on it became more and more of a sailing
ship. It had high bulwarks, with loopholes for muskets, and there was
at least a partial cover for the crew. The Portuguese galleys in the
Spanish Armada mounted each 110 soldiers and 222 galley-slaves; but the
Neapolitan galleasses carried 700 men, of whom 130 were sailors, 270
soldiers, and 300 slaves of the oar. Jurien de la Graviere, _Les
Derniers Jours de la Marine a Rames_, 65-7.

[57] So says Jean Marteille de Bergerac, a galley-slave about 1701,
quoted by Adm. Jurien de la Graviere, _Derniers Jours de la Marine a
Rames_, 13.

[58] Morgan, 517.

[59] In 1630 a French galley's company consisted of 250 forcats and 116
officers, soldiers, and sailors.

[60] Dan, _Hist. de Barbarie_, 268-71. See the cut of Tunisian galleots
on p. 183.

[61] _Topographia_, 18.

[62] Dan, 270-1.

[63] The Corsairs prided themselves on the ship-shape appearance of
their vessels. Everything was stowed away with marvellous neatness and
economy of space and speed; even the anchor was lowered into the hold
lest it should interfere with the "dressing" of the oars. The weapons
were never hung, but securely lashed, and when chasing an enemy, no
movement of any kind was permitted to the crew and soldiers, save when
necessary to the progress and defence of the ship. These Corsairs, in
fact, understood the conditions of a rowing-race to perfection.

[64] Haedo, 17.

XVII.

THE TRIUMPH OF SAILS.

17th Century.

[Illustration: GALLEASSE OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.

(_Jurien de la Graviere._)]

At the beginning of the seventeenth century a notable change came over
the tactics of the Corsairs: they built fewer galleys, and began to
construct square-sailed ships. In Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli the
dockyards teemed with workmen busily engaged in learning the new
build; and the honour, if such it be, of having taught them rests
apparently between England and Flanders. Simon Danser, the Flemish
rover, taught the Algerines the fashion of "round ships," in 1606, and
an Englishman seems to have rendered the same kind office to the
people of Tunis, aided by a Greek renegade, Memi Reis; where,
moreover, another English pirate, "Captain Wer," was found in
congenial company at the Goletta by Monsieur de Breves, the French
ambassador.[65] The causes of the change were twofold: first,
Christian slaves were not always to be caught, and to hire rowers for
the galleys was a ruinous expense; and sec