Grimani
commanded the advance-guard, Doria was in the centre, Vincenzo Capello,
with his Venetians, brought up the rear. Formed in two columns, the nefs
followed the galleys; the _Galleon of Venice_, commanded by Condalmiero, a
squadron in herself, preceded them.
[Illustration: GALEASSE UNDER SAIL.]
From the anchorage at Corfu to the entrance of the Gulf of Arta is about
fifty-eight miles, and, traversing this distance during the hours of
daylight, the fleet anchored, as night fell, under Cape Prevesa. The
Galleon which acted as what we should now call the guide of the fleet,
anchored in sixteen feet of water, which was barely sufficient to keep her
afloat.
The Gulf of Arta, in which, as we have said, the fleet of the Moslems were
now anchored, presents very curious physical peculiarities: it is
twenty-two miles in length from east to west, and fifteen miles in breadth
from north to south. This sheet of water is formed into an immense bay by
the configuration of the land, and its depth, in places, is from one
hundred and thirty to two hundred feet. Inside it all the navies in the
world might ride at anchor, were it not for the fact that the entrance is
closed by a bar upon which the depth varies from six and a half to thirteen
feet. With his light-draught ships Barbarossa occupied the interior
position, while the heavy ships of Doria must in any event remain outside.
A strong sea-breeze was blowing on shore; all night the nefs and the
galleys were nearly rolling their gunwales under.
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