The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-08-22
From the New York Courier.

lDNtl " llit aullluI III W dAfIItN
The station, called the Diamond
of the Desert, was assigned for the
place Of conflict, as being nearly at
an equal distance betwiXt the Curtis
tan and Saraccn camps Ii WAS a
greed that Conrade of Montserrat.
the defendant, with his godlathers,
the arch Duke of Austria and the
Grand Master of the Templars,
should appear there on the day fix
ed for the combat, with an hun
drcd armed followers, and no more /;
that Richard of England, and his
bother Salisbury, who supported tho
accusation, should attend with the
same number, to protect his cham
pion and that the Sedan should
bring with him guard of five hun
drcd chosen followers, a band consi-
dcrcd as not more than equal To the
| two hundred Christian lanCes.--
Such persons of consideration as eli
Their party chose to invite to witness
| the contest, were 10 wear no other
weapons than their swords, and to
come without defensive arnor. l he
Soldan undertook the preparation of
the lists, and to provide accommodate
| tons and refreshments OF every kind
for all who were to assist ut the So
Icmnity and his letters expressed,
with much courtesy, the pleasure
which he anticipated III the prospect
of personal and peaceful meeting
with the Melee Ric, and his anxious
desire to render his reception AZ a
grccable as possible.
Tho Diamond Of the Desert, so
lately solitary fountain, distin-
guished only amid the waste by So
Iitary groups of palm trees, was
now the centre OF an cncampment,
the embroidered flags aTd gilded or
hamcnts Of which glittered far and
wide, and reflected thousand rich
tints against the setting sun. The
coverings of the large pavllions
were of the gaycst coIors, scarlet,
bright yellow, pale blue, and other
gaudy and cleaning hues, and the
tops Of their pillars, or ten poles,
we're decorated with golden pomc-
granates, and small siIken llags.--
But, besides these distinguished pa
yilions, there were, what Thomas de
Vaux considered as a portentous
number Of the ordinary black tents
of the Arabs, being sufficient, as he
conceived, to accommodate accord
ing to tho Eastern fashion, an host
of five thousand men. A number oil
Arabs and Curds, fully correspond
ing to the extent of the engagement,
were hastily assembling, each lead
ing his horse in his hand, and their
muster was accompanied by an as
tonishing Clamor Of their noisy Ia
strumcnts nfmartial music. by which
in all ages the warfare OF the Arabs
has been animated.
The little phalanx moved forward
accordingly, accompanied on all
sides by the Arabs, with the shrlllest
aud most piercing cries, the bowmen
meanwhile. displaying their agility
by shooting as near the crests OF the
Christians as was possible, without
actually hitting them, while the Ian
GERS charged each other with such
rough blows Of their blunt weapons
that more than one Of them lost his
saddle, and we'll nigh his life, in this
rough sport. All this, though de-
signed to express welcome, had ra-
ther a doubtful appearance III the
eyes of the Europeans.
AS they had advanced nearly hall
way towards the camp, King HI
chard and his suite forming, as 1T
were, the mcleus round which this
tumuItary body of horsemen howled,
Whoopcd. skirmished and gailoped,
created a scene of indesCribable con-
fusion, another shrill cry was heard,
on which all these irregnlars. who
we're on the front and upon the Hanks
of the little body Of Europeans,
wheeled off, and forming themselves
into a long and deep column, follow
ed with comparatively order aud ST.
lence in the rear of Richards troop.
The dust began now to dissipate in
their front, when there advanced TO
meet them, through that cloudy veil,
body of cavalry Of u different and
more regular description, complete
" armed with offensive and deien-
siye weapons, and who might well
have served as body guard to the
proudest Of the monarchs. Each
horse in that troop, which consisted
.f Grn hnndrrn men. was worth an