Manuel was told that the Cumans had crossed the Danube, captured Demnitzikos and were ravaging Byzantine territory. He therefore struck north, ordering ships into the Danube via Anchialos, and went hunting on the nearby plains till they arrived. Suddenly he heard that Cumans with booty from their raid were nearby. He therefore rushed to the river, where he was accused of negligence by a ferryman. This roused him to anger, so that he resolved to punish the Cumans