The most insignificant event was sufficient to modify the ideas of these barbarians.  I had come into the town one day, and was seated at table at M. Dubois Thainville’s, when the English Consul, Mr. Blankley, arrived in great haste, announcing to our Consul the entrance into the port of a French prize.  “I never will uselessly add,” said he, generously, “to the severities of war; I came to announce to you, my colleague, that I will give up your prisoners on a receipt which will insure me the deliverance of an equal number of Englishmen detained in France.”  “I thank you,” answered M. Dubois Thainville; “but I do not the less deplore this event that it will retard, indefinitely, perhaps, the settlement of the account in which I am engaged with the Dey.”

During this conversation, armed with a telescope, I was looking through the window of the dining-room, trying to persuade myself at least that the captured vessel was not one of much importance.  But one must yield to evidence.  It was pierced for a great number of guns.  All at once, the wind having displayed the flags, I perceived with surprise the French flag over the English flag.  I communicated what I observed to Mr. Blankley.  He answered immediately, “You do not surely pretend to observe better with your bad telescope than I did with my Dollond?”

“And you cannot pretend,” said I to him in my turn, “to see better than an astronomer by profession?  I am sure of my fact.  I beg M. Thainville’s permission, and will go this instant to visit this mysterious prize.”

In short, I went there; and this is what I learnt:—­

General Duhesme, Governor of Barcelona, wishing to rid himself of the most ill-disciplined portion of his garrison, formed the principal part into the crew of a vessel, the command of which he gave to a lieutenant of Babastre, a celebrated corsair of the Mediterranean.

There were amongst these improvised seamen a hussar, a dragoon, two veterans, a miner with his long beard, &c. &c.  The vessel, leaving Barcelona by night, escaped the English cruiser, and got to the entrance of Port Mahon.  An English “lettre de marque” was coming out of the port.  The crew of the French vessel boarded her; and a furious combat on the deck ensued, in which the French got the upper hand.  It was this “lettre de marque” which had now arrived at Algiers.

Invested with full power by M. Dubois Thainville, I announced to the prisoners that they were about to be immediately given up to their Consul.  I respected even the trick of the captain, who, wounded by several sabre-cuts, had contrived to cover up his head with his principal flag.  I re-assured his wife; but my chief care was especially devoted to a passenger whom I saw with one arm amputated.

“Where is the surgeon,” I said to him, “who operated on you?”

“It was not our surgeon,” he answered.  “He basely fled with a part of the crew, and saved himself on land.”