Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/501

Rh was to him as kindred, and that he did not mourn the loss of his nephew more than that of any other knight who had fallen.

Whilst the besieged were being reduced to this pitiable condition the position of Mustapha was but little better. The incessant attacks he had persisted in making had, it is true, harassed the besieged beyond all endurance, but their constant failure at the same time produced the worst possible effect upon his own troops. He had lost the flower of his army, partly on those deadly breaches, which they had in vain endeavoured to storm, and partly by a pestilence which had latterly raged with the most frightful violence throughout their camp. The power of the sun in Malta during the month of July is very great, and at all times likely to produce disease unless the most stringent sanitary precautions are insisted on. The Turkish camp had remained stationary for nearly two months, and, as is well known, the habits of Easterns are not sufficiently cleanly to stave off sickness under such conditions. It is not, therefore, to be wondered at that by the time August had been reached a very large proportion of the force was laid low. Further, their ammunition was running short, and a scarcity of provisions had long been felt. It appears strange that with so large a fleet as that which Piali had at his command, they should have found any difficulty in maintaining their communications with the African coast, but certain it is that whilst the ships were lying in idleness in the Marsa Muscetto, Sicilian cruisers were permitted constantly to intercept supplies. The only explanation possible for this anomaly seems to be that the Turkish commander lived in perpetual dread of the arrival of such a powerful succouring force from Sicily as might necessitate his abandonment of the siege. He did not, therefore, wish to run the risk of having his retreat cut off by such an event taking place during the absence of any considerable number of his galleys.

Long and anxious consultations were held between Mustapha and Piali. The former, who felt that his reputation—nay, most probably even his life—depended upon the successful issue of the enterprise, strongly urged that the army should, if necessary, winter upon the island; but Piali declared that he