The Christian Mirdites and the Mohammedan guards knelt together to pray for the miserable Kardikiotes, whose last hour had come.
The caravanserai where they were shut in was a square enclosure, open to the sky, and intended to shelter herds of buffaloes.

The prisoners having heard nothing of what passed outside, were astonished to behold Athanasius Vaya and his troop appearing on the top of the wall.

They did not long remain in doubt.

Ali gave the signal by a pistol-shot, and a general fusillade followed.

Terrible cries echoed from the court; the prisoners, terrified, wounded, crowded one upon another for shelter.
Some ran frantically hither and thither in this enclosure with no shelter and no exit, until they fell, struck down by bullets.