410 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



despairing of obtaining the desired information by 

 these means, the senate commissioned Marcello, as 

 one well acquainted Avith the localities, to make a de- 

 scent on the Dalmatian coast, and profiting by the 

 consternation of the Uzcoques at the loss of their 

 leader, to endeavour to surprise a small fort situated 

 at some distance from Segna, and which was the abode 

 of Dansowich. In the absence of the old pirate, it 

 would probably be carelessly guarded and easily sur- 

 prised ; and it was hoped that documents would be 

 found there, proving that which the Venetians were 

 so anxious to establish. Another object of the expe- 

 dition was to capture, if possible, the mysterious 

 female who had been lately seen more than once in 

 Venice, and who had taken so prominent a part in 

 the attack on the palace of the MalipierL 



Accompanied by his son, whom for various reasons 

 he had resolved to take with him, Marcello went on 

 board an armed galley, and with a favouring breeze 

 steered for the Dalmatian coast. He had little doubt 

 of accomplishing the object of his expedition with 

 ease and safety; for a Venetian fleet was already 

 blockading the channel of Segna, and the archducal 

 of Fiume, where several of the Uzcoque barks 

 were undergoing repairs. The blockade had been 

 instituted in consequence of the outrageous piracies 

 committed by the Uzcoques during the Easter festi- 

 val, and was a measure frequently adopted by the 

 republic ; which, although carefully avoiding a war, 



