a serious sortie had been made, fell back from the breach, their
retreat being hastened by the discharge of a number of hand-grenades by
a midshipman of the _Theseus_ on the top of the tower.

But the assault was not yet over. Napoleon, with several of his generals
and a group of aides-de-camp, had been watching the fight from an
eminence known as Richard Coeur de Lion's Mount, and had been
compelled to shift their position several times by shells thrown among
them from the ships. Their movements were clearly visible with a
field-glass. Bonaparte was seen to wave his hand violently, and an
aide-de-camp galloped off at the top of his speed. Edgar, who was
standing near Sir Sidney Smith, was watching them through a telescope,
and had informed Sir Sidney of what he had seen.

"Doubtless he is ordering up reinforcements. We shall have more fighting
yet."

He then held a consultation with the pasha, who proposed that this time
they should carry out a favourite Turkish method of defence--allow the
enemy to enter the town, and then fall upon them. The steps were removed
from the walls near the tower, so that the French, when they issued from
the top of the ruined building, would be obliged to follow along the
wall, and to descend by those leading into the pasha's garden. Here two
hundred Albanians, the survivors of a corps a thousand strong who had
greatly distinguished themselves in the sorties, were stationed, while
all the garrison that could be spared from other points, together with
the newly-arrived troops, were close at hand. The Turks were withdrawn
from the breach and tower, and the attack was confidently awaited.

It came just before sunset, when a massive column advanced to the
breach. No resistance was offered. They soon appeared at the top of the
ruin, which was now no higher than the wall itself, and moved along the
rampart. When they came to the steps leading into the pasha's garden, a
portion of them descended, while the main body moved farther on, and
made their way by other steps down into the town. Then suddenly the
silence that had reigned was broken by an outburst of wild shouts and
volleys of musketry, while from the head of every street leading into
the open space into which the French had descended, the Turkish troops
burst out. In the pasha's garden the Albanians threw themselves, sabre
in one hand and dagger in the other, upon the party there, scarce one of
whom succeeded in escaping, General Romb