WOODEN CANNON. 13 
with somewhat of ceremony, modified, though slightly, the 
feelings of the Dey in our favour, and his sentiments 
became yet more favourable towards us in consequence 
of another maritime occurrence, although a very insig- 
nificant one. 
One day a corvette was seen in the horizon armed 
with a very great number of guns, and shaping her way 
towards the port of Algiers ; there appeared immediately 
after an English brig of war, in full sail; a combat was 
therefore expected, and all the terraces of the town were 
covered with spectators; the brig appeared to be the best 
sailer, and seemed to us likely to reach the corvette, but 
the latter tacked about, and seemed desirous to engage in 
battle ; the English vessel fled before her; the corvette 
tacked about a second time, and again directed her course 
towards Algiers, where, one would have supposed, she 
had some special mission to execute. The brig, in her 
turn now changed her course, but held herself constantly 
beyond the reach of shot from the corvette; at last the 
two vessels arrived in succession in the port, and cast 
anchor, to the lively disappointment of the Algerine 
population, who had hoped to be present without danger 
at a maritime combat between the “ Christian dogs,” be- 
longing to two nations equally detested in a religious 
point of view; but shouts of laughter could not be re- 
pressed when it was seen that the corvette was a mer- 
chant vessel, and that she was only armed with wooden 
imitations of cannon. It was said in the town that the 
English sailors were furious, and had been on the point 
of mutiny against their too prudent captain. 
I have very little to tell in favour of the Algerines ; 
hence I must do an act of justice by mentioning, that the 
corvette departed the next day for the Antilles, her des- 
4 
