But desperate diseases require
desperate remedies, and the politic corsair well knew that even the moral
support of such an one as the Sultan of Constantinople was worth more than
even material aid from a Sultan of Tunis.
Consequently, greatly daring, he sent an embassy to the Sublime Porte with
one of his most trusted captains at its head to lay the homage of the
corsairs at the feet of Selim I. Very naturally these ambassadors did not
go empty-handed, but took with them rich presents and numerous slaves.
Selim was much pleased at the attention, coming as it did from such a
distance--we have to remember that the coast of North Africa was an immense
journey from Constantinople in those days--and the insight of Kheyr-ed-Din
was triumphantly vindicated. Not only did the Sultan send a gracious reply
in return, but--what was far more to the purpose--he sent a reinforcement
of fourteen vessels to the corsairs bidding them to go on and prosper in
their efforts to spread the true faith among the Christian heretics.
There is nothing more curious in the history of the corsairs than the
perpetual ups and downs of their lives. Thus in the present instance the
ill-advised attack of Uruj on Bougie had reduced them to terrible straits;
immediately afterwards the action of the Grand Turk once more set them upon
their feet and enabled them to pursue an unchecked career of devastation.
Aided by the reinforcements sent by Selim, their depredations assumed ever
larger proportions, and, had they continued to receive this assistance, the
course of history itself might have been changed.
Pages:
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78