342 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



tile plains of Northern Italy, the convenient ports 

 on the Adriatic, the rich commerce with the Levant, 

 were tempting baits to what was then the most am- 

 bitious power in Europe ; and with an undeviating 

 steadiness did she follow up the policy which pro- 

 mised to place such desirable acquisitions within 

 her grasp. Venice, whose power and importance 

 were already on the decline, was the State against 

 which her most strenuous efforts were directed; and 

 nothing that could injure the trade, or lower the 

 dignity and importance of the republic, was omitted 

 by the Austrian Machiavels of the day. Insignificant 

 as such a means of annoyance may appear, the band 

 of Uzcoques was one of the prime engines employed 

 to undermine the bulwarks of Venetian independence. 

 Through her commerce had Venice achieved her great- 

 ness, and through her commerce was she to be assailed 

 and overthrown. AVhilst the Venetians, for the sake 

 of their trade, had formed alliances with the Turks, 

 the Austrians, professing great religious zeal and 

 hatred of the infidels, as well as a dread of further 

 encroachments upon European territory, did all in 

 their power to ruin the traffic and break the con- 

 nection between the Republic and the Porte. The 

 Uzcoques, who, although asserting a sort of inde- 

 pendence, still dwelt on Austrian territory, and were 

 reckoned as Austrian subjects, were secretly encour- 

 aged in the piracies which they committed indiscrim- 

 inately against Turkish and Venetian vessels. These 



