proposal for a truce came from Prince Bohemond and peace was made to cover that city only for a period of eight months. Once more the Sultan was influenced by the desire of the emirs, especially Imad ed-din, Lord of Sinjar, to return to their wives. Being weary of fighting, even though continuously successful, and laden with booty, they wanted a chance to rest and enjoy themselves. Besides, the month of Ramadan, the month of fasting, was at hand. Off they marched, with their contingents, and Saladin went with his own to Damascus, hoping for a little rest, also. However, circumstances forced him to take the field again after only a few days of repose. This time he moved against Safed, an inaccessible fortress surrounded by deep ravines, and it was more than a month before this capitulated. It was now December and the unceasing rains had converted the roads and fields into muddy swamps, but Saladin, smarting under the repulse at Tyre and other recent interferences with his purposes, was unaffected by the unfriendliness of Nature, Personally he supervised the setting up of the mangonels and his secretary records his refusal to go to sleep one stormy night until he had seen these placed where he wished them. From Safed he passed over the mountain plateau to Belvoir for the second time, surrounding the fortress with light armed troops and pressing so closely that the bolts and arrows of the defenders were flying about him. The camp was in an exposed position,