hopeless were people as to the power or intention of
governments to mend this state of things, that societies were formed in
some of the chief countries in the world, including England, France, and
America, for the express purpose of ransoming Christian slaves from
those dreaded shores of Barbary.

Having said this, the reader will doubtless be prepared to hear that the
civilised world, howling with indignation, assailed, burned, and
exterminated this pirates' nest. Not at all. The thing was tolerated;
more than that, it was recognised! Consuls were actually sent to the
nest to represent Great Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, Holland,
Sweden, Denmark, America; disgraceful treaties were entered into; and
annual tribute was paid by each of these, in the form of a costly
"present" to the Dey, for the purpose of securing immunity to their
trading vessels! Whatever nation kept a consul at this nest and paid
"black-mail" passed scot free. The nation that failed in these respects
was ruthlessly and systematically plundered--and this at the time when
Lord Nelson was scouring the ocean with mighty armaments; when our songs
lauded the wooden walls of old England to the skies; and when Great
Britain claimed to herself the proud title of "Mistress of the Sea"! If
you doubt this, reader, let us assure you that all history asserts it,
that recorded facts confirm it, and that our proper attitude in regard
to it is to stand amazed, and admit that there are some things in this
curious world which "no fellow can understand."

Without apologising for this digression, we return to the thread of our
tale.

Finding, then, as we have said, that the British merchantman was not a
legitimate foe, the corsair proceeded to look out for a more worthy
object of attack--namely, a vessel of some hapless petty state, which,
being too venturesome, or too poor to pay black-mail, was at war,
perforce, with the Algerines. Fortune, however, ceased for a short time
to be propitious. No suitable vessel was to be found, therefore Sidi
Hassan resolved to exercise the rights of the unusually free and
independent power of which he was a worthy representative in a somewhat
strange fashion.

Bearing down on the coast, he sailed along it for some time, with the
intention of making a bold dash at some small fishing village. His mate
rather objected to this, knowing well that such attempts were too apt to
be attended with considerable loss of life; but