40
HISTORY OF MALTA.
The presence of Villegagnon produced as great an effect asthe arrival of a strong; re-inforcement. All the inhabitants, withthe country people, solemnised his entry by exclamations of joyand discharges of musquetry. These demonstrations struck theenemy with terror; which M as still heightened by their having re-ceived false advice that a Christian fleet was at sea and makingsail towards Malta.
Sinam issued orders for his troops to re-embark ; but, that itmight not be said his expedition entirely failed, the troops deter-mined to attempt a descent upon Goza, which succeeded, owing tothe cowardice of the governor—the only instance of the kind whichhad ever happened in the order. One English cavalier alone firedupon the Turks; but this brave man being killed by a shot from theenemy’s battery, no one had sufficient courage to take his place.
The commandant of Goza, named Galation, made known tothe bashaw his readiness to capitulate; but proposing such honour-able terms as could only be granted to those who had made aglorious defence, they were rejected with contempt. Sinam gaveliberty to only forty persons; and Galation had not only de-manded his own, but that of two hundred inhabitants chosen byhimself.
The Turks immediately entered the castle, and at the sametime pillaged the governor’s apartments; he himself being obliged tocarry some of his furniture upon his back on board the infidels’ships. He was then stripped of his clothes, and bound like a slave.Six thousand Christians, of all ages, and both sexes, were, through