ly took the crown from
off his head and casting it into the sea said, "Go, bauble: let some
more fortunate prince redeem and wear thee."

He did not sail a moment too soon. A new and terrific storm burst
forth. The ships were driven hither and thither. Where the tempest
drove them, there they helplessly wandered, and many men died from
famine and exposure. Some of the Spanish vessels were wrecked at
Algiers, and their crews and troops were sent to the bagnios. Charles
himself and Doria arrived safely at Buj[=e]ya--then a Spanish
outpost--with part of the flotilla. Here the unexpected visitors soon
caused a famine--and still the tempest raged. The half-starved rovers
in vain tried to make head against the waves, and carry the Emperor
back to Spain: eighty miles out they gave in, and the ships returned
disconsolately to the harbour. Twelve days and nights the storm
bellowed along the treacherous coast, and not till November 23rd could
the Imperial fleet set sail for the coast of Spain.

There was mourning in Castile that Yuletide. Besides eight thousand
rank and file, three hundred officers of birth had fallen victims to
the storm or the Moorish lance. Algiers teemed with Christian
captives, and it became a common saying that a Christian slave was
scarce a fair barter for an onion.

So ended this famous expedition. It was begun in glory, and ended in
shame. The whole of Christendom, one might say--for there were English
knights there, like Sir Thomas Challoner, as well as Germans,
Frenchmen, Spaniards, and Italians in the army--had gone forth to
destroy a nest of pirates, and behold, by the fury of the elements and
the foolishness of their own counsels, they were almost destroyed
themselves. They had left behind them ships and men and stores and
cannon: worse, they had left Algiers stronger and more defiant than
ever.

The Algerines, for their part, never forgot the valour of the Knights
of Malta, and the spot where they made their stand is still called
"The Grave of the Knights." High up on the hillside may be seen "the
Emperor's Castle," which marks the traditional place where Charles'
great pavilion was pitched on the morning of the fatal 23rd of
October.

"The climate of Africa"--it is the caustic comment of Admiral Jurien
de la Graviere--"was evidently unsuited to deeds of chivalry."

XII.

DRAGUT REIS.

1543-1560.

The name of Dragut has already occurred more than once in this
history: it was d