THE PIRATES OF SEGXA. 427 



cipitation in leaving Venice the morning after the 

 Battle of the Bridge, and while under the influence of 

 the shock lie had received, in beholding the hideoits 

 features of an old woman where he had expected to 

 lind the blooming countenance of Strasolda. His 

 love for the Uzcoque maiden, as he had seen her 

 when his captive, and again in the cavern, on the 

 coast by Segna, returned in full force. He was 

 already planning a journey to Venice, when he was 

 interrupted in his meditation's by the noise of a horse's 

 hoofs dashing full speed into the court of the palace. 

 In another minute an attendant summoned him to 

 the presence of the pacha, and there he heard the 

 news, just received, of the wild outbreak of the 

 Uzcoques. The Martellossi and other troops were 

 ordered to proceed immediately to the frontier, in 

 order to protect Turkish Dalmatia from the pirates ; 

 and Ibrahim, at his urgent request, was appointed to 

 a command in the expedition. 



With joyful alacrity did the young Turk arm and 

 hurry to horse ; and then, putting himself at the head 

 of a troop of light cavalry, sped onwards in the direc- 

 tion of the country where he hoped to gain tidings of 

 Strasolda. Having received strict orders to content 

 himself with protecting the Turkish frontier, and 

 above all not to infringe on archducal territory, Ibra- 

 him, on arriving at the boundary of the pachalic, left 

 his troop in charge of the second in command, and 

 with a handful of men entered Venetian Dalmatia, 



