emperor, the Saracens rewarded, and sent back to achieve similar
exploits.

11. The next day another disaster took place; a whirlwind arose, and
made havoc in many places, throwing down many buildings, tearing in
pieces the tents, and throwing the soldiers on their backs or on their
faces, the violence of the wind overpowering their steadiness of foot.
And the same day another equally perilous occurrence took place. For the
river suddenly overflowed its banks, and some of the ships laden with
provisions were wrecked, the piers and dams which had been constructed
of stone to check and repress the waters being swept away; and whether
that was done by treachery or through the weight of the waters could not
be known.

12. After having stormed and burnt the chief city, and sent away the
prisoners, the army with increased confidence raised triumphant shouts
in honour of the emperor, thinking that the gods were evidently making
him the object of their peculiar care.

13. And because in these unknown districts they were forced to be on
unusual guard against hidden dangers, the troops especially feared the
craft and exceeding deceitfulness of the enemy; and therefore the
emperor was everywhere, sometimes in front, sometimes with his
light-armed battalions protecting the rear, in order to see that no
concealed danger threatened it, reconnoitring the dense jungles and
valleys, and restraining the distant sallies of his soldiers, sometimes
with his natural gentleness, and sometimes with threats.

14. But he allowed the fields of the enemy which were loaded with every
kind of produce to be burnt with their crops and cottages, after his men
had collected all that they could themselves make use of. And in this
way the enemy were terribly injured before they were aware of it; for
the soldiers freely used what they had acquired with their own hands,
thinking that they had found a fresh field for their valour; and joyful
at the abundance of their supplies, they saved what they had in their
own boats.

15. But one rash soldier, being intoxicated, and having crossed over to
the opposite bank of the river, was taken prisoner before our eyes by
the enemy, and was put to death.

II.

Sec. 1. After this we arrived at a fort called Thilutha, situated in the
middle of the river on a very high piece of ground, and fortified by
nature as if by the art of man. The inhabitants were invited gently, as
was best, to surrender, since the hei