UNEXPECTED DEPARTURE. 27 CHAPTER II. Imprudent Departure from SAN PIETRO.-Presentiments.-Appearance of the Algerine Squadron.-Capture by the Pirates.-Captive taken before the Admiral.-First Night on board the Corsair.-Second Day.-Storm.Naval Engagement.-Union of the Captives.-Treatment on board the Corsairs of Barbary.-Situation improved.-Hope.-The RAIS HAMIDA.-Coast of ITALY.-Council of War.-War between TUNIS and ALGIERS.-Historical Notice of Tunis.-The Revolution.-The Squadron appears before TUNIS, and retires.-Coasting, and Arrival at BONA. NATURE was still enveloped in her starry mantle; and the goddess of night in her ebon car, silently wandered through the heavens, when confused noises, as if created by a general movement on board the vessel, suddenly awoke the sleeping passengers, who, upon ascending the deck, beheld, with a mingled feeling of sorrow and indignation, that the anchor was up, and sails spread for the purpose of once more incurring the many dangers, which had been so emphatically described by the faithful islanders, whose friendly admonitions were completely thrown away on our besotted and ignorant conductor. While steering out of the bay, the boat returned on board, when the person who had been despatched in her, to execute some little commission for the captain, told us, with fear and trembling, notwithstanding his being cautioned to the contrary, that the report of cannon was heard; supposed to be signals of alarm, from San Pietro and the Peninsula of Antioch, a place to the northward. In this fearful extremity, we naturally supplicated the master to return into port, pointing out the imminent peril which attended going to sea under such circumstances. But he was deaf to every entreaty, and even assumed a most insolent tone, when reminded of his solemn engagement to sail with convoy; finally observing, that he had originally sailed for Sicily, and to Sicily he would go ! Would to Heaven that our just indignation had prompted us to adopt a more determined course with regard to this wretch, on so emergent an occasion; or that some resolute mind, like Rousseau's Emilius in a like dilemma, had avenged his companions in misfortune, by liberating the earth from such a traitor, and the sea of such a monster. After having nearly terminated the voyage, and arrived within a few days sail of the much desired port, to have thus been mercilessly exposed to so great a calamity was most distressing; surely our past sufferings merited a better fate! The poor seamen were full of anxious hope, at the idea of revisiting their wives and families: nearly all of them had brought little ventures, the result of their hard-earned wages, and chief source of consolation on returning homewards; while the day of their arrival was fondly anticipated to be one of rejoicing and hilarity. It was impossible to have found better disposed characters than these unfortunate victims of rashness and imbecility. The passengers too, of whom I have hitherto been silent, were all persons of the highest merit. The Chevalier Rossi, possessing a most honourable mind, and liberal sentiments, was returning from England with all the information which that enlightened country affords to foreign visitors, accompanied by his wife, an amiable and accomplished woman, together with two lovely children, the offspring of their union. An industrious and honest merchant, Mr. Terreni of Leghorn, was taking out merchandize of great value, the result of his judicious speculations in Great Britain; Antonio Terreni, his brother, an artist of great merit; who was going to Sicily for the purpose of making a picturesque tour through the island, as he had already done, with so much eclat in Tuscany; a Calabrese, who had served for many years in the British navy, and was returning home to enjoy L'AVARA PER AMORE. 29 the fruits of his exertions while absent; also, a beautiful woman going to join her husband, who was on his return from the East Indies. After a variety of strange vicissitudes, destiny was about to unite them, and realize the story of Ulysses and Penelope, who, sustained by the force of love, were, on their meeting, still more enchanted by a recapitulation of their mutual adventures. The last personage in this catalogue, though not the least interesting, was a charming girl, whose singular story requires particular attention. Enamoured with a young Sicil an, her affections were returned by a corresponding attachment on his part. As, however, fate will generally have it, her fortune was unequal to the extravagant pretensions of the young man's father. Her treasures were those of the mind and person; and in both these she was by no means deficient. But it has often been proved, that