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ABEY. I.] ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM. 17

royal leader soon joined the nucleus increasingevery day.

Acre, just before that time, had been a strongand flourishing seaport, with considerable com-merce, as transit between the East and Europe.On the land side it was thought to be defended bywalls and the Cursed Tower; and the Tower of Flies ,at its harbour’s narrow entrance, made it pass forsecure. From November of the year before, therehad been a small Christian army of nine thousand atmost, with Guy observing, 1 rather than besieging,the Moslem garrison within it.

Acre has long been in ruins, and since Ibrahim,more than ever. Yet man cannot deprive it of itssouthern glory, Carmel! Eastward the groundshorn of its woods, is marshy, but was a gloriousplain.

Saladin was not far from Zook, collecting agreat force to begin the new campaign of 1188, andat one of his military banquets had most beautifulapricots from Damascus, which shows the springwas far set in. 2 Yet little was there to conquer inPalestine. The two forts—one, Kaucab, belongingto the Hospitallers, the other Sefed to theTemplars—were the principal things. But he had in his mind afar mightier foe—the third crusade, which certainly1 Michaud: Hist., ii. 344.

VOL. II.

2 Arab. Chrou., 244.

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