For the rest it was a day of manoeuvring and
tactics; tactics when sixty thousand men had been embarked on board two
hundred ships for a specific and definite object on the side of the
Christians and under the command of their most celebrated admiral; and yet
the balance of advantage was actually gained by the inferior force. No
subsequent glories can ever wipe this stain from the scutcheon of Doria, or
can excuse the fact that at the most supreme moment of his career he failed
to fight the battle that he was in honour, in conscience, and in duty bound
to deliver. Next day the wind came fair for Corfu, and Doria, his ships
untouched, unscathed, unharmed, put his helm up and sailed away followed by
his fleet.
Sandoval records the fact that Barbarossa, roaring with laughter the while,
was accustomed to say that Doria had even put out his lanterns in order
that no one might see whither he had fled. This was an allusion to the
fact--or supposition--that Doria extinguished on that night the great poop
lantern carried by him as admiral.
When Soliman the Magnificent heard of the result of this battle he caused
the town of Yamboli, where he was at the time, to be illuminated, and in
the excess of his joy he added one hundred thousand aspres to the revenues
of the conqueror; there were processions to the Grand Mosque, and all Islam
rejoiced and sang the praises of the invincible admiral who had humbled to
the dust the pride of the Christian and caused the dreaded Doria to fly
from before the fleet of the Sultan.
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