196 THE CALL OF THE SEA 



Andrew Doria on the right, while Don John him- 

 self and Colonna were in the centre. Crucifix in 

 hand, the High-Admiral rowed from ship to ship, 

 exhorting generals and soldiers to show themselves 

 worthy of a cause which he had persuaded himself 

 was holy. Fired by his eloquence and by the sight 

 of the enemy, his hearers answered with eager 

 shouts, while Don John returned to his ship, knelt 

 upon the quarter-deck, and offered a prayer. He 

 then ordered the trumpets to sound the assault, 

 commanded his sailing-master to lay him along- 

 side the Turkish Admiral, and the battle began. 

 The Venetians, who were first attacked, destroyed 

 ship after ship of their assailants after a close and 

 obstinate contest, but Barbarigo fell dead ere the 

 sunset, with an arrow through his brain. Mean- 

 time the action, immediately after the first onset, 

 had become general. From noon till evening the 

 battle raged, with a carnage rarely recorded in 

 history. Don John's own ship lay yard-arm and 

 yard-arm with the Turkish Admiral, and exposed 

 to the fire of seven large vessels besides. It was 

 a day when personal audacity, not skilful tactics, 

 was demanded, and the imperial bastard showed 

 the metal he was made of. The Turkish Admiral's 

 ship was destroyed, his head exposed from Don 

 John's deck upon a pike, and the trophy became 

 the signal for a general panic and a complete 

 victory. By sunset the battle had been won. 



