49 

 SIEGE AND BATTLE OF JAFFA. 



Continued from Page 14. 



Saladin's forces, ranged on the beach, saw the 

 boats approach ; they saw the king ghttering in his 

 armour, a crossbow in his hand and the royal banner 

 streaming over his head. Some few advanced into the 

 water to meet the landing. There was a fresh wind, 

 and the sea broke with some murmuring on the shore, 

 increasing the tumultuous roar of the Saracens and the 

 cheering of the English. The king, first of the whole 

 troop, sprang forward, up to his middle in the water, 

 and, followed by Jeffery du Bois and Peter de Pra- 

 lelles, (Meadows?) rushed through the surf to the 

 shore : in a moment the whole band were by his side, 

 and jointly drove the enemy back ; while the king, 

 with his cross-bow, and the archers, with their 

 weapons, were dealing out their quarrils and arrows 

 upon the astonished enemy. The sailors and spear- 

 men hastily collected fragments of wrecks, planks, 

 casks and other materials, which they as quickly 

 formed into a kind of breastwork. The disorder of the 

 Saracens had evidently prevented their quiyers being 

 replenished, for the usual clouds of these missiles were 

 wanting; and because they had been coerced and 

 restrained in plundering, discontent was evident even 

 among the principal emirs. While they stood thus 

 awed by the presence of the lion king, and nourished 

 discontent against the sultan, they required no great 

 effort from their opponents to be defeated. From the 

 battlements of the castle every eye drank with intense 

 anxiety the movements of the English ; and when the 

 gallant Richard plunged into the waves and was seen 

 to break through the surf foremost on land, Kyrie- 

 Eleison and the wildest shouts of joy were sent forth ; 

 and no sooner was the whole band firmly landed than 

 their banners were raised in the wind, and again every 

 hand that could wield a sword came thundering down 

 from the gates. At this moment, Richard's troop like- 

 voL. II.— 1833. G 



