HISTORY OF MALTA.

129

The blockade, indeed, had not commenced quite fourmonths when they were forced to have recourse to all the aboveexpedients ; and the inhabitants of the city already began to in-spire the greatest pity, “ their countenances, indeed, bore marks“ of the misery to ivhich they were exposed And so heart-rending was the spectacle of their distress, that it even seemedfor a moment to affect the most zealous partisans of the revolu-tion, who shewed some signs of repentance for having beenthe authors of such accumulated misfortunes. But this firstemotion of sensibility w'as presently stifled, and they not onlyreproached themselves with having indulged such feelings, but“ used all their endeavours to banish every sentiment of com-“ passion from their bosoms/’ They therefore approved andapplauded all the different operations of the French, and tor-tured their imaginations to suggest to them all the variousmethods of extortion which might tend to prolong the holding-out of the place, and consequently encrease the misery anddespair of those who unfortunately were shut up in it.

The Maltese resident in the country took advantage ofthe dreadful situation of the inhabitants of the city, to forma plan which was kept secret with the greatest care, andwhich was only discovered on the day fixed for its execution,and that by a very extraordinary circumstance.

A small Genoese vessel brought intelligence of the king

-* See Ransijat, page 23.

VOL. III.