ld, and which merely served for ballast.

I soon found out, by the conversation of the crew, that we were not to
proceed to Genoa direct; in fact, your highness, she was a pirate,
manned by a most desperate set of men. As soon as my qualifications were
made known, I had the honour to remove the beards of sixty of the
greatest villains that ever were permitted to exist, receiving nothing
but blows and curses for my trouble. I certainly improved very much in
my profession; for it was as much as my life was worth to draw blood,
although they made no scruple of carrying on a conversation during the
whole time of the operation. We had taken the cargoes out of several
vessels, all of which were added to the "manifest" by our correct
captain; when one day, we were chased by an English frigate. I never met
the English on shore, but I must say that, afloat, they are the most
impertinent people that swim on the seas. They cannot be content with
minding their own business, although they have plenty on their hands,
but they must interfere in that of others. They board you, and insist
upon knowing where you come from, whither you are bound, and what you
have on board; examining you with as much scrutiny as if they had been
the delegated custom-house officers of the whole world.

Now it did not exactly suit our captain to submit to such a rigorous
search; he therefore made all sail for an island about seven miles
distant, and anchored under the protection of a battery. Austria--the
nation to whom the island belonged--was not at war with England; she was
preserving what is called an "armed neutrality."

* * * * *

"Pray what is the meaning of an armed neutrality?" demanded the pacha.

"It varies according to circumstances, your highness; but, generally
speaking, it means a charge of bayonets."

* * * * *

The frigate followed; and being prevented by the shallowness of the
water from approaching sufficiently near to us herself, sent her boats
to examine us: but as there were six of them full of men, and each
mounting a gun at her bow, our captain thought it advisable to refuse
them permission to come on board. As a hint that he disapproved of their
measures, he poured his whole broadside of round and grape into them,
when they were about a quarter of a mile distant: upon which they gave
three cheers, and were obstinate enough to pull faster towards us than
ever.

We