As soon as the crusading army had taken up its position at Gyrolemna, the Greeks within the city sought to harass them. Their efforts, however, were feeble. Several sorties were made under the command of Theodore Lasearis, son-in- law of the Emperor. The Crusaders enclosed their camp with palisades until their preparations were completed. In the meantime the Venetians had drawn up their fleet in such a manner as best to co-operate with the army.
On the 17th of July everything was prepared for an assault. Three out of the seven divisions guarded the camp under the leadership of Boniface, while the remaining four made the attack under the orders of Baldwin. The outside wall, an outwork of the imperial palace, near if not actually on the sea, was defended partly by Pisan auxiliaries, but mainly by the Waring guard, les Anglois et les Danois, as the Western his- The first attorns call them. This was the position first attack is made, backed by the army. Two scaling-ladders, or probably wide platforms, were thrown against the wall. The assault was "fort et bon et dur," and by sheer force fifteen of the boldest among the Flemings managed to win a position on the wall. There they fought shoulder to shoulder with their swords against men of their own race armed with Danish bills. The struggle on the wall was fierce. The warings steadily recovered ground, drove their daring assailants back, and captured two of them. The Crusaders were not able again to gain even a temporary foothold on the walls. The first attack had failed on the landward side.
The brave Dandolo
On the seaward side the Venetians were more successful. The brave Dandolo, old and blind, the gonfalon of St. Mark flying proudly over his head, directed the attack from his own galley. No precaution that long experience could suggest was neglected by him. The ships had been carefully cased and covered with raw hides so as to resist the famous Greek fire. Scaling-ladders, or rather bridges, had been provided in great numbers, which could reach from the ships' cross-trees to the walls. These were formed of the ships' yards, with sails and skins, so completely protecting the fighters that it wTas almost impossible for arrows to reach them. They were so wide that three knights could advance abreast.
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