Page:The Fall of Constantinople.djvu/366

 348 THE FALL OF CONSTANTINOPLE. which had been devastated by the fire. On the morning of An assault is ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^® ships, drawn lip in the order I have de- made, scribed, passed over from the north to the south side of the harbor. The Crusaders landed in many places, and attacked from a narrow strip of the land between the walls and the water. Then the assault began in terrible ear- nest along the whole line. Amid the din of the imperial trumpets and drums the attackers endeavored to undermine the walls, while others kept up a continual rain of arrows, bolts, and stones. The ships had been covered with planks and skins so as to defend them from the stones and from the fa- mous Greek fire, and, thus protected, pushed boldly up to the walls. The transports soon advanced to the front, and were ^able to get so near the walls that the attacking parties on the gangways or platforms, flung out once more from the ships' tops, were able to cross lances with the defenders of the walls and towers.' The attack took place at upwards of a hundred points until noon, or, according to JSTicetas, until evening. Both parties fought well. The invaders were repulsed. Those who had landed were driven back, and amid the shower of stones were unable to remain on shore. The invaders lost more than the defenders. The heightening of the walls had made their capture more difficult than at the previous attack. Before night a portion of the vessels had retired out of range of the mangonels, while another portion remained at anchor and continued to keep up a continual fire against those on the walls. The first day's attack had failed. The leaders of both Crusaders and Venetians withdrew Retreat to their forccs to the Galata side. The assault had Gaiata. failed, and it became necessary at once to determine upon their next step. The same evening a parliament was hastily called together. Once more, in the presence of defeat, the old differences showed themselves. Some advised that the ^ The author of the " Devastatio " and Robert de Clari speak enthusi- astically of the ingenuity of the Venetians, as shown in the construction of these i)latform3 or scalas, and of the other machinery for attack.