"Yendo a buscar nuevos asientos y
nuevos amigos" (seeking a new home and new friends), says Sandoval.
It was well for the corsairs that the Christians had selected the previous
year for their attack, as, had they fallen upon them when Barbarossa was no
longer in power at Algiers and the pirates were fighting among themselves,
the latter would have been wiped out of existence. It was ill fighting with
Kheyr-ed-Din, whether you professed the religion of Christ or that of
Mahomet, and this the revolting corsairs were very soon to discover.
Barbarossa sailed away from Algiers a hunted fugitive, only to return again
as a conqueror.
Eastward the dispossessed ruler of Algiers took his course, and very soon
discovered that which he sought--allies to assist him against the revolted
Venalcadi and the recalcitrant Hassan. Lurking in the neighbourhood of
Bizerta, he discovered El Judeo (the Jew), Cachidiablo (Hunt the Devil),
Salaerrez, Tabas, and other corsairs, who collectively composed a
formidable force. These were all old acquaintances and some old followers
of Kheyr-ed-Din, and to them did he relate the piteous tale of the
cowardice of Venalcadi, whom he accused of having deserted his brother Uruj
in his direst necessity, thereby causing his death; the abominable conduct
of Hassan, who had turned and bitten the hand that fed him. With tears in
his eyes did this accomplished actor reluctantly reveal the base
ingratitude of which he had been the recipient; so much did he contrive to
work upon the feelings of his auditors that they one and all vowed to stand
by him, and to replace him as ruler of Algiers, from which he had been
thrust by men whose shameful treachery was only equalled by their
ingratitude.
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