Sea-Wolves of the Mediterranean: The grand period of the Moslem corsairsCurrey, E. Hamilton (Edward Hamilton)
History
Sea-Wolves of the Mediterranean: The grand period of the Moslem corsairs
Currey, E. Hamilton (Edward Hamilton)
Africa, North -- History; Pirates
“It is agreed,” answered Kheyr-ed-Din, and Hassan Ali.
As the strong sun of a perfect May morning in the Mediterranean leapt
above the horizon, Uruj loosed his hounds upon their prey; the oars of
the galleys churned the clear blue waters into foam, and the air was
filled with the yells of the corsairs. “Allah! Allah!” and “Barbarossa!
Barbarossa!” they cried. It was a war-cry that was destined to re-echo
over many a conflict, both by land and sea, in the years that were to
come.
In a simultaneous, and as we have seen a concerted attack, the beaks
of the galleys crushed into the broadsides of _The Galley of Naples_,
and, ever foremost in the fray, Uruj and Kheyr-ed-Din were the first
two men to board. Then, when men were hand to hand and foot to foot,
when Moslem scimitar rang on Christian sabre, and the air was filled
with the oaths and shouts of the combatants, the third remaining pirate
craft grappled _The Galley of Naples_ by the stern, and a tide of fresh,
unwounded men burst into the fray. This was the end; the Christians
were both outnumbered and outfought, for among them were many who
were not by profession warriors, whereas no man found a footing among
the Sea-wolves, or was taken to sea as a fighting man, unless he had
approved himself to the satisfaction of his captain that he was a
valiant man of his hands. We have no record or list of the dead and
wounded in this battle, but among the latter was Uruj, who was severely
hurt. Not so Kheyr-ed-Din, who escaped scatheless and took command now
that his brother was incapacitated. The dead were flung overboard with
scant ceremony, and the wounded patched up as best might be, and then
_The Galley of Naples_ was taken in tow, and the corsairs returned in
triumph to Tunis. Faithful to their treaty, so far, they laid one-fifth
of their spoils at the feet of the Sultan.
A great procession was formed of Christian captives marching two and
two. Four young Christian girls were mounted on mules, and two ladies
of noble birth followed on Arab horses sumptuously caparisoned. These
unfortunates were destined for the harems of their captors. The Sultan
was greatly pleased at the spectacle, and as the mournful procession
defiled before him cried out, “See how heaven recompenses the brave!”
Jurien de la Gravière remarks: “Such was the fortune of war in the
sixteenth century. A man leaving Naples to go to Spain might end his
days in a Moorish bagnio and see his wife and daughters fall a prey to
miscreants of the worse description.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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