ABEY. I.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

37

The Moslems were as certain to die; then whynot rather with arms in their hands? The fisher-men having caught one of their divers in theirnet, he was tortured, whipped, and beheaded. 1 Allmeans had been employed to inform Saladin oftheir straits. Yet desperate violence wore out, andremained the weakness of terror. So all failing,they capitulated.

All had but to succumb; there was no otherresource. Famine and distress of every kind hadreached their zenith.

To apprise the soldan of their piteous resolution,they sent him this final missive. They were nowless than six thousand. 2 It was on a Friday, July17th, 1191. 3

But he, having received their pigeon and letterthat very dawn, had called a council of war to con-sider on a last effort to save the garrison. It wasnear the stroke of noon, and while the councildeliberated, on a sudden they saw the Christianflag raised on the walls. The Mussulmen were inthe utmost consternation at the sight. Dumb forawhile, as if struck dead by astonishment. Thenburst forth their sighs and sobs like madmen. All

1 Yinisauf: 3.—Bib. Crois., 679.

2 Id.: Id. 691.

3 Arab. Chron,, SI6.