RAGUSAN SHIPS AND SEAMEN 309
“Twelve Apostles,” for the service of Spain, manned by 3200 Ragusans and other Dalmatians, at a cost of
190,000	ducats.1 This squadron took part in an expedition to the Indies and in the Invincible Armada. One of the ships, the Annunciation, was commanded by Count Peter’s brother-in-law, the Almirante Don Estevan de Olisti-Tasovcic, “ a very brave youth, of high spirits and beautiful manners,”2 who behaved with conspicuous gallantry in the Armada. “ Finding himself separated from the body of the Spanish fleet, he was bombarded by the enemies’ batteries, and escaped out of the range of their fire with difficulty, and in such a terrible plight that he was in danger of foundering, and unable to repair the damages. The Duke of Medina-Sidonia, grasping the situation, at once sent two pataches 3 to the rescue, so as to save at least the crew. Don Estevan made for the Irish coast near Limerick, and succeeded in transferring his men from the doomed galleon to the pataches under a heavy fire. He then burnt his ship, to prevent her falling into the hands of the English, and sailed away to Santander, which he reached without the loss of a single man.4 Afterwards he joined Count Peter at Cape Finisterre with a new galleon, which he had fitted out at his own expense, so as to complete the “Twelve Apostles.” When Count Peter died he left the fleet as an inheritance to the King of Spain. But the vessels foundered soon after, and Don Estevan was sent to
   1	It consisted of five galleons and seven carracks, with a total burden of 7200 carra.
   2	Fra Benedetto Orsini (Miniati), quoted in Gelcich’s I Conti de Tuhelj, p. 87.
  3	Small barques.	4 Gelcich, ibid.