n the deck of the Venetian vessel, and three
times were they driven back by the desperate resistance of the crew,
headed by young Francisco. At length the slaughter of their men was so
great that they seemed disposed to discontinue the fight, and were
actually taking another course. The Venetians beheld their flight with
the greatest joy, and were congratulating each other upon their
successful valour and merited escape, when two more ships on a sudden
appeared in sight, bearing down upon them with incredible swiftness
before the wind. Every heart was now chilled with new terrors, when, on
their nearer approach, they discovered the fatal ensigns of their
enemies, and knew that there was no longer any possibility either of
resistance or escape. They therefore lowered their flag (the sign of
surrendering their ship), and in an instant saw themselves in the power
of their enemies, who came pouring in on every side with the rage and
violence of beasts of prey.

"All that remained alive of the brave Venetian crew were loaded with
fetters, and closely guarded in the hold of the ship till it arrived at
Tunis.

"They were then brought out in chains, and exposed in the public market
to be sold for slaves. They had there the mortification to see their
companions picked out one by one, according to their apparent strength
and vigour, and sold to different masters. At length a Turk approached,
who, from his look and habit, appeared to be of superior rank, and after
glancing his eye over the rest with an expression of compassion, he
fixed them at last upon young Francisco, and demanded of the captain of
the ship what was the price of that young man. The captain answered that
he would not take less than five hundred pieces of gold for that
captive. 'That,' said the Turk, 'is very extraordinary, since I have
seen you sell those that much exceed him in vigour, for less than a
fifth part of that sum.' 'Yes,' answered the captain, 'but he shall
either pay me some part of the damage he has occasioned, or labour for
life at the oar.' 'What damage,' answered the other, 'can he have done
you more than all the rest whom you have prized so cheaply?' 'He it
was,' replied the captain, 'who animated the Christians to that
desperate resistance which cost me the lives of so many of my brave
sailors. Three times did we leap upon their deck, with a fury that
seemed irresistible, and three times did that youth attack us with such
cool determined opp