WOODEN CANNON. 73 



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 



