Druckschrift 
2 (1805)
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132

HISTORY OF MALTA.

A sword-cutler named Satarivo was to provide poinards andsabres, and others were to procure cartridges. The former, hav-ing revealed many very important circumstances, received apardon ; whilst the commission established to try those who wereaccused of seconding the enterprise condemned forty-three per-sons, all of whom were shot. Eleven of the number were in-habitants of the city. Three hundred of the galley-slaves, too,had been gained over; and there is not the smallest doubt but

that most of the inhabitants would have joined in the insur-

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rection, the consequence of which cannot easily be imagined.The event, how ever, wmuld most probably have been dreadful;for the moment the insurgents in the country had perceivedany commotions in the city, they would have made a ge-neral attack in different parts, scaling ladders having beenprepared for the purpose. Two hundred of them crouchedin the surrounding ditches, with others secreted in the store-houses of the navy, where they had remained twenty-four hours,waited the signal for the onset. The French were too few innumber to make defence at all the different points, and thesmallest advantage gained by their numerous enemies mustinevitably have caused their destruction.

Hie greatest part of those condemned to be shot w r crcof the low est ranks of the people, and not one of them accuseda single noble or Maltese baron of having favoured their de-sign. This sufficiently proves how greatly they must havebeen exasperated, and to what a miserable condition they were