ilapidated works, stood like some warrior stripped of
his armor, his defenceless condition inviting attack, they were in no
heart to make it. As their fire slackened, and their assaults became
fewer and more feeble, the confidence of the Christians was renewed;
until they even cherished the hope of beating off the enemy without the
long-promised succors from Sicily. Fortunately for the honor of Spain,
the chivalry of St. John were not driven to this perilous attempt.

Yielding, at length, to the solicitations of the knights and the
enthusiasm of the army, the viceroy, Don Garcia de Toledo, assembled his
fleet in the port of Syracuse, and on the 25th of August weighed anchor.
The fleet consisted of twenty-eight galleys, and carried eleven thousand
troops, chiefly Spanish veterans, besides two hundred knights of the
order, who had arrived from other lands, in time to witness the closing
scene of the drama. There was also a good number of adventurers from
Spain, France, and Italy, many of them persons of rank, and some of high
military renown, who had come to offer their services to the knights of
Malta, and share in their glorious defence.

Unfortunately, in its short passage, the fleet encountered a violent
gale, which did so much damage, that the viceroy was compelled to return
to Sicily, and repair his galleys. He then put to sea again, with better
fortune. He succeeded in avoiding the notice of the enemy, part of whose
armament lay off the mouth of the Great Port, to prevent the arrival of
succors to the besieged,--and on the 6th of September, under cover of
the evening, entered the Bay of Melecca, on the western side of the
island.[1370]

The next morning, having landed his forces, with their baggage and
military stores, the viceroy sailed again for Sicily, to bring over an
additional reinforcement of four thousand troops, then waiting in
Messina. He passed near enough to the beleaguered fortresses to be
descried by the garrisons, whom he saluted with three salvos of
artillery, that sent joy into their hearts.[1371] It had a very
different effect on the besiegers. They listened with nervous credulity
to the exaggerated reports that soon reached them, of the strength of
the reinforcement landed in the island, by which they expected to be
speedily assaulted in their trenches. Without delay, Mustapha made
preparations for his departure. His heavy guns and camp equipage were
got on board the galleys and smaller vessels