THE PIRATES OF SEGNA. 421 



ravenous attack upon the coarse but abundant viands 

 set before them. 



The scene was a strange one. The brutal demean- 

 our of the men, their bearded and savage aspect ; the 

 dishevelled blood-stained women, mingling their shrill 

 voices with the hoarse tones of their male companions ; 

 the disordered but often pictiiresque garb and various 

 weapons of the pirates ; the whole seen by the light 

 of the burning houses more resembled an orgie of 

 demons than an assemblage of human beings ; and 

 even the cool and resolute Proveditore felt himself 

 shudder and turn pale as he contemplated this carnival 

 of horrors, celebrated by wretches on whose hands 

 the blood of their fellow-men was as yet hardly dry. 

 Antonio sat supporting himself against the table, 

 seeming scarcely conscious of what passed around 

 him. Both father and son had been compelled to 

 take their places at the board, amidst the jeers and 

 insults of the Uzcoques. 



The revel was at its height, when Jurissa suddenly 

 started from his seat, and struck the table violently 

 with his drinking-cup. 



" Hold, Uzcoques ! " he exclaimed ; " we have 

 forgotten the crowning ornament of our ban- 

 quet." 



He whispered something to an Uzcoque seated be- 

 side him, who left the room. While the pirates were 

 still asking one another the meaning of Jurissa's 

 words, the man returned, bearing before him a 



