tle worries that surrounded him, not having been long enough on
the throne to regard such with statesman-like equanimity.

The gale referred to had the effect of driving several Moorish vessels
close under the walls of the town, just in front of the mosque Djama
Djedid. During its progress a French privateer, (in other words, a
licensed pirate!) which chanced to be in port at the time,
unintentionally fouled a Moorish vessel, and sank it.

Next day a divan was held, at which Omar demanded payment of the French
consul. Not feeling himself bound to pay for the misdeeds of a
privateer, the consul refused, whereupon the privateer was seized, and
all her crew sent in chains to work at the fortifications.

It chanced, about the same time, that news came of an English frigate
having seized an Algerine vessel, and carried her off to Gibraltar.
This sent Colonel Langley still deeper into Omar's black book, so that
he felt himself and family to be in great danger of being also put in
chains and sent to the Marina, if not worse. He therefore hastened the
secret packing of his valuables, intending to avail himself of the first
opportunity that should offer of leaving the city.

Such an opportunity soon occurred, at least so thought the consul, in
the arrival of the "Prometheus," a British war-vessel of 18 guns, but
Colonel Langley found, as many have discovered before him, that "there
is many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip," for the Dey suddenly took a
high position, and absolutely refused to allow the British consul to
depart.

Captain Dashwood, the commander of the "Prometheus," on his first
interview with the Dey, saw that there was no chance whatever of getting
off the consul by fair means, for Omar treated him with studied hauteur
and insolence.

"I know perfectly well," said he, at the conclusion of the conference,
"that your fleet, which report tells me has already left England, is
destined for Algiers. Is it not so?"

"I have no official information, your highness," replied Captain
Dashwood. "If you have received such news, you know as much as I do,
and probably from the same source--the public prints."

"From whence I have it is a matter of no moment," returned the Dey, as
he abruptly closed the conference.

Immediately after, Captain Dashwood informed the consul of his intention
of sending a boat ashore next morning, with the ostensible motive of
making final proposals to the Dey, but really for the purp