Albanian), Feru Reis (Genoese), Mur[=a]d Maltrapillo and Y[=u]suf
(Spaniards), Memi Reis and Memi Gancho (Venetians), Mur[=a]d the Less
(Greek), Memi the Corsican, Memi the Calabrian, Montez the Sicilian,
and so forth, most of whom commanded galleys of 22 to 24 banks.[62]

It was a pretty sight to see the launching of a galley. After the long
months of labour, after felling the oak and pine in the forests of
Shersh[=e]l, and carrying the fashioned planks on camels, mules, or
their own shoulders, some thirty miles to the seashore; or perhaps
breaking up some unwieldy prize vessel taken from the Spaniards or
Venetians; after all the sawing and fitting and caulking and painting;
then at last comes the day of rejoicing for the Christian slaves who
alone have done the work: for no Mussulman would offer to put a finger
to the building of a vessel, saving a few Morisco oar-makers and
caulkers. Then the _armadores_, or owners of the new galleot, as soon
as it is finished, come down with presents of money and clothes, and
hang them upon the mast and rigging, to the value of two hundred or
three hundred ducats, to be divided among their slaves, whose only pay
till that day has been the daily loaves. Then again on the day of
launching, after the vessel has been keeled over, and the bottom
carefully greased from stem to stern, more presents from owners and
captains to the workmen, to say nothing of a hearty dinner; and a
great straining and shoving of brawny arms and bare backs, a shout of
_Allahu Akbar_, "God is Most Great," as the sheep is slaughtered over
the vessel's prow--a symbol, they said, of the Christian blood to be
shed--and the galleot glides into the water prepared for her career of
devastation: built by Christians and manned by Christians, commanded
probably by a quondam Christian, she sallies forth to prey upon
Christendom.

The rowers, if possible, were all Christian slaves, belonging to the
owners, but when these were not numerous enough, other slaves, or
Arabs and Moors, were hired at ten ducats the trip, prize or no prize.
If he was able, the captain (_Reis_) would build and furnish out his
own vessel, entirely at his own cost, in hope of greater profit; but
often he had not the means, and then he would call in the aid of one
or more _armadores_. These were often speculative shopkeepers, who
invested in a part share of a galleot on the chance of a prize, and
who often discovered that ruin lay in so hazardous a l