CHAP. III.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

219

and other missiles, from behind the parapet, whilethey could not themselves return a single blow. Andso it was during five successive days of a vastnumber of charges; the two first days of cavalry,and the three last of cavalry and infantry by turns,or united ; 1 till the sultan lashed himself into arage, and the whole plain a Golgotha. At last thesenior emirs convinced him he must give up hisidea of taking it by a coup de main , and have theditch filled; for which it was necessary to drain itfirst, and collect the stones from the neighbouringacclivities. So the sappers and excellent engineerssoon succeeded in discharging the water. It wasnow May . 2 And the stones had been brought inheaps near the ditch, and fascines, and carrions,and other materials, enormous quantity to the eye,yet not enough, according to the measurement ofthe engineers, who intended two days longer ofsuch labour; but the impatient sultan forbade allfurther waiting, and the heaps were flung into theditch, not without considerable loss from the zem-boureks anew; yet, as foreseen, the ditch wanteda full yard of being full; at which the sultan, quiteout of his senses, called—and here what is relatedso surpasses credibility, pure truth as it is, and

1 MS.—Michaud : Hist., v. 131.

2 Arab. Chron., 570.