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HISTORY OF MALTA.

demanded the Maltese; but they were never sent back tillthe following year, when their deliverance was owing to theEnglish having returned a prisoner named Mary, the wife ofan officer in the garrison, who was taken on board Le Genereux,and who was sent back in the politest manner the very momentshe was demanded by the French.

The besiegers, encouraged by the presence of their allies,planned an assault on the Cotoner, the fortifications of whichextended so far, that it was not judged easy to secure it froma sudden attack ; but the troops being levied in a mass, andnot holding well together, all their attempts on that side provedabortive.

The French paid the strictest attention to the fortifica-tions, and reduced them into a smaller compass, keeping onlytwo bastions, so situated as to be safe from all attacks, and atthe same time securing themselves a retreat into the secondenclosure of the Cotoner, in case of a reverse of fortune.These works were carried on with the greatest activity, andevery body obliged to assist on the occasion; even the priestswere not exempted, which extremely scandalised the inhabit-ants :• it was indeed some time before they could obtain per-mission to quit their employment. This was also the case withthe richest people in the city, who, how T ever, were afterwardsallowed to send others to replace them.

Though the blockade had only lasted six months, the suf-ferings of the people were incredible; and were I to relate the

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