As long as the Goletta remained in the hands of the
Spaniards no corsair could feel himself secure in either Tunis or Algiers.
The object of Ali was to beg from the Grand Turk men and ships to assist
him to chase the Spaniards out of Africa.
The month of June 1570, in consequence, saw Ali once more at sea in his
"Admiral galley," steering northwards to the Golden Horn. Carrying with
them a favourable breeze from the south-east, the galleys spread their huge
lateen sails, and the straining rowers had rest awhile. The squadron
consisted of twenty-four galleys. Off Cape Passaro, in Sicily, a small
vessel was captured which gave information that five galleys of the Knights
of Malta were at anchor at Licata, a small harbour in the neighbourhood,
and that they were on the point of sailing for Malta. The decision of Ali
was taken on the instant: were he to go in and attack them with the
overwhelming force at his command the crews might escape to the shore; even
the Knights of Malta could hardly be expected to fight twenty-four galleys
with five. He was anxious to capture the ships, but above all to capture
those by whom they were manned: to have the satisfactory revenge of seeing
the proud Knights stripped naked and chained to the benches of his own
fleet.
The hot Mediterranean sun poured down out of a cloudless sky as the
Sea-wolves made their offing; out of sight of land they lay, but right in
the course which the galleys of the Christians were bound to take.
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