BATTLE OP VAENA 165 pointed out that even a hunting party of the sultan con- tained as many men as were now collected to oppose him. Hunyadi, however reluctant he had been to enter on the campaign, seems to have thought that, once the armies had started, their only hope of safety lay in expedition and in being able to obtain a strong position for fighting. The discussion between the two brave leaders led to a quarrel, in which Drakul drew his sword, but was immediately over- powered and compelled to purchase safety by the promise of a further reinforcement of four thousand men. 1 Drakul then retired, and his place was taken by his son. Many of the towns and villages passed through on their march were held by Turks, but the Christian armies, in most cases, easily overcame all opposition, and in their course plundered the schismatic Bulgarians and their churches as if they had been enemies. At Varna the army proposed to rest. Further advance, if desirable, was difficult, on account of the illness of Ladis- laus. 2 Hunyadi took up a strong position. Varna is at the head of a bay. On the south side was situated, at a distance of about four miles from the town, a village named Galata. Between the two stretched a long line of marsh, which is the termination of a lagoon, bounded on the south side by a steep range of hills. 3 Between the end of the marsh and the bay the Christian army encamped with the hill on its rear. Hardly had it taken up its position when scouts brought the startling news that Murad's army was encamped at a distance of four thousand paces. The night was bright and clear, and by ascending the hill they could see the fires, and make even an estimate of the number of their enemies. Their astonishment at the rapidity with which Murad had advanced added to their alarm. They found that he was at the head of an army of at least sixty thousand men — a hundred thousand men are 1 Callimachus. 2 4 Morbo detentus,' Lonicerus, 18. Chalc. and others also mention his illness. He was suffering from an abscess in the thigh. 3 On the opposite shore of the lagoon now runs the railway from Varna to Rustchuk.
