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

CHlVALROUS RENCOUNTER.

knight of the Red-cross, who had lett his
distant northern home, and joined the host
of the Crusaders in Palestine, was pacing
slowly along the sandy deserts which lie in
the vicinity of the Dead Sea, Or as it is cal
led, the Lake Asphaltitcs, where the waves
of the Jordan pour themselves into an inland
sea, from which there is no discharge of wa
tiers.
The warlike pilgrim had toled among
cliffs and precipices during the earlier part
of the morning; more lately, issuing from
those rocky and dangerous dehles, he had
entered upon that great plain, where the
accurscd cities provoked, in ancient days,
the direct and dreadful vengeance of the
Omnipotent.
The toll, the thirst the dangers ofthe
way, were forgotten, as the traveller recall
led the fearful catastrophe, which had con-
vcrted into an arid and dismal wilderness
the fair and fertile valley of Siddim, once
we'll watered, even as the Garden of the
Lord, now parched and blighted waste,
condemned to eternal sterility.
Crossing himself, as he viewed the dark
mass OF rolling waters, in color as in quality
unlike those of every other lake, the travel
Ter shuddered as he remembered, that be-
meath these sluggish waves lay the once
proud cities of the plain, whose grave was
dug by the thunder Of the heavens, or the
eruption of subterraneous fire, and whose
remains were hid, even by that sea which
holds nolivng fish in its bosom, bears no
skiff on it surface, and, as Its own dread
fu bed were the only fit receptacle for its
sullen waters, sends not, like other lakes,
tribute to the ocean,. The whole Island
around, as in the days of Moses, was "brim-
stone and salt; it is not sown, nor bcareth,
nor any grass groweth thereon" the land
as we'll as the lake might be termed dead,
as producing nothing having resemblance to
vegetation, and even the very air was en-
tirely devoid Of its ordinary winged inEabi
tants, deferred probably by the odour OF
bitumen and sulphur which the burning sun
exhalcd from the waters OF the lakr, III
steaming clouds, frequently assuming the
appearance of watcr-spouts. Masses or the
Shiny and sulphureous substance called
naphtha, which hoated idly on the sluggish
and sulen waves, supplied those rolling
clouds with new vapors, and seemed TO give
awful testimony to the truth of the Mosaic
history.
Upon this scene of desoation the sun
shone with almost intolerable splendor, and
all living nature appeared to have hidden
itself from the rays, excepting the solitary
sand at foot's pace, and appeared the sole
breathing thing on the wide surface Of the
pain. The dress of the rider, and the ac
coutrements Of his horse, seemed chosen on
purpose, as most peculiarly unfit for the
traveller in such country. A coat of link
ed mall with long sleeves, plated gauntlets,
and steel breastplate, had not been cstcem-
ed sufficient weight OF armour; there was
also his triangular shield suspended round
his neck, and his barred helmet Of steel;
over which flowed 4 hood and collar of mail,
which was drawn around the warriors
shoulders and throat, and filled up the va
cancy between the hauberk and the head
.piec.. His lower limbs were sheath
ed, Ike his body, IN flexible mail, securing
the legs and thighs. while the feet rested
in plated shoes, which corresponded with
the gauntlets. A long, broad, straight
shaped, doube-edged falchion, with handle
formed like a cross colTespondcd with a
stout poniard on the other side. Secured to
his saddle with one end resting or his STIR
rup, the knight had his proper weapon. the
long steel-headcd lance, which, as ne rode,
projected back wards, and displayed its lit
tie pennoncelle, to daily With the faint
breeze, or drop in the dead calm. To this
cumbrous equipment must be added sur
coat 0t tnDrOlucreQ ClOtn, muCn Tray eu anu
worn, which was thus far useful, that it
excluded the burning rays OF the sun from
the armor, which they wlull otherwise
have rendered intoerable to the wearer
The surcoat bore, in several places, the
arms of the owner, although much defaced
These seemed to be couehant leopard
with the motto, 81 sleep wake me not. >
An outline Of the same device might have
been traced on his shield, though many 6
blow had almost ciiaced the painting The
fat top of his cumbrous cylindrical helme
was unadorned with any crest In retaining
their own unwieldly defensive armor, tht
nortnern crusaders seemed to set at dehanc,
the nature of the climate and country ii
which they were come to war
The accoutrements of the horse wer
scarcely less massive and unwieldly tha
those of the rider. The animal hGd a heav
sad.llc plated with steel, uniting in iron
with species of breastplate, and oehin
wta defensive arnor made to cover til
loins. Then there was steel axe, or ham
mer, called a mace -ot-arms, and which hun
to tne saddle bow; the relns were secure
by chan-work, and the front-sta!l of III
b,sae was a steel plate, with apertures Il
the eyes and nostrils, having n the midst
short sharp pike, projecting from the forc
hea4 Of the horse like the horn of the fabu
Gus unicorn.
But habit had made the endurance Of th
load Of panoply Il second nature, both to tt
knight and his gallant charger. Number
,,,la fNtt he ues w bn In,