AT DAMIETTA.
ABOUT a mile from the sea, on the northern bank of the second mouth of
the Nile, stood the city of Damietta, with its mosques, and palaces, and
towers, and warehouses, defended on the river side by a double rampart,
and on the land side by a triple wall. Fair and enchanting to the eye
was the locality in which it was situated; and as the Crusaders directed
their gaze towards the groves of oranges and citrons, loaded with
flowers and fruit, the woods of palms and sycamores, the thickets of
jasmines and odoriferous shrubs, the vast plains, with pools and lakes
well stocked with fish, the thousand canals intersecting the land, and
crowned with papyrus and reeds, they, feeling the influence of a rich
climate and a beautiful sky, could not find words sufficiently strong to
express their admiration and delight.
'Now, good Walter,' said Guy Muschamp, as the brothers-in-arms, having
ascended to the castle of the 'Hilda,' looked earnestly towards the
shore, 'who can deny that such a land is worth fighting to conquer?'
'On my faith,' exclaimed Walter Espec, with enthusiasm, 'it is so
pleasant to the eye, that I could almost persuade myself I am looking
upon that terrestrial paradise in which the father and mother of mankind
lived so happily before eating the fatal apple.'
No wonder, when such was the aspect of the country around Damietta, that
the armed pilgrims were impatient to land.
And no time was lost; for, of all the armed pilgrims, King Louis was
perhaps the most eager to encounter the enemies of his religion; and,
soon after daybreak, on the morning of Friday, a signal was given for
the fleet to weigh anchor and draw near to the shore.
Meanwhile the Saracens, under the Emir Fakreddin, were on the alert; and
while a bell, that had remained in the great mosque of Damietta ever
since John de Brienne seized the city in 1217, tolled loudly to warn the
inhabitants of the danger, the Moslem warriors got under arms, and with
cavalry and infantry occupied the whole of that part of the strand at
which the Crusaders had resolved to disembark.
But the armed pilgrims were nothing daunted by the sight of the
formidable preparations made to oppose their landing. Getting into
barques which had been provided for the purpose, they prepared to fight
their way ashore, in defiance of all dangers. Ranging themselves in two
lines, with their lances in their hands, and their horses by their
sides, the knights and nobles stood erect in their boats, while in
front, and on the wings of the armament, were placed crossbowmen to
harass and keep off the foe. Nor did Louis in that hour appear in any
way unworthy to be the leader of brave men. Attended by his brothers and
his knights, the King of France, arrayed in chain-mail, with his helmet
on his brow, his shield on his neck, and his lance in his hand, figured
prominently on the right of his array. By his side stood the cardinal
legate; and in front of him was a boat in which the oriflamme, brought
from the abbey of St. Denis, was proudly displayed.
It was an exciting occasion, and the hearts of the saint-king and his
mailed comrades beat high as the barques moved onward to the Egyptian
strand. The warriors, standing steady and silent as graven images, gazed
earnestly on their multitudinous foes. For a time no attempt was made to
oppose their progress. No sooner, however, were they within bowshot,
than a shower of arrows and javelins rattled against the mail of the
Crusaders. For a moment the ranks of the Christian warriors were shaken.
But the crossbowmen, without the delay of an instant, retaliated with
damaging effect; and while their shafts carried death into the Saracen
host, the rowers redoubled their efforts to reach the shore, and bring
Christian and Moslem hand to hand and foot to foot.
Again the silence was unbroken, save by the plashing of oars and the
tumultuous shock of the barques pressing on in disorder. Ere long,
however, there was a loud shout. The Lord of Joinville, closely followed
by Baldwin de Rheims, had reached the shore; and they were setting
their men in battle order, and covering themselves with their shields,
and presenting the points of their lances to check the impetuosity of
the enemy.
And now King Louis lost all patience; and deeming it no time to stand on
his regal dignity, he leaped from his barge, and plunging up to his
shoulders in the water, struggled towards the shore. Inspired by his
example, the Crusaders threw themselves into the sea in a body, and
pressed eagerly onward, with cries of 'Montjoie! St. Denis!' Again the
silence was unbroken, save by the clash of mail, the noise of a dense
crowd of armed men struggling with the waves, which were so elevated by
the rush, that they fell and broke at the feet of the Saracens. In a few
moments, however, the oriflamme was landed, and the saint-king, with the
salt water running off his armour, was on his knees giving thanks to God
for having preserved him and his companions from the perils of the deep.
'And now, gentlemen,' said Louis, as he rose and looked excitedly around
him, 'let us forthwith charge our enemies in the name of God.'
'Be patient, sire,' replied the knights, interfering; 'it is better to
await the landing of our comrades, that we may fight with advantage.'
