against the Turkish arms; and he besought Mustapha to intrust
him with the conduct of the assault that was to be made on Fort St.
Michael. The Turkish general, not unwilling that the presumptuous young
chief should himself prove the temper of the Maltese swords, readily
gave him the command, and the day was fixed for the attack.

[Sidenote: STORMING OF ST. MICHAEL.]

Fortunately, at this time, a deserter, a man of some consequence in the
Turkish army, crossed over to Il Borgo, and acquainted the grand-master
with the designs of the enemy. La Sangle was defended on the north, as
already noticed, by a strong iron chain, which, stretching across the
Port of Galleys at its mouth, would prevent the approach of boats in
that direction. La Valette now caused a row of palisades to be sunk in
the mud, at the bottom of the harbor, in a line extending from the
extreme point of La Sangle to the foot of Mount Coradin. These were
bound together by heavy chains, so well secured as to oppose an
effectual barrier to the passage of the Turkish flotilla. The length of
this barricade was not great. But it was a work of much difficulty,--not
the less so that it was necessary to perform it in the night, in order
to secure the workmen from the enemy's guns. In little more than a week,
it was accomplished. Mustapha sent a small body of men, excellent
swimmers, armed with axes, to force an opening in the barrier. They had
done some mischief to the work, when a party of Maltese, swimming out,
with their swords between their teeth, fell on the Turks, beat them off,
and succeeded in restoring the palisades.[1339]

Early in the morning, on the fifteenth of July, two cannon in the
Ottoman lines, from opposite sides of the Great Port, gave the signal
for the assault. Hassem prepared to lead it, in person, on the land
side. The attack by water he intrusted to an Algerine corsair, his
lieutenant. Before the report of the cannon had died away, a great
number of boats were seen by the garrison of St. Michael putting off
from the shore. They were filled with troops, and among these, to judge
from their dress, were many persons of condition. The account is given
by the old soldier so often quoted, who, stationed on the bastion of the
Spur, had a full view of the enemy. It was a gay spectacle, these Moslem
chiefs, in their rich Oriental costumes, with their gaudy-colored
turbans, and their loose, flowing mantles of crimson, or of cloth of
gold and silver