t by land or water enter the Paduan
territory, and join the Venetian forces. This route, though attended
with many difficulties, and in some parts liable to be disputed by the
enemy, was chosen as the least objectionable. The count having received
his instructions, commenced his march, and by exerting the utmost
celerity, reached the Paduan territory on the twentieth of June. The
arrival of this distinguished commander in Lombardy filled Venice and
all her dependencies with hope; for the Venetians, who only an instant
before had been in fear for their very existence, began to contemplate
new conquests.

The count, before he made any other attempt, hastened to the relief of
Verona; and to counteract his design, Niccolo led his forces to Soave, a
castle situated between the Vincentino and the Veronese, and entrenched
himself by a ditch that extended from Soave to the marshes of the Adige.
The count, finding his passage by the plain cut off, resolved to proceed
by the mountains, and thus reach Verona, thinking Niccolo would imagine
this way to be so rugged and elevated as to be impracticable, or if
he thought otherwise, he would not be in time to prevent him; so, with
provisions for eight days, he took the mountain path, and with his
forces, arrived in the plain, below Soave. Niccolo had, even upon this
route, erected some bastions for the purpose of preventing him, but they
were insufficient for the purpose; and finding the enemy had, contrary
to his expectations, effected a passage, to avoid a disadvantageous
engagement he crossed to the opposite side of the Adige, and the count
entered Verona without opposition.

Having happily succeeded in his first project, that of relieving Verona,
the count now endeavored to render a similar service to Brescia. This
city is situated so close to the Lake of Garda, that although besieged
by land, provisions may always be sent into it by water. On this account
the duke had assembled a large force in the immediate vicinity of the
lake, and at the commencement of his victories occupied all the places
which by its means might relieve Brescia. The Venetians also had galleys
upon the lake, but they were unequal to a contest with those of the
duke. The count therefore deemed it advisable to aid the Venetian fleet
with his land forces, by which means he hoped to obtain without much
difficulty those places which kept Brescia in blockade. He therefore
encamped before Bardolino, a fortress situ