38 THE IIISTOEY OF THE OEDEE OE [book iv.

could have destroyed all the shipping in the harbourat Malta, and all the works of Borgo.

Sir Melchior, being now better of his wounds,contrived to return to the cavalry at CittaYecchia, and on the very same day, Pasha Pialiapproaching to see the wondrous mounds of earththat in a stony island like Malta, the Turks wereable, in so short a time, to gather and erect aboutSt. Elmo, one of its cannon sent a ball against arock, some of whose splinters wounded him in theface.

But, on Tuesday, the 29th of May, when ourslosing patience at the near blockade, attempted asortie, under Mas and Medrano, what was oursurprise, when the smoke of the artillery blew off,at beholding the counterscarp occupied by theTurks, and ornamented with their banners, allalong its edge! Certainly it was a grievous thoughbeautiful sight! And little by little they built upa wall, at first obstructing the view, and eventuallyenclosing the fortress.

At length arrived Dragut, and the sultan’s firmanwas read out, that, considering the King of Tripoli’sgreat military experience, neither of the pashasshould undertake anything of importance withouthis consent, which naturally tickled the corsair’svanity; and a council of war was held, in which he