volume one

4S6 HISTORY or TUE CEUSADES.
the sliore, as an expiation of tlie massacre of tlie garrison of
Ptolemais.
Eichard, 'vnIio found that perils and obstacles multiplied in
his route, desired an interview with Malek-Adel, and proposed
to make peace, if the Mussulmans would restore the
city of Jemsalem to the Christians. Malek-Adel replied that
the last of the soldiers of Saladin would perish^ rather than
renounce conquests made in the name of Islamism. Eichard,
irritated bv this refusal, swore that he would obtain by victory
that which he could not obtain from Saladin, and gave
orders for the army to pursue their march.*
The Crusaders advanced towards the city of Arsur, marching
over a long but narrow plain, intersected by torrents,
ravines, and marshes, and covered in many places with
fragments of rocks, marine plants, and reeds. They had
the sea on their right, and on the left rose the steep mountains
of Xaplouse, defended by the inhabitants of the country
and the troops of Saladin. At every passage of a torrent,
at every dune or hillock of sand, at every villao;e, a fresh
contest had to be sustained, whilst the Mussulman archers,
placed upon the heights, annoyed them unceasingly with
their arrows. Eichard's army marched in order of battle;
the cavalry being placed in the centime ; whilst the foot,
closing their ranks, presented an impenetrable wall to the
enemy, and braved their constantly renewed attacks.
The army of the sultan got in advance of the Crusaders,
and laid waste evervtliino: in their wav ; exhausting their
efforts and ingenuibt" to retard, or entii'ely stop their march.
Across the plain of Arsur flowed a toiTent which cast itself
into the sea near the ramparts of the city ; and not far
from this torrent, a wood of oaks, which historians call the
* The march and the contests of the Christians and the Mussvilmans
are described in fullest detail by Omad-al-Kabel, secretary to Saladin, in
his book entitled the Pheta ; and by Schahabeddin, author of the RouiJatain.
These two historians almost always make the Mussulmans triumph.
" We have," say they, '• animated tbe tongues of lances and swords to
speak to the Christians, and to hear their words. Then God rendered
sweet to us all that was bitter, and by his goodness drew near to us all
that was at a distance." We shall not follow these two historians, nor
even Bohaddin, through the combats of the Mussulmans and Christians,
combats in -which the latter are, by their account, always conquered, and
yet always continue to advance into their enemy's country.