volume one

niSTOKY OF THE CRUSADES. 241
the enemy's ranks. At this first charge the dulce of ISTormandy,
the count of Flanders, and Tancred broke through
the centre of the Egyptians. Duke Eohert, followed by his
bravest knights, penetrated to the place where Afdhal
fought, and got possession of the great standard of the
inlide],3, The foot-soldiers followed the horse into the
melee, and cast away their bows and javelins to make
use of sword and lance, arms much more terrible to the
Mussulmans.
On all sides the Saracens were thrown into disorder.
Towards the end of the battle Godfrey had had to contend
with a troop of Ethiopians, who bent one knee to the ground
to launch their javelins, and then, springing up, rushed upon
the Crusaders with long flails armed with balls of iron. This
redoubtable battalion could not alone resist the lances of the
Christians, and were soon dispersed. An invincible terror
seemed to paralyze the arms of the INIussulmans. AYhilst
the king of Jerusalem was pursuing the Ethiopians and
INIoors who fled towards the mountains in the vicinity of the
field of battle, the Syrians and the Arabs, who fought in the
left wing, were broken by the count of Thoulouse. Hotly
pressed by the conquerors, a great number of them precipitated
themxselves into the sea, and perished in the waves
others sought an asylum in the city of Ascalon, and such
was their eagerness, and so numerous were they, that two
tliousa,nd were crushed to death upon the drawbridge.
Amidst the general rout, Afdhal was on the point of falling
into the hands of the conquerors ; and, leaving his sword
upon the field of battle, had great difiiculty in gaining Ascalon.
Historians add, that when, from the walls of that
city, he contemplated the destruction of his army, he shed a
torrent of tears. In his despair, he cursed Jerusalem, the
cause of all his evils, and blasphemed Mahomet, whom he
accused of having abandoned his servants and disciples.
This was a day of terror and death for the Mussulmans.
Erom the begimimg of the battle, the infidels, who had
pre\T,ously burned with a thirst of vengeance, appeared to
have no purpose but to escape by flight from an enemy who
granted no mercy to the conquered. In their mortal fear,
they let fall their arms, and suffered themselves to be
slaughtered witliout oflfering the least resistance. Their
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