Khair-ed-deen  instantly  made  sail
for  the  Ionian  sea*  directing  his  course
towards  Prevesa*  at  the  month  of  the
Gulf  of  Arta,  which  had  recently  been
cannonaded  by  a  divuion  of  the  con-
federate fleet  under  the  Venetian  pa-
triarch Grimani ;  and  scarcely  had  he
reached  his  destination,  when  the
whole  Christian  navy  was  descried
steering  in  the  same  direction. Their
combined  forces  considerably  outnum-
bered those  of  the  Ottomans,  amount-
ing to  167  sail  of  carracks  and  galleys,
while  Barb^ossa  (who  had  weakened
himself  by  detaching  numerous  crui-
sers') had  only  122  to  oppose  to  them,
all  of  which  were  galleys. As  the
pasha's  object  was  the  defence  of  Pre-
veaa*  the  fortifications  of  which  had
been  damaged  by  the  previous  attack,
he  had  run  into  the  gulf  before  the
arrival  of  the  enemy,  and  landed  part
of  hb  troops  and  artillery  on  the  beach
in  front  of  the  town :  while  with  his
vessels  drawn  up  in  line,  he  offered
battle  at  the  mouth  of  the  strait. The
armaments  confronted  each  other
daring  three  days,  without  any  hostile
movement  on  either  side :  and  Doria,
finding  the  attempt  on  Prevesa  hope-
less, at  length  (Sept. 27)  gave
the  signal  of  retreat. In  the  re-
passage  of  the  straits,  a  partial
encoanter  took  place  between  the  Ve*
netian  carracks  and  galleons,  and  the
ifivirion  of  galleys  under  Torghond ;
the  Turksy  galled  by  the  superior  fire
of  their  ponderous  antagonists,  re-
tired  in  confusion  within  the  bav :


but  Doria  still  refused  the  entreaties
of  the  Venetian  admiral  Capello  to  be
permitted  to  follow  up  this  advantage,
and  stood  out  to  sea  towards  Santa
Maura. **  But  the  pasha  "  (we  again
quote  Hadji- Khalfa)  '' having  in  a
dream  seen  many  large  fishes  swim-
ming out  of  the  gulf,"  interpreted  this
as  a  favourable  omen,  and  sallied  the
next  da^  from  the  straits  with  his
whole  force  in  pursuit — and  Dorla»
yielding  to  the  instances  of  his  ofilcers,
no  longer  declined  the  combat. 