But against this was the
declaration of Dragut, who represented to his following that there was
really no choice in the matter; that to these stiffnecked and singularly
ungrateful people he had offered the protection of the corsairs, that they
had refused in the most contumelious manner, and in consequence there was
nothing for it but the strong hand. They--that is to say the corsairs--knew
right well that some strong place of arms in which to shelter themselves
and their vessels was an absolute necessity for their continued existence,
as at any moment Doria or the Knights of Malta might be on their track in
superior force, and then what was their fate likely to be if they had no
harbour under their lee in which to shelter? Further it was hinted that
"Africa" would provide very nice pickings in the way of loot, and when this
came to be generally understood the promptings of the Mahommedan conscience
yielded easily to the sophistries with which it was lulled.
The council of the town of "Africa" troubled themselves but little more
concerning Dragut, his ships, and his corsairs; he had departed, and as the
days wore on and no further tidings of him came to hand, these simple folk
thanked God that they were rid of a knave and went about their usual
avocations as unconcernedly as if no sea-wolves lurked under the shadowed
headlands of that continent in which their homes were situated. They were a
people essentially of the land; although they dwelt on the confines of the
ocean the ways and habits of those who earned a precarious living on the
waters were a sealed book to them, and with the "Africans" it was a case of
"out of sight out of mind" so far as the corsairs were concerned.
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