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 352 DESTEUCTION OF THE GEEEK EMPIEE upon the events he narrates, Justiniani had so conducted himself that, until he was wounded, every one looked to him for the salvation of the city, and upon his quitting the battle- field the courage of those whom he led failed them. Whatever hypothesis as to the character of his wound be accepted, whether when urged by the emperor he could have remained or not, his departure was an irretrievable misfortune. Few as were the defenders when compared with the great host attacking, they had never altogether lost hope. The Podesta of Galata, writing within a month of the capture of the city, declares that he and the Genoese longed for the general attack, because victory for the Christians appeared certain. 1 On the other hand, there is reason to believe that the besiegers were far from confident of being able to capture it. There was, as we have seen, a strong peace party in Mahomet's camp headed by Halil Pasha. The reports were well founded of a fleet in the Archipelago on its way to the city. Thirty ships sent by the pope had arrived at Chios and were awaiting favourable winds at the time they heard of the success of Mahomet. 2 There were rumours of a Hungarian army coming to attack them in the rear. The emperor had promised to give Selymbria to Hunyadi in return for his aid. Some inkling of the arrangement may have reached the sultan. The king of Catalonia had made an agreement with Constantine in return for the island of Lemnos. 3 It is in the highest degree 1 P. 647 ; ' on the 29th of last month,' ' Qua die expectabamus cum desi- derio quia videbatur nobis habere certam victoriam.' 2 Crit. ch. lxx. Pusculus gives a somewhat different account (iv. 1025) : Auxilium Deus ipse negavit ; In Tenedi portu nam tempestatibus actae Stabant bis denae naves, quas Gnosia tellus, Quae Venetum imperium Rhadamanti legibus audit Omissis, plenas frumento et frugibus, inde Bis quinas Veneti mittebant Marte triremes Instructas, urbi auxilio Danaisque ; sed omnes Mensem unum adverso tenuerunt sidere portum ; Nec prius inde datum est se de statione movere Quam Teucri capiant urbem regemque trucident. 3 Phrantzes, p. 327.