HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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days) four ships of the largest burthen then built, and fifteen gallies, whichbeing added to the English fleet, proceeded with Richard on his enterprise.On the passage of the armament to Cyprus, it had the misfortune to encountera most violent tempest, w'hich caused the loss of many lives, and some ofthe ships, which were driven on the shore of that island, and there plunderedby the natives. This circumstance, in addition to the refusal of entrance intothe port, to the vessel on board which was the daughter to the king of Navarre,whom Richard was betrothed to, so irritated him, that he disembarked his troops,and was so rapid, as well as successful in his attack, that he is said to have re-duced the whole island in the short space of fourteen days, making the kingand his daughter both prisoners. This enterprise being accomplished, he left asufficient land force, under the command of two able captains, to keep the con-quered country in proper subjection, and proceeded for Ptolemais with his fleet.By the reduction of Cyprus, Richard acquired such an addition to his navalforce, as rendered it, notwithstanding his former loss, even superior to what ithad been, when he quitted Messina. According to the report of historians,his armament consisted of more than two hundred and fifty ships or vessels, socalled, all armed, and properly fitted for war, with upwards of sixty gallies.

Richard, when on his passage to Ptolemais, which city was then besieged bythe Christian army, fell in with a vessel belonging to the Saracens, the size ofwhich was so extraordinary, considering the early period when it was built,that it would be improper not to make some particular mention of it. Itscrew is said to have consisted of fifteen hundred persons, but such was theresolution and spirit of the assailants, that the enemy were very soon compelledto surrender. Richard is reported to have sullied the glory of this success, byordering thirteen hundred of his prisoners to be thrown into the sea. Thehorror that would be excited by this act is, however, in some degree lessened,by reflecting on the barbarous customs which were too prevalent in those earlytimes, and the peculiar manner in which it is almost unnecessary to state warwas carried on with so barbarous and uncivilised a foe. The fleet proceededonwards to its port of destination, and Richard uniting his arms with those of theother Christian princes, who had been some time occupied in the siege of Ptole-mais : compelled it to surrender after a stout resistance, a defence which, gallantas it was, is the less to be wondered at, when it is remembered that it was defendedby the whole power the Saracens could muster, and that they were then headedby that most renowned and gallant chieftain, Salaha’ddin the Great.

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