62 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book iv.

Moslem fleet—the idea being, that when these lightvessels had essayed and forced the passage, thenthe heavy should enter and choose their stations—firing at St. Elmo as they passed, and landing themaritime to join them to the land forces, andadvance all together to storm the Giaours in theircastle. Thus like a thick forest was the sea at theharbour’s mouth. Towards sunset, and during partof the night, the galleys proceeded to hatter themark, for the purpose of keeping the besieged with-out repose, and have them weary when the realassault should begin. About two hours before day-break, was heard a single loud voice, and clearsinging out of certain words in a foreign tongue,to which the whole army replied in a low murmur;and we learn from persons practised in their rites,that it was a delegate from the Grand Mufti, theirHigh Priest, making a kind of confession in thename of all, and after it an absolution, explainingthe happiness of a future existence, according tothe Koran’s promises, to all who intrepidly advanceto death in support of the law of Mahomet. Nexta long profound silence, during which they rein-forced with four thousand harquebussiers all thetrenches of the counterscarp quite round, andravelin, both in front and towards MarsaMuschietto,as well as the part near the spur of the Cavalier.