I. THE BURDEN OF TYRE 211

of civilization now only brings black steam-tugs,* to bear the people of Venice to the bathing-machines of Lido, covering their Ducal Palace with soot, and consuming its sculptures with sulphurous acid.

The beaked ships of the Doge Michael had each a hundred oars;-each oar pulled by two men, not accommodated with sliding seats, but breathed well for their great boat-race between the shores of Greece and Italy;-whose names, alas, with the names of their trainers, are noteless in the journals of the barbarous time.

They beat their way across the waves, nevertheless,† to the city by the sea of Philistia where Dorcas worked for the poor, and St. Peter lodged with his namesake tanner.¹ There, showing first but a squadron of a few ships, they drew the Saracen fleet out to sea, and so set upon them.

And the Doge, in his true Duke’s place, first in his beaked ship, led for the Saracen admiral’s, struck her, and sunk her. And his host of falcons followed to the slaughter: and to the prey also,-for the battle was not without gratification of the commercial appetite. The Venetians took a number of ships containing precious silks, and “a quantity of drugs and pepper.”²

After which battle, the Doge went up to Jerusalem, there to take further counsel concerning the use of his Venetian power; and, being received there with honour, kept his Christmas in the mountain of the Lord.

6. In the council of war that followed, debate became

* The sails may still be seen scattered farther east along the Riva; but the beauty of the scene, which gave some image of the past, was in their combination with the Ducal Palace,-not with the new French and English Restaurants.

† Oars, of course, for calm, and adverse winds, only; bright sails full to the helpful breeze.

¹ [Acts ix. 36 (“Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas ...”); Acts x. 5, 6.]

² [“Illas quoque cum munimentis pluribus, etiamque auro et argento, nummis-matibusque multis, piper quoque et diversas species odoramentorum diripiunt” (Foucher de Chartres, quoted in Monticolo’s edition of Sanuto, p. 186 n.).]

[Version 0.04: March 2008]