A.D 1249.] GREEK FIRE AND ITS TERRORS. 407 all lost without remedy ; for should they set fire to our chas chateils we must be burnt ; and if we quit our post we are for ever dishonoured; from which I conclude, that no one can possibly save us from this peril but God, our benignant Creator ; I therefore advise all of you, whenever they throw any of this Greek fire, to cast yourselves on your hands and knees, and cry for mercy to our Lord, in whom alone resides all power." As soon, therefore, as the Turks threw theirfires, we flung ourselves on our hands and knees, as the wise man had ad vised ; and this time they fell between our two cats into a hole in front, which our people had made to extinguish them ; and they were instantly put out by a man appointed for that purpose. This Greek fire, in appearance, was like a large tun, and its tail was of the length of a long spear ; the noise which it made was like to thunder ; and it seemed a great dragon of fire flying through the air, giving so great a light with itsflame, that we saw in our camp as clearly as in broad day. Thrice this night did they throw the fire from la per riere, and four times from cross-bows. Each time that our good king St. Louis heard them make these dischargee of fire, he cast himself on the ground, and with extended arms and eyes turned to the heavens, cried with a loud voice to our Lord, and shedding heavy tears, said, " Good Lord God Jesus Christ, preserve thou me, and all my people ;" and believe me, his sincere prayers were of great service to us. At every time the fire fell near us, he sent one of his knights to know how we were, and if thefire bad hurt us. One of the dischargee from the Turks fell beside a chas-chateil, guarded by the men of the Lord Courtenay, struck the bank of the river in front, and ran on the ground toward them burning with flame. One of the knights of this guard instantly came to me, crying out,—" Help us, my lord, or we are burnt ; for there is a long train of Greek fire, which the Saracens have discharged, that is running straight for our castle/' eould be extinguished, namely, vinegar and sand. Jacques de Vitry, 1. 3, ch. 84, adds urine as an extinguisher; and Cinnamns, in the place before quoted, says that ships were frequently covered with cloths dipped ia vinegar, to prevent the bad effecta of this fire.