e to our chas-chateils we must be
burnt, 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 peril
but God, our benignant creator. I therefore advise all of you, whenever
they throw any of this Greek fire, to cast yourselves on your hands and
knees and cry for mercy to our Lord, in whom alone resides all power."

'As soon, therefore, as the Turks threw their fires, we flung ourselves
on our hands and knees as the wise man had advised; and, this time, they
fell between our two cats, into a hole in front, which our people had
made to extinguish them; and they were instantly put out by a man
appointed for that purpose.

'Each time that our good king, St. Louis, heard them make these
discharges of fire, he cast himself on the ground, and with extended
arms, and eyes turned to the heavens, cried with a loud voice to our
Lord, and shedding heavy tears, said--"Good Lord God, preserve thou me,
and all thy people:" and, believe me, his sincere prayers were of great
service to us. Every time the fire fell near us he sent one of his
knights to know how we were, and if the fire had hurt us. One of the
discharges from the Turks fell beside a chas-chateil, guarded by the men
of the Lord of Courtenay, struck the bank of the river in front and ran
on the ground toward them, burning with flames. One of the knights of
his guard instantly came to me, crying out, "Help us, my lord, or we are
burnt; for there is a long train of Greek fire, which the Saracens have
discharged, that is running straight for our castle."

'We immediately hastened thither, and good need was there, for as the
knight had said, so it was. We extinguished the fire with much labour
and difficulty; for the Saracens, in the meantime, kept up so brisk a
shooting from the opposite bank, that we were covered with arrows and
bolts.'

All this time Fakreddin was diligent in procuring what intelligence he
could as to the position and plans of the Crusaders. This, however, was
not an easy business. Indeed, no intelligence on such subjects could be
obtained, save from captives, and the emir, therefore, offered a high
reward for every Frank brought to his tent. But the Crusaders, taught by
experience, had become marvellously vigilant, and showed a decided
aversion to be captured. A Saracen, however, who was an expert swimmer,
vowed not to be baffled, and performed an exploit, which Arabian
chronicl