d all that concerned him. Ibrahim had not named
Barbarossa to his sovereign without weighing all the pros and cons of the
matter, and that which was now happening in the capital had been fully
anticipated by him. It pleased the Grand Vizier very much that Kheyr-ed-Din
should take this long journey to see him; not from any ridiculous idea that
this was an act of homage due to the dignity of his position--Ibrahim was
far too great a man for such pettiness--but because it enabled him to see
for himself what manner of man was this redoubtable pirate on whom he was
relying to defeat the enemies of the Sublime Porte at sea. The corsair must
have made the most favourable impression possible on the Grand Vizier, as
that statesman wrote to Soliman:

We have put our hands on a veritable man of the sea. Name him without
hesitation Basha, Member of the Divan, Captain-General of the Fleet.

The Grand Turk had no intention of going back upon the appointment already
made, but he was none the less pleased to receive from his Vizier so strong
an endorsement of his policy; and now the time had come to stop the mouths
of the murmurers and scandal-mongers of Constantinople. Accordingly he
formally recalled Barbarossa from Aleppo, gave him, with his own hand, a
sword and a royal banner, and invested him with plenary power over all the
ports of his kingdoms, over all the islands owning his jurisdiction,
command of all ships, vessels, and galleys, and of all soldiers, sailors,
and slaves therein. The die was cast, the erstwhile corsair, the son of the
renegado of Mitylene and his Christian wife was henceforward the supreme
head of the Ottoman fleet.

The following description of the famous corsair may be found interesting at
this juncture.

Barbarossa was at this time seventy-seven years of age. Courageous and
prudent, he was as far-seeing in war as he was subtle in peace. A tireless
worker, he was, above all things, constant in reverse of fortune, for no
difficulties dismayed him, no dangers had power to daunt his spirit. His
ruddy skin, his bushy eyebrows, his famous red beard, now plentifully
streaked with white, his square, powerful frame, somewhat inclined to
stoutness, above all, his penetrating and piercing eyes, gave to his aspect
a certain terror before which men trembled and women shrank appalled.

All this harmonised well with his reputation as a chief so resolute, so
pitiless, that it was the boast of his followers that his