the banner and proclaimed the prayer of Islám. The guns were now silenced, and the swords alone were clashing. During seven hours and a half the Mussulmáns were raging in the castle like wolves amongst sheep, and stained with blood like butchers. It was a complete victory to which none can be compared excepting those of Kossova and Mohacs. The rest of the Infidels hidden beneath the ground, now set fire to the mines, and sent by that means great numbers of the Moslim besiegers to Heaven; others shot them from the loopholes so that they were in great distress. It being now near sunset, and the victors being exhausted by fatigue and hunger, were called on to retire by the Chaúshes, who admonished them to leave the end to the next day. They carried an immense deal of booty with them, arms of all kinds and three thousand heads of Infidels, besides one thousand and sixty prisoners. A general salute was fired, and the martyrs buried, after the funeral prayer was said over them. The wounded and maimed received pensions, and were given into the hands of the surgeons. Those who brought heads received a reward of a hundred piastres, and those who had made prisoners were allowed to keep them. Chelenks, ziámets, timárs, and all kind of military rewards were distributed, and the property of seven hundred janissaries who were killed was made over to the revenue. Of the troops on the seven sides of the attack one thousand two hundred men became martyrs and ascended to Heaven. On this night the Infidels made incredible efforts to repair the works of the castle, by raising walls and digging ditches, opening loopholes and pointing guns. The foundations of the castle resembled the wall of Gog and Magog, to the great consternation of the Moslims, who solaced themselves, saying: “Man proposes and God disposes,” recommending their business to God. They continued the war, but not with the same unanimity, though not with less zeal than before. A great council of war was held, under the consideration that there now remained only forty days to Kássim (S. Demetrius). The result of the council was, that Geraï-Khán, with seventy thousand regular troops, and eight hundred thousand horse, was ordered to ravage the provinces of Russia. So they did, and this Tátár army returned on the 14th day to the Ottoman camp at Assov, with forty-five thousand prisoners and two hundred thousand horses as booty, besides a great number of valuable things, pelisses, rich cloth, &c. By this arrival, the hearts of the Moslims were comforted, and those of the Infidels afflicted, when they saw the triumphal procession with the prisoners fettered, and the crosses upset. Since the time of Jenguíz Khan the Tátárs had not made a richer booty. This sight raised a howl among the Infidels in the castle, who pierced the skies with their lamentations. The same night seventy Infidels, hungry and sad, left the castle, and were brought into the presence of the Commander-in-Chief, Hossein Páshá.