Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1881-02-17

confused tradition of great victory
achieved by their forefathers upon this
spot, and the determination of vast
number of "unbelieying dogs" But
when you turn to the Christian histor-
ians Of the period, you find the story
complete in every detail, told with o
| graphic minuteness and childlike SIM
| plicity worthy Of Herodotus or Of Frois-
sart. And q grim study it is--one Of
the most colossal tragedies Of that
strange era when everything, whether
for good or for evil, was done upon
gigantic scale. The drama opens, as if
to heighten the tragic effect, with the
joyous departure from Malta, in 1861,
of Count La Cerda and his splendid
armament, to conquer the city
and principality Of Tripoli in
the name Of Phillip III. Gal
lantly do the doomed men sail forth in
the glory of the summer morning, upon
the fatal venture from which they are
never to return. The smooth, bright
sea echoes with their jests and laughter,
and the rising sun lights up their gilt
tering arms and fantastic bravery,
while above them floats the banner Of
that cross whose spirit alas is SO widely
different from their own. But even
during the short southwark voyage we
hear of many things which bode no
! good to the adventure. ssIittle PRAYER
or chanting of Gods praise was to be
heard among them, but many foul oaths,
much drinking and dicing, nnseemly
jests, and goddess revelry; for they wist
not of the evil to come, God having
blinded their eyes, to the intent that
He might make His judgment upon
them the heavier" Meanwhile La
Cerda himself drinks deep and boasts
loudly, in fashion that may
well make us augur i'll for
the success Of an expedition
commanded by such leader. But
at the first glimpse of the strong walls
and bristling cannon of TripoI, this
braggart's courage cools at once. He
dispatches a swift galley back to Malta
for heavy artillery, and meanwhile, al
tering his course, suddenly sweeps down
upon the undefended island of Jerbeh.
At first he is only too successful. The
island is swept with fire and sword, the
unprepared enemy slaughtered without
mercy, and the only daughter of their
principal chief, Yokdah, cruelty out
ragged by Juan de la Saera, braYest and
worst of the profigate cavaliers of Spain.
Watching q moment when her captor's
attention is diverted from her, the for
loln girl snatches up q dagger and stabs
herself to the heart, invoking with her
last breath the vengeance Of God upon
those who profaned the service of
4 heaven with the deeds of hell.
From this point onward the shad-
ows OF coming destruction gather
ever darker and darker around the
doomed host I" When word was brought
to Yokdah Of what had chanced, he an
swered nought, but gripped the hilt Of
his cimeter till the blood started from
his fingers. Then his lips moved, but
no man wist what he spake; howbeit,
they might well guess by his look that
is BODIED no good to them of Spain. !"
The bereaved father has not long to wait
for his vengeance. As If heaven itself
had doomed them, the Spanish veterans,
| flushed with their easy victory, relax
their wonted vigilance, and give them
selves up to the widest excess of de-
bauchery. Like lightning from clear
sky, destruction falls upon them in the
midst of their fancied security. Two
smaller detachments, scattered through
the outlying villages, are cut off
to man, and Yokdah's fierce
swordsmen, with their thirst for
vengeance still unslaked, sweep
onward to attack the main body.
which lies in the town of Gerba itself.
At dead of night the Spaniards are
startled from their drunken sleep by the
yell of Allah Ackbar |" God is VIC
torious, and instantly the whole town
is one whirl Of struggling figures and
tossing arms and blazing torches and
flashing weapons and hellish uproar and
merciless butchery. But such combat
is too unequal to last. Outnumbered
and unprepared and basely abandoned
by their pusillanimous leader, the inva-
ders are soon driven pell-mell down to
the shore, where the scene eliminates
in scene of horror worthy Of Dante !:
" The Christians, being put the worse,
flung themselves into the sea- thinking
to fly unto their ships; but even
thither did the infdels pursue them,
raging like savage wolves. Thus was
the fight waged in darkness amid
the waves of the sea--a thing I'M
thought Of heretofore. And with
such rage did they grapple one
another that many sank and were
drowned thus locked together, refusing
to quit their hold. Many also were
slain with the sword, and many more,
being borne down by the weight of their
armor, perished miserably. Of all that
had been in the town, none escaped;
and last Of all died Juan de la Saera
himself, whom Gods vengeance suffered
not to live. For when he had we'll
nigh gained the ships, a Saraeen grappled
him and would have slain him, but
Yokdah, the chief, cried aloud, Harm
him not; I keep him for my own prize T
And by the force of many he was taken
alive, and was dragged back to the
shore. Then the infdels, the battle
being ended, gathered the heads Of
them that were slain and built them
into tower; and Saera, when he had
endured many and grevious torments,
such as none but Saracen wit could de-
wise, was beheaded, and his head laid
on the summit Of the pile by Yokdah,
their prince, as being fitting crown for
such monument" /"
Mr.. Winans, the son Of the late Bal
I'm, <,yo r,,s11s1,o17-o Isxzoe ~, r,oof c,,I,,