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THE CRUSADES.—FALL OF THE CROSS.
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cial portion of the emporium, and the flames destroyed ail .that was most valuable to the captors.
It was the peculiarity of the military temper of the Islamites of the thirteenth century that they sometimes fled from shadows and sometimes fought like the lions of the desert. There was still in them a residue of that fiery valor which they had displayed in the days of Omar the Great. At the present juncture, after flying from a fortress which they might
Christians found themselves closely invested and in danger of extermination. It was well for them that their scattered fleet, most of which had been driven into Acre, now arrived with reinforcements. At the same time William Long Sword and his English chivalry reached Damietta, and joined themselves to the forces of King Louis. The French, thu» strengthened, might have sallied fbrth with a strong prospect of raising the siege and scattering the Moslem army.
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LANDING OF SAINT LOUIS IN EGYPT.
easily have defended, they suddenly turned about in great force, and the Christian army in Damietta was in its turn besieged. The Sultan Nejmeddin, great-nephew of Saladin, now occupied the throne of Egypt; nor did he fail to exhibit those sterling qualities as a soldier which might have been expected in one of so heroic a lineage. Himself suffering from disease, he hastened to Damietta, put to death fifty of his officers for having in so cowardly a manner given up the city to the invaders, took command in person, and soon reversed the fortunes of the campaign. The
Much valuable time was wasted in inaction. At length it was resolved by the Christians to make their exit up that branch of the Nile on which Damietta was located, and force their way to Cairo. As soon as the Moslems discovered the movement, they threw their forces along the river, and strenuously opposed the progress of King Louis’s army. After much hard fighting, the Christians reached Mansoura. Here a terrible conflict ensued. Before the city could be taken, it was necessary that the Crusaders should cross the Ashmoun canal, and this was held by the