e
two miles' distant, where as much of the victuals as got safe thither
arrived smoking hot, as they tell the story."[53] A good part,
however, disappeared on the road, since, in Corsair's phrase, "the
Christian slaves wore hooks on their fingers," and the guests went
nigh to be starved. 'Ali's plan for feeding his slaves was
characteristic. He gave them no loaves as others did, but told them
they were indeed a sorry set of scoundrels, unworthy of the name of
slaves, if, during the two or three hours of liberty they enjoyed
before sunset, they could not find enough to keep them for a day. His
bagnios used to be regular auction-rooms for stolen goods, and were
besieged by indignant victims, who were reproached for their
carelessness, and made to re-purchase their own valuables: in fine,
'Ali Pichinin "has the honour of having trained up the cleanest set of
thieves that were anywhere to be met with." Once a slave found a
costly ring of the general's, and restored to him without price: for
which "unseasonable piece of honesty" 'Ali gave him half a ducat, and
called him a fool for his pains; the ring was worth his ransom.
Another time, a slave bargained to sell to an ironmaster the general's
anchor from out of his own galley: when discovered, he was commended
for his enterprising spirit, and told he was fit to be a slave, since
he knew how to gain his living. This slave-dealer had a genius for
wheedling the truth out of captives; he was so civil and sympathizing
when a new prize was caught, so ready with his "Count" and "my
lord" to plain gentlemen, and his "your Eminence" to simple clergymen,
that they soon confided in him, revealed their rank, and had their
ransom fixed: but, to do him justice, he kept his word, and once
promised the release was certain: "My word is my word," he would say.

[Illustration: FIGHT OF THE "MARY ROSE" WITH ALGERINE PIRATES, 1669.

(_Ogilby's Africa, 1670._)]

He was a man of very free views in religion. Once he asked a Genoese
priest to tell him candidly what would become of him; "frankly," said
Father Angelo, "I am persuaded that the devil will have you;" and the
response was cheerfully accepted. Another time it was a devout Moslem
sheykh who begged 'Ali to give him a Christian slave to kill, as he
did not feel that he had offered any sufficiently pleasing sacrifice
to the prophet Mohammed. 'Ali unchained the stroke-oar of his galley,
a muscular Spaniard, and armed him at all points, and s