which
I inserted a small bolt in the forrard end, to act as a head, and, as
Iconceived, give it balance; though whether I was right in this
latter, I am unable tosay. Yet, before I had finished my arrow, the
bo'sun had made the groove, and called me over to him, that I might
admire it, the which I did; for it was done with a wonderful neatness.
Now I have been so busy with my description of how we made the great
bow, that I have omitted to tell of the flight of time, and how we had
eaten our dinner this long while since, and how that the people in the
hulk had waved to us, and we had returned their signals, and then
written upon a length of the canvas the one word,"WAIT". And, besides
all this, some had gathered our fuel for the coming night.
And so, presently, the evening came upon us; but we ceased not to
work; for the bo'sun bade the men to light a second great fire, beside
our former one, and by the light of this we worked another long spell;
though it seemed short enough, by reason of the interest of the work.
Yet, at last, the bo'sun bade us to stop and make supper, which we
did, and after that, he set the watches, and the rest of us turned in;
for we were very weary.
ln spite of my previous weariness, when the man whom I relieved called
me to take my watch, I felt very fresh and wide awake, and spent a
great part of the time, as on the preceding night, in studying over my
plans for completing the great bow, and it was then that I decided
finally in what manner I would secure the bows athwartthe end of the
stock; for until then I had been in some little doubt, being divided
between several methods. Now, however,I concluded to make twelve
grooves across the sawn end of the stock, and fit the middlesof the
bows into these, one above the other, as Ihave already mentioned;and
then to lash them at each side to bolts driven into the sides of the
stock. And with this idea I was very well pleased; for it promised to
make them secure, and this without any great amount of work.
Now, though I spent much of my watch in thinking over the details of
my prodigious weapon, yet it must not be supposed that I neglected to
perform myduty as watchman; for I walked continually about the top of
the hill, keeping my cut-and-thrust ready for any sudden emergency.
Yet my time passed off quietly enough; though it is true that I
witnessed one thing which broughtme a short spell of disquiet thought.
It was in this wise:--I had come to that part of the hill-top which
overhung the valley, and it came tome, abruptly, to go near to the
edge and look over. Thus, the moon being very bright, and the
desolation of the valley reasonably clear tothe eye, it appeared to
me, as I looked that I sawa movement among certain of the fungi which
had not burnt, butstood up shrivelled and blackened in the valley. Yet
by no means could I be sure that it was not a sudden fancy, born of
the eeriness of that desolate-looking vale; the more so as I was like
to be deceived because of the uncertainty which the light of the moon
gives. Yet, to prove my doubts, I went back untilI had found a piece
of rock easy to throw, and this, taking a short run, I cast into the
valley, aiming at the spot whereit had seemed to me thatthere had been
a movement. Immediately upon this, I caught a glimpse of some moving
thing, and then, more to my right, something else stirred, and at
this, I looked towards it; but could discover nothing. Then, looking
back at the clump at which I had aimed my missile, I saw that the
slime-covered pool, which lay near, was all a-quiver, or so it seemed.
Yet the next instant I was just as full of doubt; for, even as I
watched it, I perceived that it was quite still. Andafter that, for
some time,I kept a very strict gaze into the valley; yet could nowhere
discover aught to prove my suspicions, and, at last, I ceased from
watching it; for I feared to grow fanciful, and so wandered to that
part of the hill which overlooked the weed.
Presently, when I had been relieved, I returnedto sleep, and so till
the morning. Then, when wehad made each of us a hasty breakfast--for
all were grown mightily keen to see the great bow completed--we set-to
upon it, each at our appointed task. Thus, the bo'sun and I made it
our work to make the twelve groovesathwart the flat end of the stock,
into which I proposed to fit and lash the bows, and this we
accomplished by means of the iron futtock-shroud, which we heated in
its middle part,and then, each taking anend (protecting our hands with
canvas), we went one on each side and applied the iron until at length
we had the grooves burnt out very nicely and accurately. This work
occupied us all the morning; for the grooveshad to be deeply burnt;
and in the meantime the men had completed nearenough sennit for the
stringing of the bows; yet those who were at work on the line which
the arrow was to carry, had scarce made more than half, so that I
called off one man from the sennit to turn-to, and give them a hand
with the making of the line.
When dinner was ended,the bo'sun and I set-to about fitting the bows
into their places, which we did, and lashed them to twenty-four bolts,
twelve a side, driven intothe timber of the stock, about twelve inches
in from the end. After this, we bent and strung the bows, taking very
great care to have each bent exactly as the one below it; for we
started at the bottom. And so, before sunset, we had that part of our
work ended.
