now that the enemy was apparently within reach, battle should be offered to him at once. The same timid counsels which had been heard at Messina were again plentifully offered, and now, in the critical moment, many minds – usually firm enough – shrank from the enormous hazard of a general battle. The Captain-General is said by every chronicler but one, to have advocated immediate action. In this opinion he was strenuously supported by the Venetian and Papal admirals. The three chiefs carried the council with them; and it was now known throughout the fleet that the great struggle would immediately be made.
In pursuance of this resolve, the ships made for a harbour on the Albanian coast; and here Don John's temper was sorely tried by some acts of ruffianism, and indeed of insubordination, which were committed by the Venetian Veniero. The fiery old chieftain had, in a fit of rage, hanged at his yard-arms some Spaniards who had been lent him from the royal forces to complete his muster-rolls. He had done this without reference to the Captain-General. The proceeding might have been followed by disastrous consequences but for the extreme self-control exhibited by Don John, who would not, in presence, as it were, of the foe, allow any dispute to interfere with the great work which had been taken on hand. After reflecting on the matter, he expressed his displeasure, and forbade Veniero to take his place at the council board.
In this harbour Don John reviewed his fleet, and we are informed that many men were accidentally killed by careless firing in the salutes with which he was received. Soldiers and sailors were, it appears, continually lost to the service in this way – which argues that the arms were not very good nor the hands very steady.
It took some days to reach Lepanto, although everything was done to save time. During this interval, fresh reports were received of the Turks being still at Lepanto. And then came another fearful report, brought by a cruiser from Candia, which told how a consummately cruel massacre of noble Venetians, attended by a gross violation of a compact, had lately been perpetrated at Famagosta, in Cyprus. Every soul in the fleet, but especially every Venetian, was struck with horror and wrought to fury by the recital of the barbarous crime; and all vowed to retaliate upon the Infidel the wrongs which the servants of the Republic had suffered. The news could scarcely have arrived more opportunely.
On Sunday the 7th of October 1571, the combined fleets of the Holy League entered the Gulf of Lepanto in search of the enemy. The forethought of Don John had not only prescribed the order of battle, but had likewise caused excellent arrangements to be made in each vessel for facilitating the movements of the warriors and for giving refreshment to the fatigued and aid to the wounded. He caused nettings to be put up to baffle attempts at boarding; and he removed the sharp beaks of his galleys, by which arrangement, though he lost the power of ramming, he gained great command for his forecastle guns – indeed he gained much more than he relinquished. Scouts on shore and lookout-men at the mast-heads strained their gaze in search of hostile sails; and it was not long before the leading ships of the Sultan's fleet were descried. All was now ardent expectation until the hulks of the great body of the
