TO WORKMEN AND HEROES bly could to make the march more difficult ; however, though they tried both fair means and foul, their evil practices resulted in their own defeat, and the Ori- ental Christians soon found they had every reason to congratulate themselves upon the arrival of such a champion. The fanaticism of a Turkish prisoner, who, acting as guide, wilfully sacrificed his life in order to mislead Frederick's army, involved the Germans in almost endless troubles by taking them amidst pathless mountains, where the horrors of starvation and the entire lack of water added yet more miseries to their condi tion. Brave where all were despairing, encouraging his men with cheering words and hopeful looks, their gallant old leader rode on, and footsore, half-starved, thirsty, and wretched as they were, the men tried, though tears of agony filled their eyes, to raise the notes of their Swabian war-song to please him. Frederick, Duke of Swabia, hastened forward with half the remaining army, and gaining a victory over a body of Turks, pushed on till he came to the town of Iconium ; when, scattering the enemy before him, he put the inhabitants to the sword, gained a great booty, and, more than all, food, drink, and rest for his weary men. A body of Turks had meanwhile crept round the town, and surrounded the columns which were advancing under Barbarossa ; worn out with sorrow, hun- ger, and thirst, even his courage gave way for one moment, as he thought that this band of Turks had only, in all probability, reached him by passing over the dead bodies of his brave son and the gallant Swabians ; the aged monarch bowed his head, and the scorching tears of rage ran down his cheeks ; then dashing his hand across his eyes, he cried : " Christ still lives ! Christ conquers ! " and shouting to his followers, they fell on the Turks like lions ; Barbarossa with his own hand sending many a one to his last sleep. Then they marched forward to Iconium, where rest and plenty awaited them, and where the old emperor doubtless found much cause for thankfulness when he threw himself into the arms of his brave son. At Iconium the army stayed for some time, the soldiers being in sad need of repose ; and then starting afresh, continued as far as the little river Saleph ; when, the road being encumbered with cattle, and the emperor impatient of de- lay, he commanded his men to cross the stream and plunged into the water. Here this hero of -many combats, this brave and wise king, was destined to end his long life in an obscure river, of which he had probably never heard ; the cur- rent was too strong for his horse, and, nobly as the animal battled against it, both rider and steed were drowned. The Germans, almost frantic with grief and dismay, made frenzied efforts to regain the body of their leader ; and, when at last they succeeded, they conveyed it with much loving care to Antioch, where it was buried in St. Peter's Church. With the history of the crusade after the death of our hero, we have nothing to do further than to say that his son, Frederick, took the chief command and led the brave followers of his gallant father until a pestilence occasioned his death at Acre, in the following year, when the remnant of the once formidable army re- turned to Germany. How Barbarossa still lingers in the hearts of his people even now, when all