Now, because the two fires which we had lit onthe previous night had
exhausted our fuel, the bo'sun deemed it prudent to cease work, and go
down all of us to bring up a fresh supply of the dry seaweed and some
bundles of the reeds. This we did, making an end of our journeyings
just as the dusk came over the island. Then, having made a second
fire, as on the preceding night, we had first our supper, and after
that another spell of work, all the menturning to upon the line which
the arrow was to carry, whilst the bo'sun and I set-to, each of us,
upon the making of a fresh arrow; for I had realized that we should
have to make one or twoflights before we could hope to find our range
and make true our aim.
Later, maybe about nine of the night, the bo'sun bade us all to put
away our work, and then he set the watches, after which the rest of us
went into the tent to sleep; for the strength of the wind made the
shelter a very pleasant thing.
That night, when it camemy turn to watch, I minded me to take a look
into the valley; but though I watched at intervals through the half of
an hour, I saw nothing to lead me to imagine that I had indeed seen
aught on the previous night, and so I felt more confident in my mind
that we should be troubled no further by the devil-things which had
destroyed poor Job. Yet I must record one thing which I saw during my
watch; though this was from the edge of the hill-top which overlooked
the weed-continent, and was not in the valley, butin the stretch of
clear water which lay between the island and the weed. As I saw it, it
seemed to me that a number of great fish were swimming across from the
island, diagonally towards the great continent of weed:they were
swimming in one wake, and keeping a very regular line; but not
breaking the water after the manner of porpoises or black fish. Yet,
though I have mentioned this, it must not be supposed that I saw any
very strange thing in such a sight, andindeed, I thought nothing more
of it than to wonder what sort of fish they might be; for, as I saw
them indistinctlyin the moonlight, they made a queer appearance,
seeming each of them to be possessed of two tails, and further, I
could have thought I perceived a flicker as of tentacles justbeneath
the surface; but of this I was by no meanssure.
Upon the following morning, having hurriedour breakfast, each of us
set-to again upon our tasks; for we were in hopes to have the great
bow at work before dinner. Soon, the bo'sun had finished his arrow,
and mine was completedvery shortly after, so thatthere lacked nothing
now to the completion of our work, save the finishing of the line, and
the getting of the bow into position. This latter, assisted by the
men, we proceeded now to effect,making a level bed of rocks near the
edge of the hill which overlooked the weed. Upon this we placed the
great bow, and then, having sent the men back to their work at
theline, we proceeded to the aiming of the huge weapon. Now, when we
had gotten the instrument pointed, as we conceived, straight over the
hulk, the which we accomplished by squinting along the groove which
the bo'sunhad burnt down the centre of the stock, we turned-to upon
the arranging of the notch and trigger, the notch being to hold the
strings when the weapon was set, and the trigger--a board bolted on
loosely at the side just below thenotch--to push them upwards out of
this place when we desired to discharge the bow. This part of the work
took up no great portionof our time, and soon wehad all ready for our
firstflight. Then we commenced to set the bows, bending the bottom one
first, and then those above in turn,until all were set; and, after
that, we laid the arrow very carefully in the groove. Then I took two
pieces of spun yarn and frapped the strings together at each end of
the notch, and by this means I was assured thatall the strings would
act in unison when striking the butt of the arrow. And so we had all
things ready for the discharge; whereupon, I placed my foot upon the
trigger, and, bidding the bo'sun watch carefully the flightof the
arrow, pushed downwards. The next instant, with a mighty twang, and a
quiver thatmade the great stock stiron its bed of rocks, the bow
sprang to its lesser tension, hurling the arrow outwards and upwards
in a vast arc. Now, it may be conceived with what mortal interest we
watched its flight, and soin a minute discovered that we had aimed too
much to the right, for the arrow struck the weed ahead of the
hulk--but beyond it. At that, I was filled near to bursting with pride
and joy, and the men who had come forward to witness the trial,
shoutedto acclaim my success, whilst the bo'sun clapt me twice upon
the shoulder to signify his regard, and shouted as loud as any.
And now it seemed to me that we had but to get the true aim, and
therescue of those in the hulk would be but a matter of another day
ortwo; for, having once gotten a line to the hulk, we should haul
across a thin rope by its means, and with this a thicker one; after
which we should set this up so tautas possible, and then bring the
people in the hulk to the island by means of a seat and block which we
should haul to and fro along thesupporting line.
