Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/440

408 June, 1550, and, after a desperate resistance, ended in its capture. As it was not intended to hold the place, the fortifications were destroyed and the post abandoned.

This success, in which the knights had the principal share, brought down on them the anger of the sultan, and he forthwith began to prepare an expedition for the purpose of driving them from Malta. Neither time nor means were available for D’Omedes to place the island in a proper state of defence. When, therefore, the Turkish fleet under Dragut anchored off the Marsa Muscetto on the 16th July, 11, very few additions had been made to the feeble fortifications with which the Bourg and the castle of St. Angelo were protected. The commanders of the Turkish armament landed upon Mount Sceberras, and from that elevated spot surveyed these several works. The natural strength of the position seems to have daunted the Turks, for they abandoned the idea of an assault at that point, and decided instead to commence operations against the Città Notabile. The troops were disembarked and marched directly into the interior, taking with them artillery for the siege of the town. The garrison was not prepared to yield tamely, and stoutly maintained its resistance, although the prospect seemed somewhat desperate. Fortunately intimation reached the Turkish commander that Doria had set sail, with a large fleet, for the relief of the island. This intelligence, which was completely false, so far terrified Dragut, that he decided upon abandoning his attempts on Malta, and reembarked his troops with the utmost expedition. As a last effort, he made a descent upon the island of Gozo, which he ravaged without resistance, the governor, De Lessa, behaving on the occasion with the most abject cowardice.

The descent upon Malta having thus failed, Dragut directed his course towards the city of Tripoli, fully determined to capture and destroy it, so as not to return to Constantinople empty-handed. At this time the governor of Tripoli was a French knight, named Gaspard la Vallier, the marshal of the Order. To the summons of the Turks he returned a disdainful reply, and the siege was commenced in due form. Dragut made the greatest possible efforts, and the works were pushed forward with the most ominous rapidity. Treachery within the