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CHAPTER XVII
DRAGUT-REIS
How Dragut was blockaded in the Island of Jerbah--How he left Andrea
Dona "with the dog to hold"--His return to Constantinople, and how he
sailed from thence with a great expedition against the Knights of Malta.
Charles V. had "smoked out the fox," but his admiral in so doing had not
succeeded in capturing that remarkably wily animal; for Dragut was not only
still at liberty, but was burning for revenge on those by whom he had been
dispossessed. He had lost "his city," as he called "Africa"; he had lost
two thousand five hundred men--among them some of the fiercest and most
experienced of his corsairs; he had lost ten thousand slaves, representing
a large sum of money, and much wealth besides. The corsair, however, was
not one of those who merely sit down and repine; for him strenuous and
continued action was the law of his being, and he at once repaired to
Constantinople. Here he was well known as an adroit and skilful seaman and
a most determined enemy of the Christians, and, in consequence, was not
only certain of a welcome, but of substantial help as well, if he could but
win over the Grand Turk to take the same view of his grievances as he did
himself. In reality, the corsairs, as we have seen, played the game of the
Padishah, as a rule, at no expense to that potentate; when they were in
trouble he was therefore by no means indisposed to render them assistance.
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