THE ΚΝΙΟΠΤ» TEMPLARS. 125 tains and the plains, the hills and the valleys, covered with their GxR.-.*r DK dead. I saw their fallen and deserted banners sullied with dust ^'""ï'i'JJ; and with- blood. I saw their heads broken and battered, their limbs scattered abroad, and the blackened corses piled one upon another like the stones of the builders. I called to mind the words of the Koran, 'The infidel shall say, What am I but dust?' I saw thirty or forty tied together by one cord. I saw in one place, guarded by one Mussulman, two hundred of these famous warriors gifted with amazing strength, who had but just now walked forth amongst the mighty ; their proud bearing was gone ; they stood naked with downcast eyes, wretched and miserable The lying infidels were now in the power of the true believers. Their king and their cross were captured, that cross before which they bow the head and bend the knee ; which they bear aloft and worship with their eyes ; they say that it is the identical wood to which the God whom they adore was fastened. They had adorned it with fine gold and brilliant stones; they carried it before their armies; they all bowed towards it with respect. It was their first duty to defend it ; and ho who should desert it would never enjoy peace of mind. The capture of this cross was more grievous to them than the captivity of their king. Nothing can compensate them for the loss of it. It was their God ; they prostrated themselves in the dust before it, and sang hymns when it was raised aloft!"* Among the few christian warriors who escaped from this terrible encounter, was the Grand Master of the Hospital ; he clove his way from the field of battle, and reached Ascalon in safety, but died of his wounds the day after his arrival. The multitude of captives was enormous, cords could not be found to bind them, the tent-rbpes were all used for the purpose, but were insufficient, * Ouunt'eiUin Kateb-Aboxt-htimM-Mnhamed-Jlenhamed. one of Saladin's wcret-iricn Extraits Arabes, par Al. Mithaud.