The awful conflict we have just now endeavoured to delineate continued with unremitting fury till midnight, when it pleased God to vouchsafe his omnipotent aid to the besieged orthodox. At this moment the enemy retreated to their fortifications, as if panic-struck, leaving behind them eighteen thousand of their fellows, undistinguished and without name. Among the wounded lay the brother of his holiness the Pope. He was struck by a musket-ball, and soon afterwards perished. This execrated wretch commanded thirty thousand troops. After this remarkable success which had attended the Moslem arms, the veterans approached the páshá, kissed his hand, and pronounced their benedictions on his head. The wonderful páshá, on the other hand, was all kindness, in return, for the honour shewn to him; and a thousand expressions of praise and good wishes were uttered on this memorable occasion. When the eyes of the Moslems were opened to a clear view of the advantages which God had afforded them, their hearts rejoiced. The awe and terror with which the sight of so immense and desperate a host as that which the enemy presented to their view sometimes inspired them, now vanished completely from their minds. The heart of each of them became firm and strong, like the tower of Alexander, and all of them demanded to be allowed to assault the enemy in their turn. After the victory had declared itself in favour of the orthodox Moslems, as above described, Mathias and Ferdinand called their princes, and held a council of war. “Although Kaniza was well supplied with water,” it was said in the council, “the want of provisions, however, would soon so press upon both its inhabitants and its garrison as to force them to yield. If Turkish troops should happen to come to their aid in their present circumstances, and we are able to beat them off, then Kaniza would doubtless yield without further resistance. Let us winter here,” continued the speaker, “but before the winter season breaks let us send away our cannon.” The governor of Malta, Don Juan, observed, “that if the cannon be removed, the Turks will rush forth, and leave not a man of us alive upon the earth. Besides,” continued he, “though those Turks stationed at Sigetwar may at present have no intention of attacking us, they will, most assuredly, come and do so, when they hear we have sent away our cannon. Without cannon, we shall not be able to stand any time before them, and as to handling the sword, we can have no chance whatever with them.” Such was the manner in which this council of Austrian officers reasoned. They agreed to continue the siege; they increased the number of their guns; they erected a mound round Kaniza, and commenced firing at the rate of two thousand balls per day. These did immense evil. The outer walls were totally demolished. The houses were made level with the ground. But the enthusiastic Moslems, such was their zeal, built up by night the