however, sufficient for
King Richard, who drew his leg from under it, and with his heavy
battle-ax in hand, rose with a shout, and stood by the side of the earl.

In vain did the Bedouins strive to cut down and overpower the two
champions; in vain did they urge their horses to ride over them. With
each sweep of his ax the king either dismounted a foe or clove in the
head of his steed, and a wall of slain around them testified to the
tremendous power of their arms. Still, even such warriors as these could
not long sustain the conflict. The earl had already received several
desperate wounds, and the king himself was bleeding from some severe
gashes with the keen-edged scimiters. Cuthbert was already down, when a
shout of "St. George!" was heard, and a body of English knights clove
through the throng of Saracens and reached the side of King Richard.
Close behind these in a mass pressed the British footmen with bill and
pike, the enemy giving way foot by foot before their steady discipline.

The king was soon on horseback again, and rallying his troops on, led
them for one more great and final charge upon the enemy.

The effect was irresistible. Appalled by the slaughter which they had
suffered, and by the tremendous strength and energy of the Christian
knights, the Saracens broke and fled; and the last reserves of Saladin
gave way as the king, shouting his war-cry of "God help the holy
sepulcher!" fell upon them. Once, indeed, the battle still seemed
doubtful, for a fresh band of the enemy at that moment arrived and
joined in the fray. The Crusaders were now, however, inspired with such
courage and confidence that they readily obeyed the king's war-cry,
gathered in a firm body, and hurled themselves upon this new foe. Then
the Saracens finally turned and fled, and the Christian victory was
complete.

It was one of the features of this war that however thorough the
victories of the Christians, the Saracens very speedily recovered from
their effects. A Christian defeat was crushing and entire; the knights
died as they stood, and defeat meant annihilation. Upon the other hand,
the Saracens and Bedouins, when they felt that their efforts to win the
battle were unsuccessful, felt no shame or humiliation in scattering
like sheep. On their fleet horses and in their light attire they could
easily distance the Christians, who never, indeed, dreamed of pursuing
them. The day after the fight the enemy would collect again under th