HISTORY OP MALTA.

77

dience, and refused to return to the convent, declaring, for excuse,that they were determined to perish at their posts, and die in thebed of honour. They therefore continued constantly under arms ;and with faces scorched and absolutely disfigured by the sun, theserespectable knights, decrepid as they were, employed themselves incarrying earth to the places which it was necessary to fortify, and inadministering relief to the other knights, whose confined situationrendered them liable to be wounded every moment.

The infidels, insensible to the losses they continually sustained,pursued their attack with unexampled ardour; and the garrison,perceiving the ravelin taken, the whole fort exposed, the greatestpart of the artillery dismounted, the ramparts in ruins, with veryfew soldiers to defend them, deputed Medran, a knight greatlyesteemed for his valour, and whose report could never be suspectedeither of exaggeration or of proceeding from a sentiment of fear, towait on the grand-master, and represent to him, that such was thedeplorable state of the place, that it must necessarily be taken bystorm ; and, to prevent the garrison undergoing the same fate, theyrequested boats might be sent to convey them to the Burgh. Thesituation of St. Elmo being perfectly well known to the council, thegreater part of the members were of opinion, that it would be moreprudent to evacuate so very weak a fort, which cost the lives of somany men, and which, by such constant supplies, would by de-grees exhaust the island, and leave all the fortresses without de-fence. These reasons, just as they were, did not convince La Va-lette. He owned, indeed, that it was impossible not to feel the