THE FIRST EXPEDITION OF KHAIR-AD-DIN PASHA.
On a propitious day Khair-ad-din Pasha sailed with the above-mentioned eighty-four vessels, and went towards Messina, where he demolished the castle of Reggio, which had been evacuated by the infidels. That night he lay with lantern lights, and prayed for success in an expedition he contemplated against Malta. Having had a favourable dream, he arose and set sail during the night, and by morning reached a castle called Santalohso, which he took and plundered. Seven thousand eight hundred prisoners were taken, and the fortress rased. In the evening he again sailed, and reached a fortress called Giatros, where he landed his men, took it by the sword, and made the people prisoners. Here he found eighteen full-built vessels, which, with the castle and houses, he entirely destroyed. After this he went again to sea, and took another castle in the neighbourhood of Anapoli, the people of which he also took captive. Passing thence, he sailed a day and a night, and attacked the castle of Sperlonca, where he took ten thousand prisoners, and levelled the fortress with the ground. He then proceeded onwards, attacked the island of Sardinia, and having plundered it, turned his course towards Algiers; but the weather driving him to the Arab shores, he was about to proceed to the castle of Bekerzet, when the governor abandoned it, and went to acquaint Hefs, the king of Tunis.