DEPARTURE OF KHAIR-AD-DIN FOR THE CAPITAL.
Khair-ad-din having thus disposed of most of the captives, appointed Hassan Beg, one of his most faithful servants, governor in his stead, and with several vessels fully equipped sailed for the Sublime Porte, in order to pay his respects.[29] Passing by Sardinia and Sicily, he went on to Genoa, near which place he one morning suddenly attacked and plundered a castle. Before this was made generally known he left Genoa, and proceeded towards Messina. On his passage thither he met eighteen barges, all of which he took, and made the infidels on board prisoners; and on approaching the town set fire to the barges. Being informed that Andrea with twenty-four galleys and twenty-six barges had gone to Corone, he sailed to Prevesa, whence the infidels sent intelligence to Andrea that Barbarossa was seeking him, and cautioned him to be on his guard: and in consequence of this information he went and secured himself in Brindisi. Khair-ad-din, hearing this, sent twenty-five vessels in pursuit of him. These overtook seven Anapolitan ships that were following Andrea, five of which made their escape to Anapoli; and the other two they took, and returned to Khair-ad-din. At this time Khair-ad-din and his fleet had arrived at Navarin, where he had an interview with the Capudan Ahmed Beg. He then proceeded to Corone, and there liberated a few of his captives. On his arrival at the Straits he received a pressing invitation from the emperor (whose glory is like that of Jemshid) to enter Constantinople, which he did, amid the firing of numerous salutes.