CIIAP. V.J

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

309

cavalry of Baldwin is said to have been only threehundred and seventy-five; who cut all the Mame-lukes to pieces in their silk surcoats of saffron ( Sala-din’s colour), and the whole road was strewed withcuirasses, helmets, little short iron boots of theMoslem runaways, who for the most part perishedof thirst, hunger, and cold—for it was now Novem-ber of 1179. 1

Nevertheless dire were the presentiments ofJerusalem. 2 When Saladin was driven back withthat great overthrow, so that scarce one of theEgyptian army ever got back to Egypt, yet avictory was proclaimed at Cairo, and pigeonsspread the triumphant news over Egypt to quietthe spirits of the public . 3 How unlike modern times!Nor had it been the fault of the Moslems (saytheir writers),but the leper king, before he marched,alighted and in tears prayed to the Omnipotent, whothereupon sent a violent wind, that blew the dustagainst the eyes of the Mahometans, that they wereforced to run away, and Saladin was so sore on thematter, that he swore to abstain from the nouba tillhe had avenged his honour. The nouba in the

1 Michaud: Hist., ii. 251.—Bosio: par. 1, lib. iv., anno 1176.

2 Id.: Id., 252. 3 Arab. Chron., 179.