DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6094#0364
SICILY AND MALTA. 341
Eleven at night. The show is now fi-
nished, and has afforded us great entertain-
ment. It was the departure of a Maltese
squadron to assist the French againstthe Bey
of Tunis, who, it seems, has fallen under
the displeasure of the grand monarque, be-
cause he refused to deliver up without rarj~
som, the Corsican ssaves that were taken be-
fore the French were in posfession of that
island. The squadron consisted of three
gallies; the largest with nine hundred men,
each of the others with seven hundred;
three galliots, and several fcampavias, so
called from their exceeding swiftness. These
itnmense bodies were all worked by oars,
and moved with great regularity. The
admiral went first, and the rest in order,
according to their dignity. The sea was
crowded with boats, and the ramparts and
fortifications were filled with company.
The port resounded on all sides with the dis-
charge of heavy artillery, which was an-
swered by the gallies and galliots as they
Z 3 lefV
Eleven at night. The show is now fi-
nished, and has afforded us great entertain-
ment. It was the departure of a Maltese
squadron to assist the French againstthe Bey
of Tunis, who, it seems, has fallen under
the displeasure of the grand monarque, be-
cause he refused to deliver up without rarj~
som, the Corsican ssaves that were taken be-
fore the French were in posfession of that
island. The squadron consisted of three
gallies; the largest with nine hundred men,
each of the others with seven hundred;
three galliots, and several fcampavias, so
called from their exceeding swiftness. These
itnmense bodies were all worked by oars,
and moved with great regularity. The
admiral went first, and the rest in order,
according to their dignity. The sea was
crowded with boats, and the ramparts and
fortifications were filled with company.
The port resounded on all sides with the dis-
charge of heavy artillery, which was an-
swered by the gallies and galliots as they
Z 3 lefV