the upper deck, were propelled each by nine men. Boats hung
from the stern; and the ship's complement consisted (so says H[=a]jji
Khal[=i]fa)[15] of two thousand soldiers and sailors. Kem[=a]l Reis
and Bor[=a]k Reis commanded these two prodigies, and the whole fleet,
numbering some three hundred other vessels, was despatched to the
Adriatic under the command of Da[=u]d Pasha. The object of attack was
Lepanto.

Towards the end of July, 1499, they sighted the Venetian fleet, which
was on the look-out for them, off Modon. They counted forty-four
galleys, sixteen galleasses, and twenty-eight ordinary sail. Neither
courted an action, which each knew to be fraught with momentous
consequences. Grimani, the Venetian admiral, retired to Navarino; the
Turks anchored off Sapienza. On August 12th Da[=u]d Pasha, who knew
the Sultan was awaiting him with the land forces at Lepanto, resolved
to push on at all costs. In those days Turkish navigators had little
confidence in the open sea; they preferred to hug the shore, where
they might run into a port in case of bad weather. Da[=u]d accordingly
endeavoured to pass between the island of Prodano and the Morea, just
north of Navarino. Perfectly aware of his course, the Venetians had
drawn out their fleet at the upper end of the narrow passage, where
they had the best possible chance of catching the enemy in confused
order. The Proveditore of Corfu, Andrea Loredano, had reinforced the
Christian fleet that very day with ten ships; the position was well
chosen; the wind was fair, and drove full down upon the Turks as they
emerged from the strait. But the Venetian admiral placed his chief
reliance in his galleasses, and as yet the art of manoeuvring sailing
vessels in battle array was in its youth. Bad steering here, a wrong
tack there, and then ship ran against ship, the great galleasses
became entangled and helpless, carried by the wind into the midst of
the enemy, or borne away where they were useless, and the Turkish
galleys had it all their own way. Loredano's flagship burnt down to
the water, and other vessels were destroyed by fire. Y[=a]ni's big
ships played an important part in the action. Two galleasses, each
containing a thousand men, and two other vessels, surrounded Bor[=a]k
Reis, but the smaller ships could not fire over the _koka's_ lofty
sides, and were speedily sunk. Bor[=a]k Reis threw burning pitch into
the galleasses, and burnt up crews and ships, till, his own vessel
ca