arnest along the whole line. Amid the din of the imperial
trumpets and drums the attackers endeavored to undermine the walls,
while others kept up a continual rain of arrows, bolts, and stones.
The ships had been covered with blanks and skins so as to defend them
from the stones and from the famous Greek fire, and, thus protected,
pushed boldly up to the walls. The transports soon advanced to the
front, and were able to get so near the walls that the attacking
parties on the gangways or platforms, flung out once more from the
ships' tops, were able to cross lances with the defenders of the walls
and towers.

The attack took place at upward of a hundred points until noon, or,
according to Nicetas,[41] until evening. Both parties fought well. The
invaders were repulsed. Those who had landed were driven back, and
amid the shower of stones were unable to remain on shore. The invaders
lost more than the defenders. Before night a portion of the vessels
had retired out of range of the mangonels,[42] while another portion
remained at anchor and continued to keep up a continual fire against
those on the walls. The first day's attack had failed.

The leaders of both crusaders and Venetians withdrew their forces to
the Galata side. The assault had failed, and it became necessary at
once to determine upon their next step. The same evening a parliament
was hastily called together. Some advised that the next attack should
be made on the walls on the Marmora side, which were not so strong as
those facing the Golden Horn. The Venetians, however, immediately took
an exception, which everyone who knew Constantinople would at once
recognize as unanswerable. On that side the current is always much too
strong to allow vessels to be anchored with any amount of steadiness
or even safety. There were some present who would have been very well
content that the current or a wind--no matter what--should have
dispersed the vessels, provided that they themselves could have left
the country and have gone on their way.

It was at length decided that the two following days, the 10th and
11th, should be devoted to repairing their damages, and that a second
assault should be delivered on the 12th. The previous day was a
Sunday, and Boniface and Dandolo made use of it to appease the
discontent in the rank and file of the army. The bishops and abbots
were set to work to preach against the Greeks. They urged that the war
was just; that the Greeks had bee