Abdelavi

( Bot. ) An Egyptian plant, as a melon. Abdera, n. (Anc. Geog.) A town of Thrace, near the mouth of the Nestus. Though it boasted of being the birthplace of Demo crit us, Prot agoras, Anaxarchus, and other distinguished men, yet it was regarded among the ancients as notorious for the stupidity of its inhabitants. Abd-el-Kader, very renowned by the persevering courage with which he opposed the aggre ions of the French against his country, was the third son of a Marabout of the Arab tribe of Hashem, who had risen to influence through his rank, coupled with a great sanctity of demeanor. The early days of Abd-el-Kader are lost in obscurity, but by 1828 he had not only acquired the reputation of a scholar, but that of a saint, from his having twice made a pilgrimage to Mecca, the birthplace of the Prophet. Accompanied by his father, he preached a holy war against the French occupation of Algiers, and called upon the Faithful to rise and expel the infidels. In 1832, he found himself at the head of 10,000 warriors, with whom he attacked Oran, but was several times repulsed with great slaughter. Notwithstanding his discomfiture, however, he might be said to be a gainer, for he had not only increased his reputation for skill and bravery, but had taught his Arabs to face artillery. In 1834, he entered into a treaty with the French, in which he was recognized as emir of Mascara, with the sovereignty of Oran. This treaty added to the importance of the emir in the eyes of the natives, who naturally looked upon their chief as a personage of high consequence, from his having compelled the enemy to recognize him as a sovereign. His succe , however, excited the jealousy of some of his brothers in arms, who rose against his authority, but whom he was soon enabled to subdue. For a period of fifteen years he contrived to defend his country, and fight against the encroachments of France; but in 1847 he was compelled to surrender himself a prisoner to General Lamoricière, on condition of being sent to Alexandria or St. Jean d'Acre. The French government, however, refused to ratify the terms of the treaty, and it was not till after four years pa ed in France, that, in 1852, Louis Napoleon restored him to freedom, on condition that he would not return to Algiers, or conspire against the French. The brave, but fallen Arab consented, and Bru a, in Asia Minor, was a igned him for his future residence. For that place he accordingly set out in 1853, but was afterwards permitted to remove to Constantinople. In 1855 he visited Paris, to see the Exposition, and, finally, with the philosophy of oriental calmne resigned himself to his fate. B. at Mascara,prov. of Oran, 1807; d. at Damascus, May 26,1883. Abd-el-koree, or Sal in us us Shoal, a dangerous rock and coral reef off the S.E. coast of Arabia, in Lat. 14° 54′ 50′′ Ν., Long. 50° 45′ 20′′ E., extending 1850 yards from N.N.E. to S.S.W., with a breadth of 300 to 600 yards. Abd-el-Malek BEN MERWAN, fifth caliph of Damascus, of the family of the Ommiades, surnamed the Flint - skinner on account of his avarice; known by his succe ful wars against the Greek Emperor Just in i an II., A. D. 685-705. Abd-el-Malek BEN OMAR, one of the viziers of Caliph Abderrahman, in the 8th century. He is the king Marsilius of Ariosto, and of the ancient romances of chivalry. He was governor of Sarago a at the time of Charlemagne's famous invasion of Spain. Abd-er-Rahman I, surnamed the Wise, first caliph of the family of the Ommiades in Spain. B. 731, d. 787.