Page 181 - A Knight of the White Cross

by the council, but on the nomination of the grand master.

His power when at sea with the fleet was absolute. He could suspend any
officer from duty, and had unquestioned power of life and death over the

crews. He had been frequently on board the galley since she had been
launched, and had been pleased with the attention paid by Gervaise to his
duties, and with the ready manner in which the young knights carried out

his orders.

"Sir Gervaise Tresham," he said, "it is usual, as you know, to appoint each
galley to a certain cruising ground, to which it is confined during its three
months' absence. At present there is a galley on each of these stations, and

as the last relief took place but a month since, it is better that they should
remain at the stations allotted to them. I have therefore, after consultation

with his Highness the grand master, decided to give you a free hand. You
are as likely to meet with pirates in one quarter as in another, and you will
pick up from vessels you may overhaul news of their doings, which will

enable you to direct your course to the point where you will be most
useful."

"In the first place, however, you will proceed to the coast of Tunis.
Visconti's galley is already there, but the coast swarms with corsairs, and

we have had many complaints as to their depredations. The Court of Spain
has twice represented to us lately that the pirates have grown so bold that

vessels have been carried off, even when coasting from one Spanish port to
another. Visconti is specially watching the coast near Tunis, and you will
therefore perhaps do better to proceed farther west, for every village from

Tunis to Tangier is little better than a nest of pirates. I should imagine that
you will find ample employment there during your three months' cruise.

When I say that you are free to choose your own cruising ground, I do not
mean that you should go up the Levant, or to the east of the Mediterranean,
but that you are not bound to keep close along the African coast, but may,

should you obtain any information to warrant your doing so, seek the
pirates along the shores of Spain, Sardinia, Corsica, or Sicily.