CHAPTER XVIII.
DELAY AND DANGER.
IT was January 1250, and King Louis, at the head of the Crusaders, wasstill on the banks of the Achmoun. But it was not from reluctance toprosecute their enterprise that the armed pilgrims submitted to delay.The aspect of the country through which they had passed on their wayfrom Damietta had not been such as to diminish their ambition to beconquerors. It cannot be doubted that the fertility of the land of thePharaohs must have made them more and more eager to become its masters.
In truth, there cannot be a more delightful sight than Egypt at eitherof two seasons of the year. Ascend some mountain in the month of July orAugust, when the Nile has risen, and you behold a vast sea, in whichappear numerous towns and villages, with causeways leading from place toplace, the whole interspersed with groves and fruit-trees, of which thetops are only visible, and bounded by woods and mountains. But it is thepeculiarity of the Nile, unlike other rivers, which, in overflowinglands, wash away and exhaust their vivific moisture, that its watersserve to fatten and enrich the soil. Accordingly, ascend the samemountain in January or February, when the waters have subsided and thehusbandman has done his work, and the country is like one beautifulmeadow, dotted with flocks and herds, covered with crops of corn,enamelled with flowers, and perfumed with the blossoms of oranges andlemons.
Nor, considering the marvellous history of Egypt, could the imaginationsof the Crusaders be otherwise than fascinated by the prospect of lookingwith their own eyes on its cities, its pyramids, its obelisks, its mummypits, and all the relics of its ancient and mysterious civilisation.Persians, Macedonians, Romans, and Saracens, had come hither before themas conquerors. But it may be doubted whether the warriors of Cambyses,or Alexander, or the Caesars, or Omar, felt a more thorough confidence intheir own prowess and destiny, than did the warriors who marched fromDamietta under the banner of St. Denis.
It was certainly mortifying to men in so elate a mood to have theirprogress arrested by a canal; and, in fact, the French warriors seem tohave been startled out of their senses by its steep banks and deep bed.At all events, they, instead of looking for a ford, which was certainlythe most natural way of getting over their difficulty, commenced theconstruction of a causeway.
Now, Fakreddin no sooner observed that the Crusaders were at work, thanhe perceived his advantage, and vowed that the causeway should never becompleted; and, while workmen, protected by machines of war and woodencastles, were occupied with its construction, the Saracens spared nopains to retard the operations. As fast as the Crusaders heaped up thesand and stones, the Saracens dug away the earth in front, thus removingthe opposite bank to a greater distance; and, moreover, they incessantlyshowered arrows and javelins at the workmen. Every day brought freshannoyances; and every day the Saracens became more audacious in theirattacks. Every night brought fresh surprises; and, in the conflictswhich took place, the Crusaders had not always the best of the struggle.
'A large body of Turks,' says Joinville, 'made an attack on the Count ofPoictiers and me. But be assured they were very well received. It waswell for them that they found their way back as they came; but they leftbehind them great numbers of slain.'
'One night the Turks brought an engine, called by them _la perriere_, aterrible engine to do mischief, and placed it opposite thechas-chateils, which Sir Walter Curel and I were guarding. From thisengine they flung such quantities of Greek fire, that it was the mosthorrible sight I ever witnessed. When my companion, the good Sir Walter,saw this shower of fire, he cried out, "Gentlemen, we are all lostwithout remedy; for should they set fire to our chas-chateils we must beburnt, and if we quit our post we are for ever dishonoured; from which,therefore, I conclude that no one can possibly save us from this perilbut God, our benignant creator. I therefore advise all of you, wheneverthey throw any of this Greek fire, to cast yourselves on your hands andknees and cry for mercy to our Lord, in whom alone resides all power."
'As soon, therefore, as the Turks threw their fires, we flung ourselveson our hands and knees as the wise man had advised; and, this time, theyfell between our two cats, into a hole in front, which our people hadmade to extinguish them; and they were instantly put out by a manappointed for that purpose.
'Each time that our good king, St. Louis, heard them make thesedischarges of fire, he cast himself on the ground, and with extendedarms, and eyes turned to the heavens, cried with a loud voice to ourLord, and shedding heavy tears, said--"Good Lord God, preserve thou me,and all thy people:" and, believe me, his sincere prayers were of greatservice to us. Every time the fire fell near us he sent one of hisknights to know how we were, and if the fire had hurt us. One of thedischarges from the Turks fell beside a chas-chateil, guarded by the menof the Lord of Courtenay, struck the bank of the river in front and ranon the ground toward them, burning with flames. One of the knights ofhis guard instantly came to me, crying out, "Help us, my lord, or we areburnt; for there is a long train of Greek fire, which the Saracens havedischarged, that is running straight for our castle."
'We immediately hastened thither, and good need was there, for as theknight had said, so it was. We extinguished the fire with much labourand difficulty; for the Saracens, in the meantime, kept up so brisk ashooting from the opposite bank, that we were covered with arrows andbolts.'
All this time Fakreddin was diligent in procuring what intelligence hecould as to the position and plans of the Crusaders. This, however, wasnot an easy business. Indeed, no intelligence on such subjects could beobtained, save from captives, and the emir, therefore, offered a highreward for every Frank brought to his tent. But the Crusaders, taught byexperience, had become marvellously vigilant, and showed a decidedaversion to be captured. A Saracen, however, who was an expert swimmer,vowed not to be baffled, and performed an exploit, which Arabianchroniclers, while omitting much more important events, have carefullyrecorded.
It seems that this Saracen, having determined to carry a Christian ascaptive to Fakreddin's tent, and claim the reward, fell upon a somewhatwhimsical plan for accomplishing his object. Having scooped out a melon,and thrust his head into the cavity, he threw himself into the canal,and swam down the stream in such a way that the melon appeared to floatin the water. The trick succeeded in attracting the attention of theCrusaders, and as the melon was passing that part of the bank where theLord of Joinville was encamped, there was much excitement among his men.
'Let us catch the melon,' cried one.
'Who is bold enough to make the attempt?' asked another.
'On my faith,' said a squire, laughing, 'I see no danger to daunt themost timid.'
Scarcely, indeed, had he stretched forward his hand, whenhe found himself seized by the Saracen, and dragged forcibly away in thedirection of the camp on the opposite bank.--p. 118.]
As he spoke, the squire, doffing his upper garments, rushed into thewater, and, striking out, grasped at the melon. But the adventure didnot end so pleasantly as he had anticipated. Scarcely, indeed, had hestretched forward his hand, when he found himself seized by the Saracen,and dragged forcibly away in the direction of the camp on the oppositebank.
At first the Crusaders could hardly believe their eyes. But there was nomistake about it. Their comrade was gone, and a prisoner in the hands ofthe Saracens; and, as they considered what might be his fate, theyraised such shouts of alarm, that their lord was attracted to the spot.
'In St. Denis' name,' said Joinville, after hearing sufficient to beaware of what had occurred, 'tell me, I pray you, who among my fellowshas met with this mishap?'
'In truth, my lord,' replied one of the knights, 'it is the Englishsquire who took service with you at Damietta.'
'May the God of his fathers protect him!' exclaimed Joinville, somewhatsadly; 'as matters are, we can do nothing in his behalf.'
And who was the squire, who had entered the service of Joinville atDamietta, and afterwards been taken prisoner by the Saracens?
It was one of the brothers-in-arms. It was Guy Muschamp.
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