CHAP. V.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

337

Mount Thabor to its left, at the distance of aboutthree miles. All along that plain grew a quantityof tall dry grass, weeds, and brushwood, to whichthe Turks set fire; so that, to augment the tormentof the Christians already dying of thirst and heat,they were enveloped on every side by smoke andflames, till they became black as devils and halfroasted; while the shrill cries of the savages whonever one moment ceased from assaulting them,caused the air to ring with the groans and clamoursof the murderers and murdered, maldng a terrificaccompaniment to the rustling and roaring of theconflagration. So passed that whole horrid night.And between them and the wavy fresh-water lake,day-break only showed the entire Saracen army inan extensive dense mass. Many were the charges tobreak through it; and Frank bravery did whatevercould be done by valiant and desperate men, speakingof the cavalry; for as to the infantry— but in vain.And now all was confusion, death or flight; yet thiswas death too, for they were surrounded. OnlyTripoli, after prodigies of valour, with his incom-parable vanguard united like one man, broke backagain through the Saracens and joined his country-men, who were in the horrors of an irremediable, in-disciplinable defeat; on which the stoutest of his

YOL. i.

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