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Itinerary
50
thither, we have learnt neither by writing nor by hearsay. The river which
flows by the city is named Belus, and although its bed is narrow, and not
deep, Solinus has rendered it celebrated by numbering it amongst the
wonders of the world, as being enriched with glassy sand. For there was a
certain sandy foss, the sand of which supplied materials for making glass;
these, if taken out, were altogether useless; but, if let in, from the secret
virtue of the place assumed a glassy nature. Not far from the river is
pointed out a low rock near the city, at which it is said that the three
divisions of the world, Asia, Europe, and Africa meet; and though it
contains separately the other parts of the world, the place itself, dependent
on none, is distinct from and independent of all three. Mount Carmel rises
aloft on the southern side of the city, where Elijah the Tishbite is known to
have had an habitation of modest cost, as his cave still testifies; but
although we are often wont in a description to wander away to the
pleasant parts of the circuit, we must at present overlook the attractions of
the surrounding places, while we turn our attention to the course of the
war.
Chapter XXXIII. Ñ How the people of the city were reduced to such starvation
that they offered to surrender; the Sultan comes to their assistance with fifty
galleys, they capture and put to flight our galleys.
When therefore our men had encompassed Acre on all sides with a
blockade, the townspeople, having consumed their provisions, began to be
severely pressed by famine, so that they offered to surrender the city on
condition that they should be allowed to depart, with their property,
unmolested. These conditions did not satisfy the chiefs, who had
determined, either to compel them by extreme necessity to submit to their
will, or to gain, by every means in their power, the glory of storming the
city. But whilst they were slowly negotiating for the surrender of the city,
the sultan had fully equipped at Alexandria fifty galleys, with men,
provisions, and arms, which he sent to succour Acre. These arrived on All
SaintsÕ Eve, and when they were seen at a distance, vague rumours
distracted the people with various forebodings. Some report that the

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Itinerary
51
enemy are at hand; others that subsidies are come for the Christians. While
they were still doubting, the enemy threw themselves into the city, and
even carried with them, by force, one of our ships laden with provisions,
which they found in the port; and being long sustained with those
provisions, pressed upon us with the greater courage. Not content with
plundering our ship of burden, they put to death without mercy the crew
and every one else they had found therein, and hung them round the walls
on the day of All Saints. Moreover, the galleys of the enemy kept watch
over both the exit and entrance of the port of the city, that no one dared to
come to our assistance for fear of falling into their hands. And on the
morrow of the Nativity of our Lord, one of our galleys deeming the fleet an
arrival of Christians, went for the purpose of making inquiries after our
succours, incautiously to meet this Babylonian fleet as it approached, and
with it a smaller vessel, called a galleon; this taking the lead, owing to its
lightness, fell suddenly into the midst of the enemy, instead of meeting
with friends as was supposed. The voice of some who answered, and the
suspicious silence of others, undeceived them; upon which the terrified
sailors cast themselves into the sea, and escaped, by means of swimming,
according as each was able. Thus then occupying that part of the sea, and
our galleys which were by far the least numerous, having gone away
secretly to Tyre, the enemy had free and open communication with the city
by sea. At that time the Germans, making a large mill for the grinding of
corn, turned by horses, while the millstones grated as they were drawn
round, the Turks, gazing with great earnestness at the mill at work,
thought that it was some instrument for their destruction, or for storming
their city; for never before had a mill of that description been seen in that
land.
Chapter XXXIV. Ñ Of the sea-fight between the fleet of the marquis and our men