Tothesediscouragingcausesoflosswastobeaddedtheswordoftheenemy。Saladin，thanwhomnogreaternameisrecordedinEasternhistory，hadlearnt，tohisfatalexperience，thathislight-armedfollowerswerelittleabletomeetincloseencounterwiththeiron-cladFranks，andhadbeentaught，atthesametime，toapprehendanddreadtheadventurouscharacterofhisantagonistRichard。Butifhisarmiesweremorethanonceroutedwithgreatslaughter，hisnumbersgavetheSaracentheadvantageinthoselighterskirmishes，ofwhichmanywereinevitable。
Asthearmyofhisassailantsdecreased，theenterprisesoftheSultanbecamemorenumerousandmoreboldinthisspeciesofpettywarfare。ThecampoftheCrusaderswassurrounded，andalmostbesieged，bycloudsoflightcavalry，resemblingswarmsofwasps，easilycrushedwhentheyareoncegrasped，butfurnishedwithwingstoeludesuperiorstrength，andstingstoinflictharmandmischief。Therewasperpetualwarfareofpostsandforagers，inwhichmanyvaluableliveswerelost，withoutanycorrespondingobjectbeinggained；convoyswereintercepted，andcommunicationswerecutoff。TheCrusadershadtopurchasethemeansofsustaininglifebylifeitself；andwater，likethatofthewellofBethlehem，longedforbyKingDavid，oneofitsancientmonarchs，wasthen，asbefore，onlyobtainedbytheexpenditureofblood。
Theseevilswere，inagreatmeasure，counterbalancedbythesternresolutionandrestlessactivityofKingRichard，who，withsomeofhisbestknights，waseveronhorseback，readytorepairtoanypointwheredangeroccurred，andoftennotonlybringingunexpectedsuccourtotheChristians，butdiscomfitingtheinfidelswhentheyseemedmostsecureofvictory。ButeventheironframeofCurdeLioncouldnotsupport，withoutinjury，thealternationsoftheunwholesomeclimate，joinedtoceaselessexertionsofbodyandmind。HebecameafflictedwithoneofthoseslowandwastingfeverspeculiartoAsia，and，indespiteofhisgreatstrength，andstillgreatercourage，grewfirstunfittomountonhorseback，andthenunabletoattendthecouncilsofwarwhichwere，fromtimetotime，heldbytheCrusaders。
ItwasdifficulttosaywhetherthisstateofpersonalinactivitywasrenderedmoregallingormoreendurabletotheEnglishmonarch，bytheresolutionofthecounciltoengageinatruceofthirtydayswiththeSultanSaladin；for，ontheonehand，ifhewasincensedatthedelaywhichthisinterposedtotheprogressofthegreatenterprise，hewas，ontheother，somewhatconsoledbyknowingthatotherswerenotacquiringlaurelswhileheremainedinactiveuponasick-bed。
That，however，whichCurdeLioncouldleastexcuse，wasthegeneralinactivitywhichprevailedinthecampoftheCrusaders，sosoonashisillnessassumedaseriousaspect；andthereportswhichheextractedfromhisunwillingattendantsgavehimtounderstand，thatthehopesofthehosthadabatedinproportiontohisillness，andthattheintervaloftrucewasemployed，notinrecruitingtheirnumbers，reanimatingtheircourage，fosteringtheirspiritofconquest，andpreparingforaspeedyanddeterminedadvanceupontheHolyCity，whichwastheobjectoftheirexpedition，butinsecuringthecampoccupiedbytheirdiminishedfollowers，withtrenches，palisades，andotherfortifications，asifpreparingrathertorepelanattackfromapowerfulenemysosoonashostilitiesshouldrecommence，thantoassumetheproudcharacterofconquerorsandassailants。