my profession; for it was as much as my life was worth to draw blood, although they made no scruple of carrying on a conversation during the whole time of the operation.  We had taken the cargoes out of several vessels, all of which were added to the “manifest” by our correct captain; when one day, we were chased by an English frigate.  I never met the English on shore, but I must say that, afloat, they are the most impertinent people that swim on the seas.  They cannot be content with minding their own business, although they have plenty on their hands, but they must interfere in that of others.  They board you, and insist upon knowing where you come from, whither you are bound, and what you have on board; examining you with as much scrutiny as if they had been the delegated custom-house officers of the whole world.

Now it did not exactly suit our captain to submit to such a rigorous search; he therefore made all sail for an island about seven miles distant, and anchored under the protection of a battery.  Austria—­the nation to whom the island belonged—­was not at war with England; she was preserving what is called an “armed neutrality.”

* * * * *

“Pray what is the meaning of an armed neutrality?” demanded the pacha.

“It varies according to circumstances, your highness; but, generally speaking, it means a charge of bayonets.”

* * * * *

The frigate followed; and being prevented by the shallowness of the water from approaching sufficiently near to us herself, sent her boats to examine us:  but as there were six of them full of men, and each mounting a gun at her bow, our captain thought it advisable to refuse them permission to come on board.  As a hint that he disapproved of their measures, he poured his whole broadside of round and grape into them, when they were about a quarter of a mile distant:  upon which they gave three cheers, and were obstinate enough to pull faster towards us than ever.

We received them with all the honours of war, in the shape of cutlasses, pistols and boarding pikes; but they were very determined.  As soon as one was knocked down, another jumped up in his place; and somehow or another they had possession of the ship in less time than I have been telling the story.  I was on the poop, when an English sailor, with a pigtail as thick as a cable made a cut at me:  I ran back to avoid the blow, and, in so doing, came with such force against another of their men, that we both tumbled overboard together.  I lost my cutlass, but he had not parted with his; and as soon as we rose to the surface, he seized me by the collar, and presented the point to my breast.  It seemed to be all the same to him whether he fought on the deck or in the water.  Fortunately I shifted a little on one side, and he only drove it through my jacket.  I recollected that I had my razor in my pocket, which I took out under the water unperceived, and, closing