THE PIRATES OF SEGNA. 417 



threw off their upper garments, and fixing their long 

 knives firmly between their teeth, dashed in crowds 

 into the water. Familiar with that element from 

 childhood, they skimmed over its surface Avith the 

 lightness and rapidity of sea-mews, and swarmed up 

 the sides of the galley. A vigorous defence might 

 yet have saved the vessel ; but the heroic days of 

 Venice were long past the race of men who had so 

 long maintained the supremacy of the republic in all 

 the Italian seas was now extinct. After a feeble 

 and irresolute resistance, the Venetians threw down 

 their arms and begged for quarter, Avhile the Provedi- 

 tore, disgusted at the cowardice of his countrymen, 

 indignantly broke his sword, and retreating to the 

 quarter-deck, there seated himself beside his son, 

 and calmly awaited his fate. 



Foremost among the assailants was Jurissa Caiduch, 

 who sprang upon the deck of the galley, foaming with 

 rage, and slaughtering all he met on his passage. The 

 blazing town lighted up the scene, and showed him 

 and his followers where to strike. In vain did the 

 unfortunate crew implore quarter. None was given, 

 and the decks of the ship soon streamed with blood, 

 while each moment the cries of the victims became 

 fewer and fainter. 



Totally forgetting in his blind fury the object of 

 the expedition, Jurissa stayed not his hand in quest 

 of hostages, but rushed with uplifted knife on Mar- 

 cello and his son. The latter shrieked for mercy, 



