The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1825-08-18

| ring two years campaign IN Palestine, had
been only temporal fame, and, as he was
taught to believe, spiritual privileges. Mean
time, his slender stock of money had melted
away, the rather that he did not pursue any
of the ordinary modes by which the follow
crs of the crusade condesccnded to recruit
their diminished resources, at the expense
of the people of Palestine; he cxacted no
gifts from the wrctchcd natives for sparing
their possessions when engaged in warfare
with the Saracens, and he had not enjoyed
an opportunity of cnriching himself by the
ransom of any prisoners of consequence
The small train which had followed him from
his native country, had been gradually di-
minishcd, as the means of maintaining them
disappeared, and his own remaining squire
was at present on sick-bed, and unable to
attend his master, who travelled, as we have
seen, singy and alone. This was of little
consequence to the crusader, who was accus-
toned to consider his good sword as his sa-
fest escort, and de, out thoughts as his best
companions.
Nature had, however, her demands for re-
freshmcnt and rcpose, even on the iron frame
and patient disposition of the Knight of the
Sleeping Leopard and at noon, when the
Dead Sea lay at some distance on his right,
he ioyfully hailed the sight of two or three
palm-trees s, which arose beside the well
which was assigned for his midday station.
His good horse, too, which had plodded for
ward with the steady endurance of his mas
ter, now lifted his head, expanded his nos
trils, and quckened his pace, as if he snufieti
altar of the living waters, which were to be
the ri;ce of repose and rcfreshment. But
labor and danger were doomed to intervene
ere the horse or horscman reached the dc
sired spot.
AS the Knight of the Couchant Leopard
continued to fix his eyes attcntivclv on the
yet distant cluster of pam-trccs. it seemed
to him as if some object WAS moving amongst
them and beside them. This distant form
separated itself from the trees, which partly
hid it's motions, and advanced towards the
knight with a speed which soon showed a
mounted horscman, whom his turban, long
spear and green craftan floating in the wind,
on his nearer approach, showed to bea Sar-
acen cavalier. "1n the desert" saith an
Eastern preverb, mo man meets a friend"
The crusader was totally indifferent whether
the nfidel, who now approached on his gal
liant barb, as if borne on the wings of an ca
gle, came as friend or foc-pcrhaps, as
vowed champion of the Cross, he might ra-
ther have preferred the latter. He olsen
with tac right hand, placed it in rest with its
point half elevated, gathered up the rcins in
the left, walked his horses mettle with the
spur, and prepared to cncountcrt the stranger
with the calm self-cohtidcnce, belonging to
the victor in many contests.
The Saracen came on at the speedy gal
lop of an Arab horseman, managing his
stect more BY his limbs, and the infection
of his body, than by any use of the reins;
which lung loose in his left hand; SO that he
was enabled to wield the light round bucklcr
OF the skin of the rhlnoceros, ornamentcd
with silver loops, which he worr on his arm,
swinging it as il he meant to oppose its slen-
der circle to the formidable thrust of the
western lance. His own long spear was not
couched or leyellcd like that Of lis antug-
onist, but Srasped by the middle with his
right hand and brandished at arms length
above his head. AS the cavalier approach
ed his enemy at full career, he seemed to
expect that the Knight of the Leopard
should put his horse to the gallop to cncoun-
ter him. Bat the Christian Knight, well ac-
quaintcd with the custom of Eastern war
riors, did not mean to exhaust Ills good horse
by any unnecessary eXertion; and, on the
contrary, made a dead-halt, confident that
if his enemy advanced to the actual shock,
his own weight, and taat of his powerful
charger, would give him sufficient advantage
without the additional momentum of rapid
motion. Equally sensible and appichen-
svc of such probable result, the s,araccn
cavalier, when he had approached towards
| the Christian within twice the length of his
lance, wheeled his stccd to the LETT with ini-
mltable dcAterity, and rode twice around
his antagonist, who, turning without quit
ting his ground, and presenting his front
constantly to his enemy frustrated his at
temps TO attack him on IN unguarded point;
so that the Saraceu, wheeling his horse, was
fAia to retreat to the distance of an hundred
yards. \ second time, like 4 hawk attack
ing heron, the Moor renewed the charge
and second time was faia to retreat with
out coming toa close struggle. 4 third time
he approached III the same manner, wher
the Christian knight, dcsirous to terminate
this illusory warfare, i'll which he might a
length haze been worn out by the activity
of his foeman, suddenly seized tic mac,
which hung at his saddle Gow, and, with ;
t strong hand and unerring aim, hurled it a
/ gainst the head Of thc E,nir, for such and no
. less his cne.Gy appcared.--Ihc Saraccl
was Just aware of the formidable missile il
g time tu intcrposc his light buckler bctwix
! the mace and his head, but tho violence q
{ the blow forced the buck klrr down On his tui
T. ban, and though that defence also contribu
a ted to dcadcn its violence, the Salacen wa
: beaten from his horse. Ere the Chrstia
: could avail himself OF this nishap, his MIN