volume one

464 niSTOEY or the crusades.
seized upon by au unextinguishable fire, were consumed and
reduced to ashes before their eyes, as if they liad been struck
by the lightning of heaA'en. So gi'eat was the t€rror spread
among the Crusaders by this conflagration, that the landgi'ave
of Thuringia quitted the siege and returned to Europe,
belie\'ing that God no longer protected the cause of the
Christians.
Saladin followed up his attacks so incessantly, that he left
his enemv no repose. Every time that an assault was
attempted on the city, the noise of drums and trumpets
resounded from the ramparts to warn the Mussulman troops,
who then flew to arms and attacked the camp of the Chns-
tians.
The Eoad of Ptolema'is was often covered with vessels from
Eui'ope, and Mussulman vessels from the ports of Egypt and
Sp'ia. The latter brought supplies to the city^ and the
former to the Christian army. At a distance might be seen
masts sui'mounted with the standards of the cross, and
others bearing the banners of Mahomet, which seemed to
mingle and float together. Several times the Franks and
Saracens were spectators of the conflicts between their fleets
laden with arms and provisions, that took place near the
shore. At the sight of a naval combat the warriors of the
cross and of Mahomet struck upon their shields, and
announced by their cries their hopes and their fears. Sometimes
even the two armies were so excited as to attack each
other on the plain to assure the victory, or avenge the defeat
of those who had fought upon the waves.
In the battles that took place sometimes on the banks
of the Belus, and sometimes under the walls or at the foot
of the hills, the Saracens often prepared ambushes, and did
nqt disdain to have recourse to all the stratagems of war.
The Christians, on the contrary, placed no confidence in
anything but theii* valour and their own good swords. A
car. upon which was raised a tower, surmounted by a cross
and a white flag, served them as a rallying-point, and
was their guiding star in battle. AMien the enemy gave
way, the thirst for booty soon made every man quit the
ranks ; their chiefs, almost always -u-ithout authority in the
tumult of battle, became no more than simple soldiers in the
meUe, and had nothing to oppose to the enemy but their