Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/389

Rh being attacked. At the former a new rampart had been constructed, covering the old one, and this it was which gave way. The older escarp in its rear proved the better defence, and resisted the pounding of the hostile guns long after the other had been breached into ruins.

Wherever the works showed signs of yielding to the cannonade, the unflagging energy of the defenders was called into play to repair the damages almost as rapidly as they were caused. In all directions new ditches were sunk, and behind them retrenchments were raised within the vulnerable points. Solyman at length perceived that with antagonists such as these, a simple war of artillery might last for ever. He determined, therefore, on pushing forward his attack upon different principles, and in accordance with the advice of his most trusted generals, he had recourse to mining. Shafts were sunk in various directions, and galleries driven forward beneath the principal bastions. Martinigo had foreseen the probability of this mode of approach, and the numerous countermines which he had prepared before the commencement of the siege materially assisted him in opposing it. By the simple aid of the distended parchment of a drum he was able to detect the vicinity of the enemy’s miners through the vibration of the earth, and took his defensive measures accordingly.

Unfortunately, two galleries which had been driven beneath the bastion of St. Mary, eluded his vigilance, and the first warning the defenders of that post received was an explosion which threw down the entire salient of the work. A battalion of Turks, which had been drawn up within their trenches, as soon as they heard the crash which betokened the downfall of the rampart, dashed forward with a wild shout of triumph, and mounting the still smoking breach, gained the summit before the defenders had recovered sufficient presence of mind to withstand the onslaught. Here they planted their victorious standard, and flushed with success, pushed forward with redoubled ardour to secure the remainder of the work. They were, however, brought to a check by the retrenchment, behind which the knights, now recovered from their momentary confusion, opposed a steady and obstinate resistance. At this critical juncture the Grand-Master made his appearance on the