volume one

HISTOET OF THE CRUSADES. 421
liim." The Mussulmans replied to their leader by the
loudest acclamations. Saladin then placed archers on the
heights, ordered four hundred charges of arrows to be distributed,
and disposed his troops in such a manner, that the
Christian army should be surrounded from the very commencement
of the contest. The Christian soldiers took
advantage of the darkness to rally and close in their ranks ;
but their powers were exhausted. Sometimes they exhorted
each other to brave death ; and at others, raising their hands
towards heaven, implored the All-Powerful to save them.
They then uttered threats against the Saracens, ^^ho were
near enough to hear them ;
but sad and sinister presentiments
appeared to deprive them of all hopes of victory. In
order to conceal their alarms, they made their camp resound
during the whole night with the noise of drums and trumpets.
At last daylight appeared, and was tlie signal for the entire
ruin of the Christian army. As soon as the Franks beheld
the whole of the forces of Saladin, and found themselves
surrounded on all sides, they were seized with surprise and
terror. The two armies remained for a considerable time
drawn up in sight of each other, Saladin waiting until the
sun had completely illumined the horizon, to give the signal
for attack. From dawn a strong wind had prevailed, which
blew full in the faces of the Christians, and covered them
with clouds of dust. "When Saladin gave the fatal word,
the Saracens rushed upon their enemies from all sides, uttering
the most terrifying cries. To employ the expressions of
Oriental writers,—
" It icas then that the sons of JPm^adise
and the children offire foncjht out their terrihle quarrel;
the arrows sounded in the air like the noisy fiight of birds
the ivater of swords (^ic), the Hood of arrows spouted out
from the hosom of the melee, and covered the earth like the
ivaters of rain^* The Christians at first defended themselves
vahantly, but Saladin having set fire to the dry grass
* The continuator of Tabary speaks -with much detail of tliis battle ;
the author of the Roudatain, in the description which he has given of this
day, shows all the enthusiasm of a Mu^snlman. We find in these two
histories, and even in Omad (the secretary of Saladm), more words than
things, more ( 'liental figures than historical circumstances. They may,
however, be profitably consulted by comparing their accounts with those
of the Latins,
;