Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/486

452 nobly fulfilled.” After this stimulating address, a procession was formed to the conventual church of San Lorenzo, and the same solemn scene of consecration was re-enacted which had before been witnessed there.

Whilst these ceremonies marked the festival on the part of the Christians, the camp of the Turks was, on its side, filled with sounds of rejoicing at the victory. The Marsa Muscetto was now open to their fleet, and a long line of galleys, gaily decorated, triumphantly rounded Point Dragut to the strains of martial music resounding from the poops, and came streaming in succession into the newly-acquired haven. The works of St. Elmo were dismantled, and the guns captured on its ramparts despatched to Constantinople as a token of the success that had been achieved.

Mustapha now turned his attention towards the new and far more formidable undertaking which still awaited him. The lines which enclosed the two peninsulas jutting out into the main harbour had been fortified as strongly as time and means would permit. The lengthened period spent by the Turks before St. Elmo had not been passed in idleness by La Valette. Wherever new works could be made to impart additional security to his enceinte he had carried them out. Men and women, high and low, the noble and the peasant, the knight and the private soldier, all had laboured with energy and goodwill at their construction. A floating bridge was thrown across the inlet between the two peninsulas, and thus free communication was established between the Bourg and Senglea. The garrison of the Citt Notabile was reduced by five companies of soldiers, who were called in to aid in the defence of the Bourg, and all private stores and provisions were seised for the public use, the owners being duly compensated from the treasury. It was decreed that no further prisoners should be made, and thus a war à outrance was declared, no quarter being either asked or given. When these instructions reached Città Notabile, where the garrison, from its position in rear of the besiegers had constant facilities for cutting off stragglers, the practice was established of hanging a prisoner every day, and this was continued without intermission until the end of the siege.