Captured at Tripoli: A Tale of Adventure

by Percy F. Westerman

But the voyage ended disastrously, all the ships being wrecked on the western shore of the Red Sea. For a long time the devoted band remained in the professedly Christian country of Abyssinia, till, influenced by a monk, they set out on a march to the interior, with the object of regaining the sea at the Pillar of Hercules.

After many privations the adventurers found themselves on the plateau of Khir. There, according to a vision that appeared to Peter the Monk, the march came to an end, until the signs at which Sir Jehan's attendant had hinted appeared.

Fairly accurate records had been kept of the history of the State of Croixilia, and according to the manuscripts there was an almost constant warfare between the Moslems and the Christians from the middle of the fourteenth century down to the present date. Nevertheless, the city of Charleton—named after its founder, Sir Charles de Wyke—was built and put into a good state of defence.

The Croixilians were divided into three classes: the knights—the direct descendants of the three leaders of the expedition—whose distinctive mark was the double-lined cross; the commoners, comprised of tradesmen, farmers, and artisans, all trained to the use of arms, their badge being the simple cross; and the serfs, who wore the letter T. This latter class was formed of persons who by sloth or by crime against individuals in the State had forfeited their rights of free citizenship. Knights and commoners found guilty after a fair trial by their peers were relegated to this class, and on them the menial work of the State devolved. Once a serf, there was no chance of being restored to the former classes, unless through some valiant deed of arms. The outward sign of the serfs signified that a portion of the cross, representing honourable citizenship, had been taken away from them, leaving only the T-shaped device. A few crimes against the State—such as treason and rebellion—were punishable by death, as well as wilful murder, apostasy, and blasphemy. With these exceptions there was but one punishment for civil offences—a lifelong serfdom.

Thrice it was recorded that the Arabs succeeded in entering the town, and that on each occasion they met with a severe reverse in the streets between the battlemented houses, the last being in 1617. But since the use of firearms by the Arabs the scale was slowly turning in their favour. The Croixilians found that armour and personal courage were alike hopeless in an encounter in the open, and only the massive walls of the city prevented the extermination of the State at the hands of the Mohammedans.

Curiously enough, Croixilia made little progress compared with her parent nation. This was, as Reeves had suggested, owing to a lack of intercourse with other peoples. Firearms the men could not understand, printing was unknown, the domestic arts and crafts were still mediaeval. In short, the State was almost exactly in the same position as England was in the twelfth century—steeped in superstition and prejudice.

Yet it was kept fully alive by its military organization. Every man could use some weapon. The knights relied upon lance, sword, and mace; the commoners were expert in the use of the crossbow, longbow, and sword; while the serfs were armed with spears and short swords.

A few weeks prior to the Englishmen's arrival, a powerful combination of the Arab tribes lying to the east and west of Croixilia had threatened the city, and outposts were formed on all sides. The north side was fairly secure from assault, owing to the natural defences afforded by the river and the "plain of pitfalls", but in order to be warned of a possible junction of the enemy on that side, the Croixilian outposts had been advanced well into the desert; and it was at this station that the English fugitives had fallen in with Garth and his comrades.

For the next week or two Reeves and the two lads were received in daily audience by Sir Jehan, who began to realize that their knowledge of the modern science of war was an asset that would be of immense value to him in the threatened invasion.

For his part, Reeves readily consented to do his best for his entertainer. He realized that, with the Arabs holding the western plains, any attempt to follow the river would be hopeless; and until the way was clear it would be well to remain in comparative security in Charleton, rather than risk a tedious journey through an unknown and hostile country.