544 WAR OF THE TURKS 



they could not immediately life, for the fake of light- 

 ning their baggage ; and had rendered the three great 

 cannons, of which their artillery confirmed, unfervice- 

 •able to the enemy, by fpiking them up, and ramming 

 large balls into their mouths. They pitched their 

 camp in a fituation that was advantageous to them in 

 feveral ways ; not only, as they were accuffcomed to 

 the climate, but as they here could always fupply 

 themfelves with whatever they wanted, knew the wells 

 of potable water, which may eaiily be miftaken on ac- 

 count of its bad tafte, and knew how to render in- 

 noxious fuch as was unwholefome, by infuling a de- 

 coction of certain plants. 



The people of the kapudan pafha, on the contrary, 

 ignorant in all thefe matters, not inured to the air, as 

 even the hotter!: days are always fucceeded by cold 

 nights, obfcured by clouds of infects and thick fogs, 

 without any fupply of neceffaries, obliged to take their 

 drink from the bogs, or from wells that, though from 

 appearance the water was good, yet in five or fix days 

 after drinking it, caufed fevers and leprofies, found 

 themfelves in a very bad condition. 



The kapudan pafha was fenflble of this. Where- 

 fore, finding it impoffible to gain a victory over the 

 beys ; and, knowing withal that many things were laid 

 to his charge for which he muft be anfwerable to the 

 divan, he refolved on returning back to Conftanti- 

 nople : when one of the beys, for the fake of gaining 

 his friendfhip,. fent-him two others, who were devoted 

 to the fultan, but banifhed by the beys, and now were 

 come back on this day, to confpire their deftruclion 

 and refume their former polls ; for one of them 3 name - 



