The Sword of Islalm by Raphael Sabatini

Author:Raphael Sabatini
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: House of Stratus

Chapter 18

Dragut’s Prisoner

Historians differ oddly in their relations of that expedition to Cherchell. That, however, is the way of historians. Lorenzo Capello’s sycophantic “Life of the Prince Andrea Doria” presents the delusive account which was rendered by the Admiral, himself, for his credit’s sake. Others, more concerned with truth than with Andrea Doria’s reputation, have preferred the bare facts to the interpretation which the Admiral gave them. And the facts are that in his flight from Cherchell – for as a flight it must be regarded – he headed across the seas for the Balearics as fast as sails and oars could bear him, with Barbarossa’s fleet on his heels.

But not the whole of Barbarossa’s fleet engaged in that pursuit, which, after all, at nightfall, was abandoned. Dragut-Reis, with ten of his galleys, detached himself from the Barbary host and entered the Bay of Cherchell to ascertain what might have happened there.

He found the place in uproar and the harbour empty of shipping save for a single Imperial galley, manned by Turkish slaves, but with none to defend her. She was the only remaining one of the three that had been moored to the mole when Prospero, chivalrously insubordinate, had gone ashore. She was one of his own vessels, and he kept her to await the two hundred followers he took ashore with him and the men he hoped to rescue. The other two, bearing aboard them the eight hundred rescued Christian slaves, he had allowed to go with the departing Imperial fleet.

Of this unguarded vessel Dragut took possession. Then he landed, and with an army of Corsairs at his heels he swept up into the city. The uproar of combat guided him eastwards, towards the old Roman amphitheatre. In this he found a Frankish force entrenched and beset by Alicot’s mixed horde of Turks and Arabs. It was Prospero’s band, increased by about a hundred of the missing Spaniards whom they had rescued piecemeal.

Dragut’s fame, which had earned him the proud title of The Drawn Sword of Islam, made it easy for him to overbear the older and ruder Alicot. He stayed the service of the guns which had been dragged by oxen from the citadel so as to pound this little remnant of Cherchell’s invaders, and instead sent into the amphitheatre a trumpeter with a flag of truce and an invitation to the Roumi to surrender.

Prospero left decision to his followers. They had seen the guns brought, and many of them were already making as best they could their peace with God, conceiving the moment arrived in which they would have to appear before Him. Eagerly they snatched at this offer of life; for although the sufferings of slavery would darken it, yet the hope of ultimate deliverance would ever be fortifyingly present.

So they cast away their weapons and in stern, silent resignation, came forth as they were bidden. The Moslems noisily surrounded them to herd them away to the pens they would tenant until the destination of each came to be determined in the souk-el-abeed.

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