nothing is more difficult than severing the ties formed by real love. In the present case it had the effect of giving our heroine strength and resolution to visit England, in search of two old and rich relatives, from whom she hoped to obtain the object of her wishes. On presenting herself before them, her personal charms, aided by the irresistible eloquence of love, produced the desired effect; and receiving a liberal dowry, she hastened back, with the delightful hope of throwing it together with her own fond heart at the feet of her lover. The dullness and monotony of our voyage was frequently enlivened by the repetition of her story, which she felt a virtuous pleasure in relating; and by way of playful irony she obtained the name of L'avara per amore; the miser for love. In our present advanced state, the poor girl anxiously counted every hour, and even minute, which separated her from the man of her choice; and would often fancy she beheld him on the shore, with extended arms, to receive all that was dear to him in this world! He did so, no doubt, with the trembling anxiety of Paul, when awaiting the long expected return of his beloved Virginia; but, alas! he was never to behold her more: and, unlike her prototype, who perished in the waves, she was des tined to fall a sacrifice to barbarians; and like the beautiful Angelica of Ariosto, it might well be exclaimed : Oh troppo eccelsa preda Per si barbare genti e si villane! We continued our course, thoughtful and pensive: with every eye mournfully directed towards the water, a dead silence pervaded the passengers and crew. It is the nature of deep sorrow to be mute; and this was merely a sad presentiment of what was shortly after to follow. Had the tattered state of the vessel, and her heavy sailing been considered, the imprudence of thus going into the very face of such enemies was self-evident. While in this state of painful suspense, a sudden squall from off the land, carried away our main-top-mast, which, in its fall, nearly overwhelmed the captain. Once, while M. de Calonne was reclining on his luxurious feathers, the top of his bed fell in, and would have, most probably, suffocated the ex-minister, had not prompt assistance been given. A gentleman who saw him in this state, immediately exclaimed, "just heaven!"* Without exactly wishing to see our commander expiate his obstinacy and folly, by falling under the mast, I could not, at the time, help considering its vicinity to his skull, as a species of providential warning for him to return into port, or make for Cagliari, which was not very distant. But it had no such effect : the atmosphere became every moment more obscure, a roaring noise of the waves was heard in the distance, and deep peals of thunder began to issue from the clouds which were collecting all round: these, together with a strong wind and high sea, ushered in the first night after our quitting San Pietro. O Navis! referent in mare te novi Fluctus? O quid agis? Fortiter occupa *This anecdote loses all its point by translation, and requires to be explained. The tester of a bed is called ciel (heaven) in French, and cielo in Italian: so that the pun alluded to, turned upon the minister's friend exclaiming juste ciel !--- Ed. APPEARANCE OF PIRATES. Et malus celeri saucius Africo Antennæque gemunt; ac sine funibus Vix durare carinæ Possint imperiosius CAR. xiv. 31 It was in vain to expect any repose, in this state of fearful apprehension; and no sooner had the weariness, occasioned by several hours rocking about in my wretched cell, produced a disposition to sleep, than the Chevalier Rossi came with a tremulous voice, to inform me, that the very same vessels, seen previous to our entering San Pietro, were just discovered! Hurrying out of bed, I sprang on deck where all was anguish and confusion. Having hastily interrogated the pilot and seamen, their answers consisted of broken sentences and significant inclinations of the head. The strange sails, six in number, were almost at this time imperceptible specks in the horizon; but from the ideas naturally associated with their sudden appearance, the panic was dreadful, what with reality, and the force of imagination. Stimulated by our fears, their size gradually increased, and from the disastrous result, might justly be compared to those phenomena of the ocean, so much dreaded by mariners, which, from the most inconsiderable spot in the atmosphere advance by slow degrees, until bursting on their heads, they are instantly buried in the waves. Scarcely had the first emotions of alarm been developed, when a particular manoeuvre of the strangers, clearly manifested their hostile intentions: this, on being perceived, was followed by a burst of |