His head was covered with a visorless casque, slightly conical, from the
edge of which, beginning about the temples, a cape of fine steel rings,
buckled under the chin, enveloped the neck and throat, and fell loosely
over the neck and shoulders, and part way down the back. A shirt of
linked mail, pliable as wool, defended the body and the arms to the
elbows; overalls of like material, save that the parts next the saddle
were leather, clothed the thighs and legs. As the casque and every other
link of the mail were plated with gold, the general effect at a distance
was as if the whole suit were gold. A surcoat of light green cloth hung
at the back half hiding a small round shield of burnished brass; at the
left side there was a cimeter, and in the right hand a lance. The saddle
was of the high-seated style yet affected by horsemen of Circassia; at
the pommel a bow and well-filled quiver were suspended, and as the
stirrups were in fact steel slippers the feet were amply protected by
them.

At sight of the martial figure, the Indian, in admiration, arose to a
sitting posture. Such, he thought, were the warriors who followed
Saladin! And when the stranger, reaching the summit of the eminence,
turned out of the road coming apparently to the door of the tent, he
involuntarily sprang to his feet ready to do him honor.

The face, then plainly seen, though strong of feature, and thoroughly
bronzed, was that of a young man not more than twenty-two or three,
dark-eyed, mustached and bearded, and of a serious though pleasant
expression. He kept his seat with ease and grace; if he and the
broad-chested dark-bay horse were not really one, they were one in
spirit; together they wrought the impression which was the origin of
_majesty_, a title for kings.