"Yes, I believe we might, but the slaughter would be harrowing."
His captain did not answer. He waited.
"It would be best of all," said the Admiral, at last, "to get rid of them in a more humane and safer way. Suleiman," he added, "it must be done!"
And Suleiman knew what was meant, and that the order for the execution of two hundred prisoners had to be given by him.
"The die is cast!" said Abdularram.
And he walked aft to smoke a pipe of opium. The plank was rigged, it was long, wide, well-balanced, and commanded at the ship end by a strong rope.
The further end was made slippery with vegetable oil.
The prisoners were then ordered up in batches of ten--disarmed, of course.
The poor fellows knew their doom, and most of them went quietly to death.
But the scene was soul-harrowing, for some of them refused to mount, and even attempted to fly at the necks of their enemies.