engaged, other boats left Mansonra filled with soldiers, and fell on the rear of the French. It was in vain they sought to escape by flight : a thousand Christians were killed or made prisoners. In this defeat, fifty-two of their boats laden with provision were taken, and their communication with Damietta by tbe navigation of the Nile was cut off, so that within a short time the whole army suffered the most terrible famine. The Mussulmen surrounded them on all sides, and they could neither advance nor retreat. On the let of the moon Zilhigé (March 7), the French surprised seven boats ; but the troops on board bad the good fortune to escape. In spite of the superiority of the Egyptians on the Nile, they attempted to bring up another convoy from Damietta, but they lost it : thirty-two of their boats were taken and carried to Mansoura, on the 9th of the same moon. This new loss filled the measure of their woes, and caused them to propose a truce and send ambassadors to treat of it with the sultan. The emir Zeineddin and the cadi Bedreddin were ordered to meet and confer with them, when the French offered to surrender Damietta, on condition that Jerusalem, and some other places in Syria, should be given in exchange for it This proposal was rejected, and the conferences broken up. On Friday, the 27th of the moon Zilhijé (April 1), the French set fire to all their machines of war and timber for building, and rendered almost all their boats unfit for use. During the night of Tuesday,* the 3rd day of the moon Mahasem (April 5), in the year of the H egira 648, the whole of tbe French army decamped, and took the road to Damietta. Some boats which they had reserved fell down the Nile at the same time. The Mussulmen having, at break of day of the Wednesday, perceived the retreat of the French, pursued and attacked them. The heat of the combat was at Fariskour. The French were defeated and put to flight : ten thousand of their men fell on the field of battle, some say thirty thousand. Up wards of one hundred thousand horsemen, infantry, tradespeople, and others, were made slaves. The booty was im * Joinville dates this event on the Tuesday evening after the octave of Easter.