Louis allowed himself to be persuaded; and it speedily appeared that
caution was necessary; for, while the Crusaders were still struggling
ashore in disorder, the Saracen cavalry came down upon them with an
impetuosity which convinced the French that their adversaries were not
to be despised. But Joinville and Baldwin of Rheims rendered their
comrades good service. Hastily closing their ranks, they contrived not
only to stay the rush, but to present so impenetrable a front, that the
Saracens retired baffled to prepare for a fresh spring.
And again, with an enthusiastic energy which would have struck terror
into antagonists less bold, the Saracens under Fakreddin charged down
upon the Crusaders; and then began, all along the coast, a confused
conflict which raged for hours--Christian and Moslem fighting hand to
hand; while the two fleets engaged at the mouth of the Nile; and the
Queen of France and the Countess of Anjou, and other ladies of high
rank, who remained on board at a distance, awaited the issue of the
contest with terrible anxiety, and, with priests around them, sang
psalms and prayed fervently for the aid and protection of the God of
battles. At length the conflict came to an end. Both on the water and on
the land the Crusaders were victorious. The Saracen fleet, after getting
decidedly the worst of the combat, escaped up the Nile; and the Saracen
soldiers, beaten and dispersed, retired precipitately, and flying in
confusion towards Damietta, abandoned their camp, and left several of
their emirs dead on the field.
After witnessing the flight of the Saracens, Louis ordered his pavilion,
which was of bright scarlet, to be pitched on the ground where he had
conquered, and caused the clergy to sing the Te Deum. The Crusaders then
set up their tents around that of the king, and passed the night in
rejoicing over the victory they had won.
Next day the Crusaders had still stronger reason to congratulate
themselves on the good fortune which had attended their arms. At
daybreak, looking towards Damietta, they observed that columns of smoke
were rising from the bosom of the city, and that the whole horizon was
on fire. Without delay the King of France sent one of his knights and a
body of cavalry to ascertain the cause; and, on reaching Damietta, the
knight found the gates open, and learned on entering that the Saracens,
after setting fire to that part called the Fonde, which was a row of
shops and warehouses, had abandoned the city. Returning to the camp at a
gallop, while his men remained to extinguish the fire, the knight
announced the glad tidings to the saint-king.
'Sire,' said he, 'I bring good news; Damietta may be taken possession of
without striking a blow.'
It was not very easy, even after hearing all, to credit this knight's
report; and Louis was somewhat suspicious of a stratagem. However, he
gave orders for marching towards the gates, and moving slowly, and with
much caution, took possession. It was clear that the city had been
abandoned by its defenders; and the king, the cardinal legate, and the
clergy, having formed in procession, walked to the grand mosque, which
was speedily converted into a Christian church, and sang psalms of
praise and thanksgiving.
And now the Crusaders, with Damietta in their possession, were indeed
elate, and rather inclined to magnify their successes; and the Queen of
France and the Countess of Anjou, and the other ladies were brought
ashore and lodged in the palaces of the city; and five hundred knights
were charged with the duty of guarding the ramparts and towers; and the
warriors of the Cross, encamping in the plain outside the gates, gave
themselves up to dissipation, and deluded themselves with the idea that
no enterprise was too difficult for them to accomplish.
'Now,' said the French, as they quaffed the red wine and rattled the
dice-box, 'we have only to await the coming of our companions from the
coast of Syria, and of the Count of Poictiers, with the _arriere ban_ of
France, to undertake the conquest of Egypt.'
'Ay,' said others, 'and then let the Saracens and their sultan tremble.'
'Nothing,' echoed a third party, 'can withstand the warriors of France,
when animated by the presence and example of their king.'
'I dislike all this boasting,' remarked Bisset, the English knight, to
Walter Espec and Guy Muschamp, 'and, albeit I wish not to be thought a
prophet of evil, I predict that it will end in mischief and disaster.'
'The saints forbid,' exclaimed Guy, gaily. 'For my part I dread nothing
but the thought of being devoured by some of the crocodiles which, men
say, are hatched in the waters of the Nile.'
'Nevertheless, mark my words,' said Bisset, more gravely than it was his
wont to speak. 'At present the Frenchmen believe that, because they have
plied their swords with some effect, that henceforth the Saracens will
fly before their scabbards. Now they are all singing songs of triumph;
ere long, if you and I live, we'll hear them singing to a very different
tune.'
'Ah, sir knight,' said Walter, smiling, 'you say this from national
jealousy, and because they call us "English tails."'
'"English tails!"' repeated Bisset, scornfully; 'I tell you, for your
comfort, that when the hour of real danger arrives, we "English tails"
are likely to find our way so deep into the Saracens' ranks, that not a
bragging Frenchman will venture to come nigh the tails of our
war-steeds.'
'By St. John of Beverley,' exclaimed Guy, laughing merrily, 'I cannot
but think that the French and English Crusaders are already inclined to
hate each other much more than either French or English hate the
Saracens.'