The doge and the leaders landed and held a parliament in the Church of San Stefano. Dandolo advised that before any attack was made the fleet should sail some ten miles away to the Princes' Islands, and that a stock of provisions should be gathered from the neighboring coast. The advice was accepted and the leaders embarked once more. In the morning, however, there was a southerly wind which made a journey to the islands dangerous, but which took them pleasantly right under the walls of Constantinople into the Bosphorus.

The walls are built at the water's edge, and were crowded with spectators as the fleet passed. The ships anchored off Chalcedon, probably in front of the present English cemetery. The army disembarked, and formed an encampment upon the Asiatic shore, the city of Constantinople being in full view and only a mile distant. The harvest in the neighboring country had been gathered in, and was at once seized by the Crusaders " comme gens qui en avaient grand besoin." The leaders took possession of a splendid palace belonging to the emperor. On the third day the fleet went a mile farther up the Bosphorus to Scutari and there anchored.

Provisions and make their arrangements

The Crusaders waited nine days in order to take in provisions and make their arrangements for an attack. During this time a skirmish took place on the Asiatic shore with a small body of imperial troops, who were completely routed, and the Crusaders obtained a considerable quantity of booty.

Meantime the emperor was filled with alarm at the arrival of the Venetian fleet and the great Frank army. On the tenth day after their arrival he sent a messenger named Nicholas Roux, a native of Lombardy, across the Bosphorus with letters of credence to the leaders. The barons met in council. The messenger announced that he had been sent by the emperor to learn why they had come into his territory. " You are Christians and he is a Christian. lie knows well that you are on your way to deliver the Holy Land. If you are poor and needy he will willingly give you provisions and what he has, but on condition that you leave his territory. lie has no wish to do you any harm, though he can do it."

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