of the Christians were bound to take. The
great yards, with their lateen sails, were got down on deck, and, oar in
hand, the Moslems awaited their prey. Presently the Maltese galleys were
discovered coming leisurely along, under oars and sails, and then--when it
was too late--the Knights discovered the snare into which they had fallen.
There was but scant time for preparation or deliberation, and who shall
blame four out of the five if they decided to try to escape? for it was
escape or annihilation.

But there was one which did not fly, "Una galera hizo cara a los Turcos"
(One single galley turned her bows towards the Turks), says that faithful
chronicler Haedo. She was named the _Santa Ana_, but the name of her heroic
commander has not come down to us. Even as Grenfell "at Flores in the
Azores," stood upon the deck of the little _Revenge_ on that memorable
August day in 1591, when "he chose to die rather than to dishonour himself,
his country, and her Majesty's ship," so also did this Knight of Malta bear
down on the twenty-four that were his foes.

When Don John of Austria, being at the time young and inexperienced in
warfare on the sea, wrote to the Marquis of Villafranca, General of the
Galleys of Sicily, requesting advice on the subject of galley attacking
galley, that officer replied to him, "Never fire your arquebus at the foe
until you are so close at hand that his blood will leap into your face at
the discharge." If we bear in mind such an instruction as this it will help
us to picture that close-packed sanguinary conflict upon which the
Mediterranean sun looked down on this day. Eight to one, all that could
find room to get alongside of the _Santa Ana_, fought with the Knight and
his followers. The issue was, of course, never in doubt for a moment.
"Muertos y cansados" (Dead and deadbeat), says Haedo, the caballeros and
soldados of the Christian ship could at length hold out no longer. The
Sea-wolves were victorious, the proud banner of Saint John was lowered; but
never in all its history had it been more nobly upheld, and the galley
_Santa Ana_, commanded by that unknown member of the great Christian
military hierarchy of the sixteenth century, may well stand in the roll of
fame alongside of the _Revenge_, the _Vengeur_, and the _Victory_.

The _Capitana_, or "Admiral's galley," of the Knights, being hotly pursued,
ran ashore with one of her consorts at Licata: the crews landed, but were
pursued and overtak