o the success of the
crusade. It was, therefore, decided that the Genoese fleet should
direct its course toward Africa; and two days after, on the 20th of
July, it arrived in sight of Tunis and Carthage. At the sight of the
Christian fleet, the inhabitants of the coast of Africa were seized
with terror, and all who were upon the Carthage shore took flight
toward the mountains or toward Tunis. Some vessels that were in the
port were abandoned by their crews; the King ordered Florent de
Varennes, who performed the functions of admiral, to get into a boat
and reconnoitre the coast. Varennes found nobody in the port or upon
the shore; he sent word to the King that there was no time to be
lost--he must take immediate advantage of the consternation of the
enemy. But it was remembered that in the preceding expedition the
descent upon the coast of Egypt had been too precipitate; in this it
was determined to risk nothing. Inexperienced youth had presided over
the former war; now it was directed by old age and ripe manhood, and
it was resolved to wait till the morrow. The next day at dawn the
coast appeared covered with Saracens, among whom were many men on
horseback. The crusaders, nevertheless, commenced their preparations
for landing. At the approach of the Christians, the multitude of
infidels disappeared; which, according to the account of an
eyewitness, was a blessing from heaven, for the disorder was so great
that a hundred men would have been sufficient to stop the
disembarkation of the whole army. When the Christian army had landed,
it was drawn up in order of battle upon the shore, and, in accordance
with the laws of war, Pierre de Conde, almoner to the King, read with
a loud voice a proclamation by which the conquerors took possession of
the territory. This proclamation, which Louis had drawn up himself,
began by these words: "I proclaim, in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and of Louis, King of France, his sergeant," etc. The baggage,
provisions, and munitions of war were landed; a vast space was marked
out, and the Christian soldiers pitched their tents. While they were
digging ditches and raising intrenchments to protect the army from a
surprise, they took possession of the tower built on the point of the
cape, and on the following day five hundred sailors planted the
standard of the lilies upon the castle of Carthage. The village of
Marsa, which was close to the castle, fell likewise into the hands of
the crusade