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who was on guard at the pier, allowed women only to embark, saying that his honour was at stake, and that he, his men and even the Europeans ought all to be soldiers, and defend each other against such a rebel as Qarqa Oghlu. He tried however to console the crowd by assuring them that he did not for a moment believe the news to be true, and he caused the peasant who had spread it to be sought out and imprisoned. The women would not embark alone, for there was a Turkish man of war in the roadstead, and the licentiousness of Turkish sailors was a byword throughout the Levant. They resolved to retire to the houses of the consuls, which were now armed and guarded by a picket from the man of war. The night was an anxious one, but with morning came the news of the arrival in Nicosia of the Pasha and Qarqa Oghlu, and all was quiet again. The peasant persisted that his story was true. He was brought out of prison, received 100 blows on the soles of his feet and was discharged. The tranquillity of Larnaca was now assured, and the war vessel went round to the north coast, and lay off the fort at Cerines, where there were already the frigate of Captain Ja'far Bey, a xebec and two galliots, besides two small galliots under Ibrahim Bey, which prevented anyone leaving Cerines, and the fort from receiving help. The Pasha sent several times from Nicosia to recall Khalil Agha to his duty, bidding him surrender the fort ; but seeing these gentle measures had no effect, on July 28 he marched with all his troops to besiege the fort, and began by filling up the ditches with a view to an escalade ; but the resistance of those within was stout and effectual, and their guns killed many of the Pasha's soldiers. The warship landed some cannon to batter the fort, but there were not enough to make any impression on a building so strong, and so well provided with ammunition and food. Force had failed, and the Pasha turned to fraud, but to Meleky Bey alone was reserved the glory of entrapping Khalil Agha. io8 Insurrection of 1764-6 [CH.

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