me thing outside the
straits, and the Spanish fleet was both too small in number and too
cumbrous in build to attack them successfully. Yet "if this year they
safely return to Algiers, especially if they should take any of the
fleet, it is much to be feared that the King of Spain's forces by sea
will not be sufficient to restrain them hereafter, so much sweetness
they find by making prize of all Christians whatsoever."

This dispatch shows that the Corsairs had speedily mastered the new
manner of navigation, as might have been expected of a nation of
sailors. They had long been acquainted with the great galleasse of
Spain and Venice, a sort of compromise between the rowed galley and
the sailing galleon; for it was too heavy to depend wholly on its oars
(which by way of distinction were rowed under cover), and its great
lateen sails were generally its motive power. The galleys themselves,
moreover, had sails, though not square sails; and the seaman who can
sail a ship on lateen sails soon learns the management of the square
rig. The engravings on pp. 5, 11, 165, 197, and 227 sufficiently show
the type of vessel that now again came into vogue, and which was known
as a galleon, nave, polacca, tartana, barcone, caravel, caramuzel,
&c., according to its size and country. The Turkish caramuzel or
tartan, says Furttenbach, stands high out of the water, is strong and
swift, and mounts eighteen or twenty guns and as many as sixty
well-armed pirates. It is a dangerous vessel to attack. From its
commanding height its guns can pour down so furious a fire upon a
Christian craft that the only alternative to surrender is positive
extirpation. If the enemy tries to sneak out of range below the level
of fire, the Turks drop grenades from the upper decks and set the ship
on fire, and even if the Christians succeeded in boarding, they find
themselves in a trap: for though the ship's waist is indeed cleared of
the enemy, the hurricane decks at poop and prow command the boarding
party, and through loopholes in the bulwarks--as good a cover as a
trench--a hail of grape pours from the guns, and seizing their
opportunity the Turks rush furiously through the doors and take their
opponents simultaneously in face and rear; and then comes a busy time
for scimitar and pike. Or, when you are alongside, if you see the
caramuzel's mainsail being furled, and something moving in the iron
cage on the _gabia_ or maintop, know that a petard will soon be
d