fourteen of them came upon nearly sixty Turks, who were accompanied
by others, leading more than fifteen hundred men and animals whom
they had captured. Those who were carrying out the Lord's promise
that two would make ten thousand flee before them, and one would make
a thousand flee, called to their pious minds the sign of the cross
and, with the aid of God, attacked them with unbelievable bravery,
killing six men and capturing as many horses. From the retinue of
the count of Saint-Gilles, Raymond, to whom we have given the
additional name of Pelet, who deserves to be mentioned often in this
little book, man remarkable for sternness as well as for eagerness in
battle, together with another man whose surname I do not know, who
performed the duties of a vicount,[192] sought out the city of
Tortosa. At their first attack, which they launched with great
ferocity, they terrified the inhabitants. Like a swarm of flies, a
remarkably large crowd of pagans flocked to the fort. The following
night, our men set up their tents at one end of the city, and lit
many beacon fires, giving the impression that the entire Frankish
army was there. Desperately afraid, the pagans judged that they
could not protect their lives with their shields, and decided that
the only way to escape death was to flee on foot. During the night
they slipped away silently, leaving the city filled with wealthy
treasure, and empty of inhabitants. Thus they piously fulfilled
Scripture, which says that, "Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath
he will give for his life."[193] This city, situated on the sea, has
a fine port in one of its suburbs. The next day our men prepared to
attack the city in full strength, but when they assembled to fight,
they found that the city was empty. After entering, they remained
there only until they set off to besiege the city of Archas, which I
mentioned above. However, there was another city nearby, which was
called Maraclea. He who was in charge of it, whom they called the