of some of the leaders, soon became very formidable, and the nobles assembled a considerable army of retainers and encamped at Thorda.  Michael endeavoured by various stratagems to get them into his power, but failed to do so.  General Basta, who was eager to be revenged upon him for having kept him out of the viceroyalty of Siebenbuergen, joined the Transylvanian army; and Michael, finding all his efforts at pacification unavailing, at length encountered General Basta and the nobles at Miriszlo, a village which the reader will still find marked on the railway, between Karlsburg and Klausenburg.  The position of Michael was a very strong one, and, had he awaited the attack of his enemies, the probability is that he would again have been victorious.  But in Basta he had a wily adversary.  Finding it impossible to attack Michael where he was encamped, he feigned a retreat, whereupon Michael, asking contemptuously of his generals ‘whither the Italian hound was fleeing,’ allowed his army to follow in disorderly pursuit.  They were, however, soon checked, and Michael was then obliged to give battle under far less favourable conditions.  His army was more numerous than that of his enemy; but not only was the latter composed of seasoned troops, but it was far better officered.  The encounter was a fierce one, and it was decided against Michael by a clever manoeuvre of Basta.  One of his generals noticed that Michael’s artillery, which was so posted as to harass the army of the allies, might be seized by a flank movement.  He sent three hundred musketeers, who succeeded in capturing the guns and turning them upon Michael’s forces.  All was soon lost, and after vain attempts to rally his men he at length yielded to the solicitations of his officers and prepared to fly.  His conduct on this occasion is characteristic of the man.  ’So he ordered the national flag to be brought, which was made of white silk, and bore a device consisting of a raven with a red cross in its beak upon a green field.  This was torn from the staff, and Michael hid it in his bosom.  The officers followed his example with the remaining ensigns.  Then he gave spurs to his horse, and with loosened rein, accompanied by his officers and some Polish and other cavalry, took to flight.  Had he waited a few minutes longer, he would surely have been made prisoner.’[143] With the enemy at his heels Michael reached the banks of the Naros river, and instead of allowing himself to be ferried across he sprang into the waves on horseback, and his faithful horse, which was of Turkish breed, landed him safely on the other side.  Here, filled with gratitude and affection for the animal, and knowing that it was unable to carry him further, he patted it on the neck, stroked its mane, kissed it, and let it run free into the fields.  To follow Michael’s adventures after this terrible defeat would be impossible.  At first he took refuge in the Carpathians, in the Fogaras mountains as they are called; he then returned, and, joined by his son, succeeded for a short time in maintaining a foothold in Transylvania.  But threatened by Rudolph and by the Poles, he was glad to escape into Wallachia.