76 TRAVELS IN UPPER 



ley of the general saluted with four. They were 

 manned, or rather embarrassed, with an incredible 

 number of hands; the general alone had eight 

 hundred men on board. They were superbly or- 

 namented ; gold blazed on the numerous basso- 

 relievos and sculptures on the stern ; enormous 

 sails, striped with blue and white, carried on their 

 middle a great cross of Malta painted red ; their 

 elegant flags floated majestically ; in a word, 

 every thing concurred, when they were under sail, 

 fo render it a magnificent spectacle, But their 

 construction was little adapted either for fighting 

 or for standing foul weather ; the Order kept them 

 up, rather as an image of its ancient splendour, 

 than for their utility ; it was one of those ancient 

 institutions which had once served to render the 

 brotherhood illustrious, but now only attested its 

 feebleness and decay. 



It is well known that the hospitable brotherhood 

 of St. John of Jerusalem, on exchanging tliis modest 

 designation for that of knights, became rather a 

 military than a religious association. The series 

 of wars which they had to maintain against the 

 Mahometans, had trained them to habits of intre- 

 pidity. Their history is a brilliant succession of 

 military exploits; and, whether in giving way to 

 immense forces and efforts, they were under the 

 necessity of abandoning Rhodes, covered with the 

 4 glory 



