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322 DESTRUCTION OF THE GEEEK EMPIEE feasting, after their day's fast. The besieged, hearing the shouts, the sound of the trumpets and guitars, of pipes, fifes, and drums, and the usual din, ran to the walls, for the illumina- tion was so great that they were in hopes that the fires were devouring tents and provisions ; but, says Ducas, when they recognised that there was no alarm among their enemies, they could only pray to be delivered from the imminent danger. The illuminations continued until midnight, and then, more suddenly than they had appeared, the fires were extinguished and the camp was left in complete obscurity. The leaders on both sides had now but few final arrange- ments to make for attack or for defence. The sultan, as usual, personally superintended the making of those on the Turkish side. On Monday morning Mahomet accompanied by a large following of horsemen, which Barbaro estimates at about ten thousand, rode over to the Double Columns and arranged for the co-operation of the fleet while the general bombardment and attack were being made by the rest of his forces. 1 Admiral Hamoud, the successor of Baltoglu, was to spread out his ships on the Marmora side from St. Eugenius Gate to that of Psamatia, to prepare to enter the city by scaling-ladders from the ships, if entrance were possible, and at all events by his preparations and feigned attacks to draw off as many men as possible from the defence of the landward walls. 2 Mahomet returned in the afternoon from the Double Columns. On the same day, and possibly on his return, the sultan summoned to him the heads of the Genoese community in Galata and confirmed the strict injunction he had already given them that on no account were they to render aid to the Greeks. 3 After crossing the Golden Horn he once more rode along the whole line of the walls from the Horn to the Marmora, 1 Barbaro, p. 50. 2 Barbaro. Ducas says, from St. Eugenius to Hodegetria and as far as Vlanga (p. 282-3), which is substantially the same position as that given by Critobulus. 3 Zorso Dolfin, p. 78.