On the following Tuesday the Sultan resumed his march, and on the Thursday morning encamped before the walls of Acre. The inhabitants made no resistance, but came out of the city and met him with prayers for quarter. This he granted them, and, having given them the option either of remaining in the city or removing from it, and giving those who chose to withdraw time to enable them to do so, he took possession of it with his troops on the 9th of July. While here, Saladin received intelligence that his brother, El Melik el 'Adii, had left Egypt, and was on the road to join him, having conquered the fortress of Mejdel Yaba and the city of Jaffa by the way. Making Acre his head-quarters, the Sultan dispersed his emirs over the country in different directions for the purpose of attacking the castles and fortified towns. Nazareth was taken after a slight resistance, men and women were carried into captivity and their property plundered. Sefuriyeh was found to be entirely deserted, the inhabitants having decamped after the disastrous battle of Hattin. Caesarea, Arsuf, Sebastiyeh, and Nablus were next added to the list of Saladin's conquests ; the last named place fell an easy prey, as all the principal inhabitants, both of the town and its vicinity, were Mohammedan, and consequently disaffected to the Christian rule. Fiileh was one of the most important fortresses of the Crusaders, and a depot both for their stores and men. Against this the Sultan next directed his attention, and succeeded in reducing it after some days' siege. He did not, however, derive as much advantage from the conquest of this place as he had expected, for its defenders had found means of withdrawing with the greater part of their arms and provisions ; so that the Sultan found no one there when he entered it but a few of the lower class of the population. It was, nevertheless, important