Ascalon. He therefore sent forwards two hundred cavalry, to spy out the road and the position of the enemy : but when they had proceeded a little way, they found some herds of oxen, horses, and camels, with herdsmen in charge, all of whom, as well as the cavalry who were guarding them, fled as soon as our men approached, leaving the flocks and herds to shift for themselves. Some of them, however, were captured, and information was gained from them concerning the designs of the enemy, that their commander-in-chief, who was now seven miles off, proposed after two days to advance and destroy our army. The Christians were about twelve hundred knights, and foot-soldiers about six thousand, who now, in confidence of victory, drew up their men in nine divisions, three of which were posted in front, three in the centre, and three in the rear, that the enemy if they penetrated through the first and second divisions in any part, might find another line ready to receive them. The spoil which they had just secured was very great, and they passed the night where they were with much joy; but in the morning they were summoned by the trumpet to make ready for battle, and, commending themselves to God, and trusting wholly to him, they marched forward, as one man, to meet the enemy. A s the legions therefore thus advanced in military order and with steady march to battle, they beheld the cattle, by some divine impulse, as it is believed, with tails and horns erected, accompany the troops in line on the right hand and on the left, and no force could prevent them. The enemy, beholding this from the distance, in the dazzling light of the sun, were already discouraged before the battle began, for they thought the Christian army to be immense, though they had a large number of men on their own side. Robert duke of Normandy, also, who was the leader and standardbearer of the Christians, performed an exploit, which cannot be too much extolled; for seeing in the distance the standard of Admiravisus, having a golden apple on the top of a lance which shone with silver plating, and supposing that Admiravisus himself was there, he charged upon him through the midst of the enemy, and gave him a mortal wound, thereby causing no little terror to the gentiles.