104

THE HISTORY OE THE ORDER OF [book ii.

out burst the Nile, bellowing most awfully, and theentire country was a deluge. Then might you seethe cardinal quite changed, and hang his head inshame, and fear, and sorrow . 1 The very first thingwas, of course, that all our boats and provisionswere lost. Some of our people sprang the wine andspirit casks, that they knew would soon be swamped,and died dead drunk. Many who lay down onsome dry spot, the waters coming over their headswhile they slept, drowned them. Every horse ofours had disappeared; and those of pitiless Arabsand Mamelukes drove through the waters to getat us and trample us, or that their riders mighttransfix us with their long lances. Howling faminealso waylaid us, and the plague; but why further ofthat deplorable retreat? Worse than by the recentBerezina; for this was a Berezina of several nights.It would have been hard for Brienneto have imitatedSaladin, who on losing a battle had his charger’s tailcut off, by way of mourning; since there was nota horse amongst us . 2 Not one of the whole Chris-tian army would have got half way to Damiettaalive, were it not for compassion in direct oppo-sition to the Prince of Damascus, who voted for no

1 Michaud: Hist., iii. 358.

2 Sicai'di : Ohrou.—ljib. Crois., ii. 549.