Historians have stated that when Dragut landed at Malta, in July, 1551, with Sinam, his admiral, who was in joint command, they went to the summit of Mount Sceberras to reconnoitre before an attack should be made on the convent. When employed on this service, Sinam, who was opposed to any hostile movement, pointing to the castle, thus remarked, "Surely no eagle could have chosen a more craggy and difficult place to make his nest in. Dost thou not see that men must have wings to get up to it, and that all the artillery and troops of the universe would not be able to take it by force?" An old Turkish officer of his suite, addressing Dragut, thus continued,--"See'st thou that bulwark which juts out in the sea, and on which the Maltese have planted the great standard of their order? I can assure thee that whilst I was a _prisoner with them, I have helped to carry the large stones of which it is built_, and am pretty sure that before thou canst make thyself master of it, thou wilt be overtaken by the winter season; and probably likewise prevented from succeeding by some powerful succours from Europe." There can be little doubt that this remark was {418} feelingly made, and that the aged Turk who uttered it had experienced, during his residence as a prisoner at Malta, all the horrors of slavery. That no consideration was given to the comfort of a slave, and little value set on his life, will be briefly shown by the following anecdote:--On the 13th of April, 1534, an accusation was made against an English knight of the name of Massimberg, to the effect that he had unwarrantably drawn his sword and _killed four galley slaves_; and being convicted of the crime on the 18th of May of the same year, he was asked why judgment should not be given against him. Massimberg thus replied, "_In killing the four slaves I did well, but in not having at the same time killed our old and imbecile Grand Master I did badly._" This plea not being _considered satisfactory_, he was deprived of his habit; but two days afterwards, that is, on the 20th May, 1534, he was reinstated in the Order, though for a time not permitted to enjoy his former dignity of a commander. This knight was also accused of having stolen a slave from a Maltese; but this accusation he stoutly denied, giving, in proof of his innocence, that the man _bore on his shoulder a brand, or mark_, by which he could be easily known as belonging to him. (Vide Manuscript Records of the Order.) The next letter in the following list to which I would briefly call attention is that under date of June 21st, 1675, in which His Majesty Charles II. refers to a misunderstanding which had taken place between his admiral, Sir John Narbrough, and the Order of Malta. The nature of this difficulty is well explained by giving a correct copy of the admiral's letter to the Grand Master, which I have taken from the original now on file in the Record Office of this island. It reads as follows:--