they
brought was not economized, and in two days they were as destitute as
before. Faticius, the Greek commander and representative of Alexius,
deserted with his division under pretence of seeking for food, and his
example was followed by various bodies of crusaders.

Misery was rife among those who remained, and they strove to alleviate
it by a diligent attention to signs and omens. These, with
extraordinary visions seen by the enthusiastic, alternately cheered and
depressed them according as they foretold the triumph or pictured the
reverses of the Cross. At one time a violent hurricane arose, levelling
great trees with the ground, and blowing down the tents of the
Christian leaders. At another time an earthquake shook the camp, and
was thought to prognosticate some great impending evil to the cause of
Christendom. But a comet which appeared shortly afterwards, raised them
from the despondency into which they had fallen; their lively
imaginations making it assume the form of a flaming cross leading them
on to victory. Famine was not the least of the evils they endured.
Unwholesome food, and the impure air from the neighbouring marshes,
engendered pestilential diseases, which carried them off more rapidly
than the arrows of the enemy. A thousand of them died in a day, and it
became at last a matter of extreme difficulty to afford them burial. To
add to their misery, each man grew suspicious of his neighbour; for the
camp was infested by Turkish spies, who conveyed daily to the besieged
intelligence of the movements and distresses of the enemy. With a
ferocity, engendered by despair, Bohemund caused two spies, whom he had
detected, to be roasted alive in presence of the army, and within sight
of the battlements of Antioch. But even this example failed to reduce
their numbers, and the Turks continued to be as well informed as the
Christians themselves of all that was passing in the camp.

The news of the arrival of a reinforcement of soldiers from Europe,
with an abundant stock of provisions, came to cheer them when reduced
to the last extremity. The welcome succour landed at St. Simeon, the
port of Antioch, and about six miles from that city. Thitherwards the
famishing crusaders proceeded in tumultuous bands, followed by Bohemund
and the Count of Toulouse, with strong detachments of their retainers
and vassals, to escort the supplies in safety to the camp. The garrison
of Antioch, forewarned of this arrival, was on