Gulf of Genoa, and paying himself in advance for any
loss the Christians might inflict in Africa: his nephew, His[=a]r Reis
commanded in the city. When Dragut returned, the siege had gone on for
a month, without result; a tremendous assault had been repulsed with
heavy loss to the besiegers, who were growing disheartened. The
Corsair assembled a body of Moors and Turks and attempted to relieve
the fortress; but his ambuscade failed, His[=a]r's simultaneous sally
was driven back, and Dragut, seeing that he could do nothing, fled to
Jerba. His retreat gave fresh energy to the siege, and a change of
attack discovered the weak places of the defence. A vigorous assault
on the 8th of September carried the walls, a brisk street fight
ensued, and the strong city of "Africa" was in the hands of the
Christians.

The Sultan, Suleym[=a]n the Great, was little pleased to see a Moslem
fortress summarily stormed by the troops of his ally, the Emperor.
Charles replied that he had fought against pirates, not against the
Sultan's vassals; but Suleym[=a]n could not perceive the distinction,
and emphasized his disapproval by giving Dragut twenty galleys, which
soon found their way to Christian shores. The lamentations of his
victims roused Doria, who had the good fortune to surprise the Corsair
as he was greasing his keels in the strait behind Jerba. This strait
was virtually a _cul-de-sac_. Between the island and the great lake
that lay behind it, the sea had worn a narrow channel on the northern
side, through which light vessels could pass, with care; but to go out
of the lake by the southern side involved a voyage over what was
little better than a bog, and no one ever thought of the attempt.
Doria saw he had his enemy in a trap, and was in no hurry to venture
in among the shoals and narrows of the strait. He sent joyous messages
to Europe, announcing his triumph, and cautiously, as was his habit,
awaited events.

Dragut, for his part, dared not push out against a vastly superior
force; his only chance was a ruse. Accordingly, putting a bold face on
the matter, he manned a small earthwork with cannon, and played upon
the enemy, with little or no actual injury, beyond the all-important
effect of making Doria hesitate still more. Meanwhile, in the night,
while his little battery is perplexing the foe, all is prepared at the
southern extremity of the strait. Summoning a couple of thousand field
labourers, he sets them to work; here a sm