The winter season being nearly over, Sultan Soleiman gave orders to his veziers to equip a hundred and fifty vessels, and to send Khair-ad-din to sea. Accordingly, although the ships were not ready, the veziers pressed Khair-ad-din to sail; and he not consenting, they had recourse to stratagem, saying that Andrea Doria had gone with forty vessels to Candia, where he was waiting to intercept Saleh Reis, who with twenty vessels had gone to bring the Indian merchandise from Egypt. Khair-ad-din therefore with the forty ships that were in readiness (the other ninety being ordered to follow) sailed on the ninth of Moharrem, 945, (June 8th, 1538,) accompanied by three thousand janissaries; and Ali Beg, the beg of Koga-eili, Khorrem Beg, the beg of Tekké, Ali Beg, the beg of Seida, and Mustaffa Beg, the beg of Alanieh, having joined him, they proceeded to Imbro, where some time previously a vessel containing seventeen pieces of cannon had been wrecked, and having possessed themselves of these, they sailed to an island called Ishkatos (Skiathos), which had a strong castle and harbour. In consequence of the complaint of the governor of Negropont that the pirates were in the habit of lying there and carrying on their depredations in the vicinity, they conveyed their artillery from a distance of seven miles, and blockaded the castle for six days and nights, taking it by assault on the seventh day. A great number of the infidels were slain, and three thousand eight hundred taken prisoners.