ret were
alive, and from Aylett's account not ill-treated; yet bondage in any
form is hard to bear, and we could not tell what change for the worse in
their circumstances might occur. Happily the weather remained calm, and
enabled us to get up a fore-yard on which sail could be set, though we
had no spar for a topmast. The men worked with a will, for they feared
that the Barbary corsair might return, and they had no wish to become
slaves, which would be our lot should she succeed in capturing us.

A moderate breeze springing up from the southward, we were able to steer
a course for Cagliari in the island of Sardinia, one of the few friendly
ports in the Mediterranean, where we could refit and obtain provisions.
We reached it without encountering an enemy, and lost no time in
commencing the necessary repairs. Still we were in as much doubt as at
first as to what means we should take to rescue our friends.

One thing was certain, that force would not avail. Should we reach the
coast, our little ship would be blown out of the water by the Tunisian
corsairs; or, should our whole crew land, we should be out to pieces
before we had advanced a mile into the country.

We talked of going on shore in disguise, but our ignorance of Arabic
would betray us. Our only hope of success would be to negotiate, but
the old Moor would probably demand a far higher ransom than we were able
to pay, and very likely should we sail into the harbour, even with a
flag of truce, the Moors would seize our vessel and help themselves to
everything on board, while we should be carried off as slaves.

We had now been a long time without hearing from England, and were
ignorant of the events taking place nearer home. Of one thing we felt
certain, that Admiral Blake was not idle. If work was to be done, he
was doing it.

The _Good Hope_ was nearly ready for sea, but still our plan of
proceeding was as unsettled as before, when a squadron of five ships
with the flag of the Commonwealth flying was seen coming in from the
southward. As soon as they had anchored, Lancelot and I went on board
the flag-ship, to pay our respects to Commodore Bodley, the commander of
the squadron, and to ask his advice and obtain his assistance in
recovering our friends. We were invited into his cabin, where we found
several officers collected. They were unanimous in the opinion that the
attempt to rescue Mr Kerridge and his companions would be madness
without a stro