sed to Barbarigo's
left; 'Ali Pasha opposed Don John in the centre; Ochiali was over
against the post where Doria should have been. Between the two lines
stood forth the heavy galleasses, like great breakwaters, turning
aside and dividing the flowing rush of the Ottoman galleys. The fire
of these huge floating castles nearly caused a panic among the Turks,
but they soon pulled past them, and a general melley ensued. In the
Christian left, after a deadly struggle, in which both Barbarigo and
Scirocco lost their lives, the Turks were repulsed, and, deprived of
their chief, took to the shore, but not before the Christians had lost
many galleys and a host of brave men. Soon after the left had been
engaged, the centre came into action. 'Ali Pasha made straight for Don
John's _Reale_, and his beak rammed it as far in as the fourth bank of
oars. Close by were Pertev Pasha and the _capitanas_ of Colonna and
Veniero. The ships became entangled, and formed one large platform of
war. Twice the Spaniards of the _Reale_ boarded the _Fanal_ of 'Ali
Pasha as far as the mainmast, and twice they were driven back with
terrible loss. 'Ali himself was preparing to leap upon Don John's
galley when Colonna rammed him on the poop, penetrating as far as the
third oar, and delivered a withering fire from his arquebuses. The
Christians had all the advantage of armour and firearms, and fired
behind bulwarks; the Turks were unprotected by cuirass or helmet or
bulwark, and most of them had bows instead of guns. Colonna's volleys
decided the fate of the _Fanal_, and 'Ali Pasha departed this life. An
hour and a half had sufficed to disperse the Ottoman right and to
overpower the flagship in chief. When the fleet saw the Christian
ensign at the peak of the Turkish _capitana_ they redoubled their
efforts: Veniero, severely wounded, still fought with the Seraskier
Pertev Pasha; the Turks fled, and Pertev took to the land. In half an
hour more Don John's centre was completely victorious. Then a new
danger arose: Ochiali, seeing that Doria was well away to sea, sharply
doubled back with all the right wing, and bore down upon the exhausted
centre. He rushed upon the _capitana_ of Malta, and massacred every
soul on board. Dragut is avenged! Juan de Cardona hastened to the
rescue, and of his five hundred soldiers but fifty escaped; on the
_Fiorenza_ seventeen men alone remained alive; and other terrible
losses were incurred in the furious encounter. Upon this