422 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



trencher covered with a cloth, which he placed at the 

 xipper end of the table. 



" Behold the last and best dish we can offer to our 

 noble guests ! " said Jurissa ; " 'twill suit, I doubt 

 not, their dainty palates." And tearing off the cloth, 

 he exposed to view the grizzly and distorted features 

 of a human head. 



The shout of savage exultation that burst from the 

 pirates at this ghastly spectacle, drowned the groan 

 of rage and grief uttered by the Proveditore, as he 

 recognised in the pale and rigid countenance the 

 well - known features of his friend Christophoro 

 Veniero. That unfortunate nobleman, on his return 

 from a voyage to the Levant, had fallen into the 

 hands of Jurissa, who, before he was aware of the 

 rank of his prisoner, had barbarously slain him. 

 This had occurred not many hours before the capture 

 of Marcello ; and it was to the murder of Veniero 

 that the Uzcoque made allusion, when he seized 

 Jurissa's arm at the moment he was about to stab the 

 Proveditore. 



One of the pirates, a man of gigantic stature and 

 hideous aspect, now rose from his seat, staggering 

 tvSh drunkenness, and forcing open the jaws of the 

 dead, placed a piece of meat between the teeth. The 

 wildest laughter and applause greeted this frightful 

 pantomime, which made the blood of the Proveditore 

 run cold. 



" Infernal and bloody villains ! " shouted he, uu- 



