Far on the Christian right, a manoeuvre similar to that so successfully executed by Siroco was attempted by Uluch Ali, the viceroy of Algiers.  Profiting by his superiority of numbers, he endeavored to turn the right wing of the confederates.  It was in this quarter that Andrew Doria commanded.  He also had foreseen this movement of his enemy, and he succeeded in foiling it.  It was a trial of skill between the two most accomplished seamen in the Mediterranean.  Doria extended his line so far to the right, indeed, to prevent being surrounded, that Don John was obliged to remind him that he left the centre much too exposed.  His dispositions were so far unfortunate for himself that his own line was thus weakened and afforded some vulnerable points to his assailant.  These were soon detected by the eagle eye of Uluch Ali; and like the king of birds swooping on his prey, he fell on some galleys separated by a considerable interval from their companions, and, sinking more than one, carried off the great Capitana of Malta in triumph as his prize.

While the combat thus opened disastrously to the allies both on the right and on the left, in the centre they may be said to have fought with doubtful fortune.  Don John had led his division gallantly forward.  But the object on which he was intent was an encounter with Ali Pasha, the foe most worthy of his sword.  The Turkish commander had the same combat no less at heart.  The galleys of both were easily recognized, not only from their position, but from their superior size and richer decoration.  The one, moreover, displayed the holy banner of the League; the other, the great Ottoman standard.  This, like the ancient standard of the caliphs, was held sacred in its character.  It was covered with texts from the Koran, emblazoned in letters of gold, with the name of Allah inscribed upon it no less than twenty-eight thousand nine hundred times.  It was the banner of the Sultan, having passed from father to son since the foundation of the imperial dynasty, and was never seen in the field unless the Grand-Seignior or his lieutenant was there in person.

Both the Christian and the Moslem chief urged on their rowers to the top of their speed.  Their galleys soon shot ahead of the rest of the line, driven through the boiling surges as by the force of a tornado, and closing with a shock that made every timber crack, and the two vessels quiver to their very keels.  So powerful, indeed, was the impetus they received, that the pasha’s galley, which was considerably the larger and loftier of the two, was thrown so far upon its opponent that the prow reached the fourth bench of rowers.  As soon as the vessels were disengaged from each other, and those on board had recovered from the shock, the work of death began.  Don John’s chief strength consisted in some three hundred Spanish arquebusiers, culled from the flower of his infantry.  Ali, on the other hand, was provided with the like number of janissaries.  He was also followed by a smaller vessel, in which two hundred more were stationed as a corps de reserve.  He had, moreover, a hundred archers on board.  The bow was still much in use with the Turks, as with the other Moslems.