SIEGE AND BATTLE OF JAFFA. 13 



more than fifty sail, and among them the red galley 

 with crimson sails, which proved that the Kmg in per- 

 son was at hand. Boha-eddm withdrew to warn his 

 friends, and, in a short time after, the besieged rushed 

 down from the castle at full gallop, and cut in pieces 

 the scattered Turks engaged in plunder : terror seized 

 those of the rabble who were out of immediate reach, 

 and in a few moments the whole town was cleared of 

 the enemy. 



The Sultan, hearing the state of events, beat his 

 nackaras of alarm, and, with the best part of his forces, 

 advanced into the town, the garrison flying in dismay 

 back to the castle, and he re-took it in as short a time as 

 it had been lost. By this time the fleet came close to the 

 shore, where the King seeing enemies every where 

 concluded the place to be finally lost, and, in this be- 

 lief, the ships lay to, uncertain how to act. In the 

 castle this manoeuvre caused a sensation of despair ; 

 overpowered by their fears the garrison again sent to 

 Saladin, the Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Castellan 

 being deputed to crave pardon, and sue for the same 

 terms which they had violated so shortly before. One 

 moment more and the fate of Jaffa was sealed. Saladin 

 in person, with Boha-eddin, received the deputies, and 

 hurried a new capitulation ; but a Priest, says the same 

 Cadi, devoted to the glory of the Messiah, took the 

 desperate resolution of leaping off the battlements of 

 the castle upon a heap of loose sand, and, being unhurt, 

 he plunged into the sea, was taken up by boats of the 

 fleet, and safely brought on board the royal galley : 

 here he described in a few w^ords of supplication to the 

 King, the real state of affairs. Richard anxiously en- 

 quired if there was no outlet, no means of escape for 

 the garrison? ^^ No," was the reply; "it is at the 

 foot of yon tower that their carcases will be cast upon 

 the same heap with those of their brethren ! " — " Turn 

 the ships' heads to the shore ! " exclaimed the king. — 

 "If it be the will of God, in whose name we are come 

 hither, let us also die with our brethren ! " then looking 

 at his officers, he said, " are our lives more precious 



