bers. More than a third of the ten thousand thus at tacked, were slain or drowned in the attempt to swim the river to their comrades, who, on the other side,maintained such a resolute and watchful front against the imaginary army, as most effectually to discourage its

assault.

The result was a triumphant one for the assailants Two thousand picked soldiers were thrown into the garrison, and the Turks, hopeless now of its conquest, retired in disgrace from before its walls. Our hero was not without his recompense for his share in an achievement, the success of which was due so largely to his ingenuity and skill. He received a command of two hundred and fifty horse in the regiment of his friend, the Earl of Meldritch, to say nothing of other honors and rewards

CHAPTER IV.

A BRIEF interregnum, which seemed like peace, followed the relief of Olympach, to be succeeded by newer and greater preparations for the war. But the soul and intellect of Smith were not at rest. His was not the spirit to which repose is desirable; but, if not absolutely in action, contemplating action with the eye of his imagination, he was perpetually schooling himself for its vicissitudes. Never was mind more observant than his of the progress and condition of the world about him. His narrative, as a volume of travels, would be absolutely worthless to the reader who seeks for anything more than to ascertain the simple fact that the traveller himself had been an observer. Of this there can be no question. The mind of Smith was not given to description, and disdained details. It was of a sort fond of generalization, and taking in at a glance all the vital conditions of its subject. He describes little, but you see that he comprehends. He gives but a few words to the manners and customs of a people, but you see in these words that he conceives and appreciates them. The military eye of our hero is evidently keenly exercised in all the countries that he visits. He comments shrewdly on their forts and garrisons, on their weapons of war, their training, or the ease or difficulty with which their strong places may be overthrown. These notices, sprinkled over all his pages, show the source of that frequent mental provocation by which the resources of his own genius were brought into exercise and development. They show him watchful and shrewd, not easily persuaded by novelty, not easily deceived by show-of a

calm, clear mind, a firm spirit, and one which, if it has not survived its youthful enthusiasm, is at least no longer to be deluded by it.

It was in busy study and contemplatior that Smith employed the interregnum following the relief of Olympach, and the resumption of the actual events of war. The campaign opened early in the year. The levies of the Turks were prosecuted with unwearied diligence and activity, while, on the other hand, three large bodies of troops were raised by the emperor. One of these was commanded by the Archduke Mathias; one by Ferdinand, Archduke of Styria; and a third by Gonzago, governor of Hungary. The lieutenant of the Archduke Mathias was the Duke Mercury (Mercœur), who led at force of thirty thousand men, ten thousand of whom were French. Smith served in this division, still under the immediate command of the Earl of Meldritch. To Mathias was given the defence of Lower Hungary, and the Duke Mercury began the campaign vigorously by laying siege to Alba Regalis, a strongly fortified town in possession of the Turks, and considered in that day almost impregnable. Here Smith's talents as an engineer were put in requisition; and here we again find nim counselling novel inventions in war, by which to obtain unusual advantages. He suggested to the Earl of Meldritch the employment of a sort of shell, which, filled with combustible matter, was discharged from a sling. These were called "Fiery Dragons" by their inventor, who describes them as round-bellied earthen pots," filled with "hard gunpowder and musket bullets," and covered with a coating. of brimstone, pitch, and turpentine. His plan was favorably entertained. He was permitted to try the experiment, which he did successfully. Having first learned from spies and deserters, or prisoners escaped from the town,

in what quarters it was usual for great numbers of people to assemble on occasions of alarm, his bombs, or handgrenades, to the number of forty or fifty, were flung at midnight into the city, directed to those places where the greatest crowds were likely to be brought together. "It was a fearful sight," says Smith, "to see the short flaming course of their flight in the air; but, presently after their fall, the lamentable noise of the miserable slaughtered Turkes was most wonderful to heare." These combusti bles had the farther effect of firing the suburbs, “which so troubled the Turkes to quench, that had there beene any means to have assaulted them, they could hardly have resisted the fire and their enemies." The Turks fought bravely, nevertheless, making frequent sallies, and doing very slaughterous deeds whenever they came forth. But valor did not avail them. The place was finally taken by a bold and well executed manœuvre, which gave to the besiegers possession of the city. The bashaw by whom it was defended was faithful to his trust. Desperately fighting, and disputing every inch of ground with the assailants, he drew together a select body of five hundred men before his own palace, resolved in perishing to sell his life dearly. The conflict was a terrible one. The Turks were almost cut to pieces, and the bashaw saved in his own spite by the Earl of Meldritch, who, with his own hands, protected him from the fury of his troops. This city had been in possession of the Moslem for sixty years. They valued it accordingly. An army of sixty thousand men, under Hassan Bashaw, had been sent to its relief at the beginning of the siege, and was rapidly pressing forward when the news of its conquest was received. This did not arrest the march of the Turkish army. The loss of Alba Regalis was a severe stroke, seriously felt at the beginning of the campaign, and a subject of deep mor

tification with the Turks.

Hassan Bashaw was disposed

to risk much for its recovery. Pressing forward with all his energy, it was his hope to surprise the army of the Imperialists before they could well repair the breaches in the walls. He was mistaken in this expectation. The Duke Mercury had promptly provided for the defence of the place; and, apprised of the undisciplined and inferior character of the Turkish levies, he adopted the bold determination of marching out with twenty thousand men to meet them. The two armies encountered on the plains of Girke. The battle was joined upon the march, regiment after regiment mingling in the melee as they severally came upon the ground. The conflict was obstinate and bloody. If the Moslems lacked discipline there was no deficiency of valor, and valor makes so large an element of successful warfare, that it will not do to overlook or disregard it when estimating the resources of a foe. Besides, the Turks were thrice the number of the Christians. Discipline at length prevailed, after a long and murderous struggle. The skill and practised valor of the forces of Duke Mercury more than supplied the deficiency of number, and with equal courage and bravery effectually baffled that of the foe. The battle closed only with the night, nor was the affair then concluded, since, as it has been said of the British in recent times, the Turk did not know when h was beaten. The affair was destined to be resumed with the beginning of another day.

Smith approved his valor in the conflict, was wounded, and had his horse shot under him. But he was not the warrior to be content with this, and to remain dismounted when there were so many noble steeds running masterless around him. He was soon supplied with the means of renewing his labors in a field, in which his ardent and fearless spirit found so much to delight him. The wound