They arrived there about the middle of July.[22] In the environs of this city, doubtless, Brother Elias had been established for one or two years.

Francis there told off a few of his companions, whom he sent to preach in divers directions, and a few days afterward he himself set out for Egypt, where all the efforts of the Crusaders were concentrated upon Damietta.
From the first he was heart-broken with the moral condition of the Christian army.

Notwithstanding the presence of numerous prelates and of the apostolic legate, it was disorganized for want of discipline.

He was so affected by this that when there was talk of battle he felt it his duty to advise against it, predicting that the Christians would infallibly be beaten.

No one heeded him, and on August 29th the Crusaders, having attacked the Saracens, were terribly routed.[23] His predictions won him a marvellous success.