ed in
forcing their way to the top, were met hand-to-hand by the Turks, and
cast down headlong upon their companions. Louis himself fought with the
energy of desperation, but had great difficulty to avoid falling into
the enemy's hands. He escaped at last under cover of the night, with
the remnant of his forces, and took up his position before Attalia.
Here he restored the discipline and the courage of his disorganized and
disheartened followers, and debated with his captains the plan that was
to be pursued. After suffering severely both from disease and famine,
it was resolved that they should march to Antioch, which still remained
an independent principality under the successors of Bohemund of
Tarentum. At this time the sovereignty was vested in the person of
Raymond, the uncle of Eleanor of Aquitaine. This Prince, presuming upon
his relationship to the French Queen, endeavoured to withdraw Louis
from the grand object of the Crusade--the defence of the kingdom of
Jerusalem, and secure his co-operation in extending the limits and the
power of his principality of Antioch. The Prince of Tripoli formed a
similar design, but Louis rejected the offers of both, and marched
after a short delay to Jerusalem. The Emperor Conrad was there before
him, having left Constantinople with promises of assistance from Manuel
Comnenus; assistance which never arrived, and was never intended.

A great council of the Christian princes of Palestine and the leaders
of the Crusade was then summoned, to discuss the future operations of
the war. It was ultimately determined that it would further the cause
of the Cross in a greater degree if the united armies, instead of
proceeding to Edessa, laid siege to the city of Damascus, and drove the
Saracens from that strong position. This was a bold scheme, and, had it
been boldly followed out, would have insured, in all probability, the
success of the war. But the Christian leaders never learned from
experience the necessity of union, that very soul of great enterprises.
Though they all agreed upon the policy of the plan, yet every one had
his own notions as to the means of executing it. The Princes of Antioch
and Tripoli were jealous of each other, and of the King of Jerusalem.
The Emperor Conrad was jealous of the King of France, and the King of
France was disgusted with them all. But he had come out to Palestine in
accordance with a solemn vow; his religion, though it may be called
bigotry, was sinc