Page:Destruction of the Greek Empire.djvu/412

 370 DESTBUCTION OF THE GREEK EMPIRE the ships, there was a strong north wind blowing ; for, says Barbaro, ' if there had been a head wind we should have all been made prisoners.' Seven Genoese galleys also got out- side the boom and escaped. 1 The remaining fifteen ships, which belonged to Genoa, and four galleys of the emperor, were taken by the Turks. In Galata. The alarm had spread to Galata, and many of its inhabitants crowded to the shore, praying to be taken on board the Genoese ships. They were ready to barter all they possessed for a passage. Some were captured on their way to the ships : among them, mothers who had deserted their children, children who had been left behind by their parents. Household goods, and even jewels, were abandoned in the mad haste to escape from the terror. The number of fugitives was far in excess of the carrying capacity of the vessels which were hastily preparing to put to sea. Mahomet, according to Ducas, knew of the preparations and flight of many, and ground his teeth with rage because he could do nothing to prevent their escape. Zagan Pasha, to whom the Genoese, when they saw that Constantinople was captured, opened the gates of Galata, 2 seeing the struggling crowd of men, women, and children attempting to get away, and probably fearing that their flight would bring war not only with Genoa but with other "Western powers, went among the fugitives and begged them to remain. He swore by the head of the Prophet that they were safe, that Galata would not be attacked, and that they had nothing to fear, since they had been friendly to Mahomet. If they went away, he declared the sultan would be dangerous in his anger ; whereas if they remained their capitulations would be renewed on even more favourable conditions than they had received from the emperors. In spite of these promises, as many left the city as could. They were hardly in time, because Hamoud, the Turkish admiral, had by this time got his sailors in hand again and, the boom being already opened, entered the harbour and destroyed the Greek ships which remained. 3 1 Ducas says five. 2 Crit. lxvii. 3 Ibid, lxiii.