Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/468

434 Elmo would on that clay have fallen. D’Eguaras, Medrano, and other knights ‘had, on the first sound of the tumult, hurried to the scene of action, and by their exertions eventually succeeded in preventing the enemy from penetrating into the fort. The most powerful efforts were made on either side, the knights striving to retake the ravelin, the Turks to push their advantage still further. Both were, however, unsuccessful. In spite of the most desperate sallies, aided by the fire of two guns which were brought to bear on the outwork, the Turks established a lodgment in the ravelin, but were unable to gain any further ground.

One body of the assailants having thus, at a fearful cost of life, secured a great advantage, the next morning another detachment, stimulated by that success, rushed into the ditch and made a most determined effort to carry the fort itself by esealade. This was an operation not likely to succeed against such men as those who were maintaining St. Elmo. The ladders, moreover, were too short to reach the crest; yet still they struggled on with the most invincible resolution. I-Tore and there a Turk, more daring and more agile than his fellows, would obtain a momentary footing on the parapet, but before his comrades could come to his assistance, he was invariably hurled headlong down. Boiling pitch and wildfire streamed upon the mass congregated in the ditch; huge rocks were hurled upon them, and all the savage ferocity of war was let loose. The castle of St. Angelo was thronged with anxious spectators, eagerly straining their eyes to discover the issue of the fight. Amidst the roar of artillery, the volleys of arquehuses, the screams, shouts, and yells of the combatants, little could be distinguished to mark how the tide of battle turned, as a dense canopy of smoke hung over the fort, rent at intervals by the flashes of the guns, but obscuring from sight all that was taking place. It was not until the sun had declined far towards the west that they were enabled to understand the real state of things. The Turkish standard was then seen waving over the captured ravelin, whilst, on the other hand, the White Cross banner still floated over the fort and cavalier. Finding all efforts to carry the work unavailing, a retreat was sounded, and the Turks withdrew sullenly to their trenches. The gain of the ravelin was,