Page:Paine--Lost ships and lonely seas.djvu/430

384 with horror at the sight and full of apprehension that they were reserved for sufferings more severe. At length, the emperor approaching them warned them of the spectacle they beheld, and advised them to take care that his affairs be properly administered at Tangier in future.

By this means he intended to extort a sum of money from their friends, but as this did not follow according to his expectations he summoned them once more before him and gave orders for their immediate execution. He had previously told them, however, that having promised they should not die by the sword, they should all suffer by the bow-string. Hereupon two of his guards were selected who were employed to strangle them, one after another; which they did with all imaginable deliberation, in obedience to the orders of the emperor to take a moderate time in the executions for the sake of his own enjoyment. And notwithstanding the small number of victims, it occupied two hours.

The British sailors confessed that such barbarity made them tremble, and all that sustained their hopes was the rumor of the expected arrival of an ambassador from England. The consul could do nothing for them. Mr. Kilbs, the sailing-master of the Inspector, fainted at his work while the emperor was inspecting the building. The despot of Morocco inquired why the overseers permitted such indolence, but when the case was explained and he saw that the mariner was in the agonies of death, he was kind enough to order him carried into the castle, where he soon expired. In this instance there was