Though the fresh night air lessened their fatigue somewhat, it was still very great. The tired soldiers, little refreshed by their short sleep, dragged themselves along with much effort. It was so dark they could not distinguish the rough places in the road. Their weary feet continually slipped and those on foot repeatedly fell, while horses stumbled over roots of trees and other obstacles. The farther they went the more unmistakable were the evidences that the Turks were aware of their movements and were on the alert themselves. Those in the advance had to look out for themselves as best they could, but even after the utmost precautions many horses were badly wounded and some of the poorly protected foot-soldiers were killed. The real fighting began when the first valley was reached. The knights fought with all their remaining strength, and many a Turk, brought to bay, was slain. They entered the narrow pass, where Raymond had made his victorious fight, with grave apprehensions. The Turks in small bands disputed every inch of the ground with dogged pertinacity, while others concealed behind rocks and thickets, sent showers of arrows into their ranks. The knights in the advance protected themselves with their shields; but the arrows fell like hail into the dense mass of those behind them, and it was only here and there that they escaped injury by holding their halberds obliquely. Most of the arrows, however, reached the mark only too surely. They hugged the rocky walls upon which the enemy were standing, as closely as possible, and held up broken branches for their protection. Many of those who neglected such precautions were wounded.