Page 48 - A Knight of the White Cross

"It is very pleasant to look at," De Lille agreed. "But all this would be a
sore disadvantage to us if the Turks were besieging us, for the groves and

orchards would conceal their approaches, the walls and buildings would
give them shelter, and our cannon would be of little use until they reached

the farther side of the ditch. If the Turks come, I hear it is decided to level
all the buildings and walls, and to chop down every tree."

"If they were to plant their cannon on the hills they would do us much
harm," Gervaise remarked.

"The Turks are clumsy gunners they say," Deauville replied, "and they
would but waste their powder and ball at that distance, without making a

breach in our walls."

"Even if they did, they could surely scarce pass that deep fosse," Gervaise
said, looking down into the tremendous cutting in the solid rock that ran
round the whole circuit of the walls; it was from forty to sixty feet deep,

and from ninety to a hundred and forty feet wide. It was from this great
cutting that the stones for the construction of the walls, towers, and

buildings of the town had been taken, the work having been going on ever
since the knights established themselves at Rhodes, and being performed by
a host of captives taken in war, together with labour hired from neighboring

islands. Upon this immense work the Order had expended no small
proportion of their revenue since their capture of the island in 1310, and the

result was a fortress that, under the conditions of warfare of that age,
seemed almost impregnable; and this without any natural advantage of
position.

In addition to the five great towers or bastions, the wall was strengthened

by square towers at short intervals. On looking down from the wall upon
which the three pages were standing, on to the lower town, the view was a
singular one. The houses were all built of stone, with flat roofs, after the

manner of most Eastern cities. The streets were very narrow, and were
crossed at frequent intervals by broad stone arches. These had the effect,

not only of giving shelter from an enemy's fire, but of affording means by
which troops could march rapidly across the town upon the roofs of the