dom. Troops were enlisted in Italy, Sicily, and elsewhere. Arms, ammunition, and supplies of food were transported to Malta by the ships of the Order, and urgent appeals were sent to the Christian sovereigns of Europe for aid in the defence of this outpost and bulwark of Christendom. But, as usual, the people of the various European countries were too much occupied with their own immediate and national interests to take much heed to the appeals of La Valette, and the dangers which menaced the Christian religion. France was occupied with civil war, Catholic against Huguenot; Germany was divided against itself, and could not act in unison; England, under Elizabeth, was ready to enter into alliance with the Mahometans rather than with any one who was in communion with the Pope; and Philip II. of Spain was so dilatory and cautious that his aid came too late to be of any use. A general chapter of the Order was called, and about 500 knights were present. The Grand Master addressed them as follows: "A formidable army and an infinite multitude of barbarians are coming to thunder down upon us; they are the enemies of Jesus Christ; it is our business to stand up manfully in defence of the faith; and if the Gospel must submit to the Koran on this occasion, then the life which we have each devoted to God by our profession is demanded of us; thrice happy they who shall first fall a sacrifice to so good a cause! But in order to make ourselves worthy of that honour, let us go, my brethren, to the altar, there to renew our vows, and partake of the blessed Sacrament, and let the Blood of the Saviour of mankind inspire us with such a noble contempt of death as can alone make us invincible." It was in this spirit that the Knights of St. John prepared to meet their enemies, and the enemies of the religion of Jesus Christ. The number of the forces under the command of the Grand Master, when the siege actually began, is variously stated by different authorities; but probably Vertot is not far wrong when he says that there were seven hundred knights, besides serving brothers, and eight thousand five hundred rank and file. The principal port of Malta, now called Valetta, after the noble Grand Master who so nobly conducted its defence, was divided into two unequal parts by a promontory, upon the extremity of which the strong fortress of St. Elmo had been built. There were also two other forts, St. Angelo and La Sangle, within the greater harbour; and a third, called St. Michael, made up the principal defences of the place. A huge chain, supported on empty casks and timbers, was drawn across the mouth of the harbour. Admiral de Monte, with the Italian knights, undertook the defence of La Sangle. The Knights of Aragon, Navarre, and Catalonia took charge of the quarter next the gate of Bormola. The Portuguese and German knights, with part of those of Castile, and the one English knight who alone represented his nation, were posted upon the mole towards the town, and extended themselves as far as the ditch of the Castle of St. Angelo. Fifty knights, under the commander Garzeranos, and five hundred soldiers, held the castle. The city, in the centre of the island, was defended by Mesguita, a Portuguese knight. Romegas, who had long distinguished himself by his exploits in the Mediterranean, undertook, with the soldiers and crews of his galleys, to defend the entrance of the larger harbour; while Guiral, a Castilian knight, erected and commanded a battery for the protection of the iron chain across the harbour. Deguerras, Bailiff of Negropont, with sixty other knights, held the Fort of St. Elmo, which was further garrisoned by a considerable body of Spanish troops. The island of Gozo was entrusted to Torreglias, a Majorcan, whose valour and intrepidity had been proved on many occasians; while Copier, a knight of Auvergne, commanded a flying squadron, which was to watch the enemy from the sea, and co-operate with the land forces as opportunity occurred. La Valette himself superintended every part of the defences, visiting every post, giving directions, and encouraging every one by his calm intrepidity and quiet confidence. The island by this time presented a very different appearance from that which it bore when it came into the possession of the Order. Industry and wise culture had done wonders. Earth had been brought and laid upon the rocky terraces; artificial irrigation had been introduced, and an almost tropical verdure clothed the gardens. The results of the labours of these Christian colonists remain even to this day.* But everything else was now obliged to give way to preparations for defence. The aged, and most of the women and children, were shipped off to Sicily, for the enemy was daily expected. CHAPTER XVI. The Turkish fleet arrives at Malta-A knight taken prisoner and tortured-St. Elmo attacked-Critical position-Bloody conflicts -Piety of the garrison-St. Elmo taken-Atrocities committed by the Turks. "All furnished, all in arms, All plumed like estridges that wing the wind; SHAKESPEARE. ON May 18, 1565, the Turkish fleet was discovered bearing down upon the island. It consisted of about one hundred and sixty ships of the largest size, *The late Earl of Carlisle, after visiting both Rhodes and Malta, said, "We are told that when L'Isle Adam and his brave companions first landed on the island of Malta, their spirits sank within them at the contrast its dry and barren surface presented to their delicious lost Rhodes. I have qualified myself for adjudg ing that in most respects the tables are now turned between the two islands, and they certainly afford a very decisive criterion of the results of Turkish and Christian dominion." besides transports and a multitude of smaller vessels. The army numbered thirty thousand men, all seasoned and experienced soldiers, who had already won victories under the standard of the Crescent. The train of siege artillery was of formidable strength, many of the guns being able to throw a marble shot of fifty-six pounds weight, and some even carried shot of one hundred and twelve pounds weight. Solyman had taxed the utmost resources of his empire to fit out this expedition, and everything was the best that money, skill, and labour could produce. After some ineffectual opposition from Copier's squadron, the Turks effected a landing. They were narrowly watched by small detachments hidden among the rocks, and stragglers were speedily cut off. One of these detachments was under the command of a Portuguese knight, named La Riviere. In a skirmish with the enemy this officer was taken prisoner, and immediately carried off to the Turkish commander, who, finding he could get no information from him respecting the strength of the garrison and nature of the fortifications, cruelly put him to the torture. La Riviere bore it for some time with wonderful courage, but at last hit upon the plan of releasing himself by a clever deception. He professed his willingness to give information, and, with every appearance of candour, said that the most likely way to capture Malta would be to attack the fortifications at the post of Castile, where the defences |