Now, having realized that the bow would indeed carry so far as
thewreck, we made haste totry our second arrow, and at the same time
we bade the men go back totheir work upon the line;for we should have
needof it in a very little while.Presently, having pointed the bow
more tothe left, I took the frappings off the strings, so that we
could bend the bows singly, and after that we set the great weapon
again. Then, seeing that the arrow was straight in the groove, I
replaced the frappings, and immediately discharged it. This time, to
my very great pleasure and pride, the arrow went with a wonderful
straightness towards the ship, and, clearing the superstructure,
passed out of our sight as it fell behind it. At this, I was all
impatience to try to get the line to the hulk before we made our
dinner; but the men had not yet laid-up sufficient;there being then
only four hundred and fifty fathoms (which the bo'sun measured off by
stretching it along his arms and across his chest). This being so, we
went to dinner, and made very great haste through it; and, after that,
every one of us worked at the line, and so in about an hour we had
sufficient; for I had estimated that it would not be wise to make the
attempt with a less length than five hundredfathoms.
Having now completed asufficiency of the line, the bo'sun set one of
themen to flake it down very carefully upon the rock beside the bow,
whilst he himself tested it at all such parts as he thought in any way
doubtful, and so, presently, all was ready. Then I bent it on to the
arrow, and, having set the bow whilst the men were flaking down the
line, I was prepared immediately to discharge the weapon.
Now, all the morning, a man upon the hulk had observed us through a
spy-glass, from a position that brought hishead just above the edge of
the superstructure, and, being aware of our intentions--having watched
the previous flights--he understood the bo'sun, when he beckoned to
him, that we had made ready for athird shot, and so, with an answering
wave of his spy-glass, he disappeared from our sight. At that, having
firstturned to see that all were clear of the line, I pressed down the
trigger, my heart beating very fast and thick, and so in a moment the
arrow was sped. But now, doubtlessbecause of the weight ofthe line, it
made nowhere near so good a flight as on the previous occasion, the
arrow striking the weed some two hundred yards shortof the hulk, and
at this, I could near have wept with vexation and disappointment.
Immediately upon the failure of my shot, the bo'sun called to the men
to haul in the line very carefully, so that it should not be parted
through the arrow catching in the weed; then he came over to me, and
proposed that we should set-to at once to make a heavier
arrow,suggesting that it had been lack of weight in the missile which
had caused it to fall short. At that, I felt once more hopeful, and
turned-to at once to prepare a newarrow; the bo'sun doing likewise;
though in his case he intended to make a lighter one than that which
had failed; for, as he put it, though the heavier one fell short, yet
might the lighter succeed, and if neither, then we could only suppose
that the bow lacked power to carry the line, and in thatcase, we
should have to try some other method.
Now, in about two hours, I had made my arrow, the bo'sun
havingfinished his a little earlier, and so (the men having hauled in
all the line and flaked it down ready) we prepared to make another
attempt tocast it over the hulk. Yet, a second time we failed, and by
so much that it seemed hopeless to think of success; but, for all that
it appeared useless, the bo'sun insisted on making a last try with the
light arrow, and, presently, when we had gotten the line ready again,
we loosed upon the wreck; but in this case so lamentable was our
failure, that I cried out to the bo'sun to set the useless thing upon
the fire and burn it; for I was sorely irked by its failure, and could
scarce abide to speak civilly of it.
Now the bo'sun, perceiving how I felt, sung out that we would cease
troubling about the hulk for the present, and go down all of us to
gather reeds and weed for the fire; for it was drawing nigh to
evening. And this we did,though all in a disconsolate condition
ofmind; for we had seemed so near to success, and now it appeared to
be further than ever from us. And so, in a while, having brought up a
sufficiency of fuel, the bo'sun sent two of the men down to one of the
ledges which overhung the sea, and bade them see whether they could
not secure a fish for our supper. Then,taking our places about the
fire, we fell-to upon a discussion as to how we should come at the
people in the hulk.
Now, for a while there came no suggestion worthy of notice, until
atlast there occurred to mea notable idea, and I called out suddenly
that we should make a small fire balloon, and float offthe line to
them by such means. At that, the men about the fire were silent a
moment; for the idea was new to them, and moreover they needed to
comprehend just what I meant. Then, when they had come fully at it,
the one who had proposed that they should make spears of their knives,
cried out to know why a kite would not do, and at that I was
confounded, in that so simple an expedient had not occurred to any
before; for, surely, it would be but a little matter to float a line
to them by means of a kite, and, further, such a thing would take no
great making.
And so, after a space of talk, it was decided that upon the morrow we
should build some sort ofkite, and with it fly a lineover the hulk,
the which should be a task of no great difficulty with so good a
breeze as we hadcontinually with us.
And, presently, having made our supper off a very fine fish, which the
two fishermen had caught whilst we talked, the bo'sun set the watches,
and the rest turned-in. [ tobe continued....]