oars was manned by nine Moslem slaves.  The sea was smooth and favourable for rowing, and soon the ravening pursuit closed in on the doomed corsair.  As the interval between chaser and chased became less and less, those on board the pirate ship could see for themselves the fate which was awaiting them, as on the central gang-plank, which separated the rowers’ benches, the boatswain and his mates were unmercifully flogging the bare backs of the straining oarsmen to urge them to greater exertions.  He who was captured at sea in those days was set to row until he died, and the calculating mercy which causes a man to feed and treat his beast well in order that it may do the better work was not to be relied upon here, as life was cheap and slaves were plentiful.  Very soon the beak of the galley overhung the stern of the little ship.  Escape was impossible, to fight would have meant the massacre of all on board; the choice was instant submission or a watery grave.  Uruj lowered his sail, and he and his little company were ironed and flung into the depths of the galley until such time as they should be wanted to take their turn at the oars.  In this ignominious fashion ended his first attempt at independent piracy.

But a storm was brewing, and a heavy sea got up.  The sails of the galley were lowered, her beak was put head-on to the wind, and she made for the shore.  In this noisome confinement Uruj could hear above the crash of the seas and the whistling of the wind the shrieks of the hapless slaves as the whips of their taskmasters bit through skin and flesh:  the galley-slave rowed stark naked chained to his bench.  This was to be his fate, and he was well aware of the fact.

At last, after nightfall, the galley anchored under the Isle of Castel Rosso, at the entrance of the Gulf of Satalie.  It still blew hard, but, in the comparative peace of the anchorage, sounds hitherto hidden by the war of the elements now made themselves manifest.  There were the snores of the sleepers, the clank of the leg-chains as the wretched slaves shifted their positions in the attempt to gain an easier place on the bench, there was also the sound of men carousing with loud laughter in the stern of the vessel; but above them all rose the hollow groaning as of one in mortal agony.  This proceeded from a slave who was quite close to Uruj.  There came a spell in the laughter and loud voices in the stern, and presently an imperious voice spoke:  “That noise disturbs me; see that it ceases at once.”  An obsequious answer came from out of the prevailing darkness:  “It shall cease at once, Excellency.”  Then came men with lanterns, who unshackled the wretch who groaned and—­flung him overboard.