Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/388

358 were completely commanded by the guns of the town, and as, from the rapid manner in which the operation was pushed forward, it became evident that something of more than ordinary importance was contemplated, every battery which could be brought to bear on them was called into requisition, and the losses consequently sustained by the unfortunate pioneers were prodigious. Heaps of slain marked the rise of the structures, but as Solyman held the lives of these wretched peasants in no esteem, the labour was pushed forward with undiminished energy. In spite of every effort on the part of the defence, the mounds continued to rise higher and higher until at length they dominated over the ramparts in their front, and exposed the defenders to a galling fire from their summit. It is rather curious to see how differently the same events are described by the two sides. This is what the Turkish historian, Ahmed Hafiz, says on the subject:—“Mehmed pasha, without loss of time, directed Mustapha pasha to have a number of sand-bags filled, and to have them piled up as close as possible to the fortress in order to raise redoubts, which should reach the height of the crest of those works, for in this manner only did he hope to be able to carry them. The infidels, doubtless understanding the design, concentrated all their fire on the workmen, but their shot had no effect in the soft earth, killing, it is true, some persons, but not damaging the mounds, which soon reached the level of the parapets, so that the defenders could no longer man them with impunity.” It is easy to see from this description that the slaughter of the Wallachian peasants made no impression on the mind of the historian—some persons, it is true, were killed, but the raising of the mounds was the main object, and that was not impeded.

Meanwhile a heavy fire was brought to bear against the tower of St. Nicholas and the post of Auvergne, but without success. The artillery directed against the besieging batteries by the skill of Martinigo, utterly annihilated their efficiency. A more general distribution of the besiegers’ guns was then decided on, and for a whole month the air resounded with the roar of the cannonade, which in all directions was being concentrated upon the devoted town. The bastions of St. Mary and Italy soon began to show signs of the vigour with which they were