Page:Destruction of the Greek Empire.djvu/401

ZAGAN, CAEAJA, AND FLEET REPULSED 359 from one or more large and specially constructed pontoons which had been brought as close as possible to the walls at the western end of the Golden Horn and by Caraja Pasha between the Adrianople Gate and Tekfour Serai. Zagan had brought all his division across the bridge near Attacks by Aivan Serai, and his soldiers, during the early morning, had cafaja fan. made a continuous series of attempts to scale the walls from the narrow strip of land between them and the water, while his archers and fusiliers attempted to cover the attacking parties from the pontoons. His efforts were aided by the crews on board the seventy ships which had been trans- ported across Pera Hill and which were now stationed at intervals extending from the pontoons to the Phanar. They were stoutly and successfully opposed by Gabriel Trevisano, who had charge of the walls upon the Horn as far as the Phanar. 1 Caraja's vigorous assault, as has been already mentioned, was at one of the three places where Mahomet boasted that his cannon had made a way into the city. It was probably a part of his division which had followed the discoverers of the open Kerkoporta into the city. Zagan and Caraja were ? however, defeated. 2 The Turkish fleet under Hamoud had done its part else- By fleet where. During the night it had come in force to the boom also ' and had taken up a position parallel to it. When, however, the admiral saw that there were against him ten great and other smaller ships, all ready for the defence, he carried out the orders which had been given on the previous evening, passed round Seraglio Point, and took up a position opposite the walls on the side of the Marmora, where the caloyers or monks were among the defenders. But all the efforts of the Turks in the fleet on the side of the Marmora failed to effect an entrance. Small as was the number of the men dispersed along the walls, they held their own and repulsed all attempts to scale theny It was only when they saw the Turks in their rear that Jhey recognised that their struggle had been in vain. Then, indeed, some flung themselves in 1 Barbaro, p. 56. 2 Crit. lvi.