and fmall grains than with any thing elfe. Thé oranges were of the greateft fervice, by the re-frefliment they afforded ; but, whatever veflel came to them, none returned, for fear of meet-ing the Saracens at fea, and becaufe they wifhed to wait the event of the fiege, and fee whether the Chriftians would conquer the town. - The young king Lewis of Sicily exerted him-felf, in order that his fubje&s fhould carry a con-fiant, fupply of provifion to them, for he was their neareft neighbour. It was fortunate the Sa* racens were not ftrong enough at fea to present the veflels coming from the ports of Sicily and. Naples, or they would have conquered them without ftriking a blow. They therefore content-ed themfelves with keeping the Chriftians under perpetual alarms on land. The Saracens have not a large navy like the Genoefe and Venetians ; and what they get at fea is by thievery ; and they never dare wait the at-tack of the Chriftians unlefs they be in very fupe-rior numbers, for a well-armed galley with Chrif-tians will defeat four of fuch enemies. In truth, the Turks are better men at arms by fea and land than any other nation pf unbelievers of our faith-; but they were at too great a diftance from Africa, and the town could not receive any aid from them. The Turks had heard that the town of Africa was befieged by the Chriftians, and had often, but in vain, wifhed to have been there. 211 CHAP»