for troops to move without being mired in mud, Acre was in as perfect condition to resist assault as it was possible to put it. With the calming of the Mediterranean came further supplies and reinforcements. Beha ed-din's embassy had been most successful. A special ambassador from the Caliph, a young man descended from the Prophet, brought a body of experts skilled in the throwing of naphtha, together with a considerable supply of that product. There was also a warrant authorizing the Sultan to borrow twenty thousand gold pieces from the merchants, chargeable to the Caliph, but Saladin was too wary to use this. Always averse to raising taxes, he was not inclined to burden the local commerce with what might look like a mere advance to the Caliph, which experience suggested might resolve itself into an additional impost. Troops now came pouring in from all sides. Some, like those led from Aleppo by el-Melek ez-Zaher, were in such fine condition the Sultan paraded them before the camp of the Franks, to give them an idea of what they might expect to encounter. The army was moved nearer to the city, to be ready to meet any sudden effort to storm the latter, and the Sultan devoted himself to getting better acquainted with his new levies, and to win their personal affection, after his usual fashion, by generous gifts and kindly attentions. He was missing no chance of inspiring loyalty and good will both among the troops and their leaders. As the latter arrived they were received with the most flattering marks of personal affection and respect.