As the centre divisions of the two fleets closed with each other the
wisdom of Don John in retrenching the fore-peaks of his vessels became
abundantly apparent. The Turks had neglected to take this precaution;
the efficiency of their forecastle guns was therefore greatly impaired.
Their prows were also much higher than the prows of their antagonists.
While their shot passed harmlessly over the enemy, his balls struck
their galleys close to water-mark with fatal precision. The fire of the
Christians was the more murderous because many of the Turkish vessels
were crowded with soldiers both on the deck and below.
Ali and Don John had each directed his helmsman to steer for the
flag-ship of the enemy. The two galleys soon met, striking each other
with great force. The left prow of the Pacha towered high above the
lower forecastle of Don John, and his galley's peak was thrust through
the rigging of the other vessel until its point was over the fourth
rowing-bench. Thus linked together the two flag-ships became a
battle-field which was strongly contested for about two hours. The Pacha
had on board four hundred picked janizaries--three hundred armed with
the arquebus and one hundred with the bow. Two galliots and ten galleys,
all filled with janizaries, lay close astern, the galliots being
connected with the Pacha's vessels by ladders, up which reenforcements
immediately came when wanted.
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