ral found himself amid a whole squadron of American
warships, he set sail with all speed and made a wild dash for Algiers.
But he had faster ships in his track and was soon headed off.

The bold fellow had no chance at all, with half-a-dozen great ships
around him, but he made a fine fight for his life. He did not save
either his ship or his life, for a cannon ball cut him squarely in two;
and when his lieutenant tried to run away, he came across the brig
_Epervier_, which soon settled him. But the _Mashouda_ had made a good
fight against big odds, and deserved praise.

After that another Algerian ship was taken, and then Decatur sailed for
Algiers. When he made signals the captain of the port came out. A
black-bearded, high and mighty fellow he was.

"Where is your navy?" asked Decatur.

"It's all right," said the Algerian, "safe in some friendly port."

"Not all of it, I fancy," said Decatur. "I have your frigate _Mashouda_
and your brig _Estido_, and your admiral Hammida is killed."

"I don't believe it," said the Algerian.

"I can easily prove it," said Decatur, and he sent for the first
lieutenant of the _Mashouda_.

When the captain of the port saw him and heard his story, he changed his
tone. His haughty manner passed away, and he begged that fighting should
cease until a treaty could be made on shore.

"Fighting will not cease until I have the treaty," said Decatur,
sternly; "and a treaty will not be made anywhere but on board my ship."

And so it was. The captain of the port came out next day with authority
to make a treaty. But the captain did not want to return the property
taken from the American ships, saying that it had been scattered among
many hands.

"I can't help that. It must be returned or paid for," said Decatur.

Then the captain did not want to pay $10,000 for a vessel that had been
captured, and he wanted tribute from the United States. He told Decatur
what a great man his master, "Omar the Terrible," was, and asked for a
three hours truce.

"Not a minute," said Decatur. "If your ships appear before the treaty is
signed by the Dey, and the American prisoners are on board my ship, I
shall capture every one of them."

The only concession Decatur would make was to promise to return the
_Mashouda_. But this was to be taken as a gift from the Americans to the
Dey, and as such it must not appear in the treaty. The Algerian, finding
that all his eloquence was wasted on the unyielding Yan