Salmagundi; or, The whim-whams and opinions of Launcelot Langstaff, esq. [pseud.] and others. By William Irving, James Kirke Paulding and Washington Irving. Printed from the original ed., with a preface and notes by Evert A. Duyckinck.

100 SALMAGUNDI.
An advanced guard of musicians were ordered to attack the castle without mercy. Then the whole band opened a most tremendous battery of drums, fifes, tambourines, and trumpets, and
kept up a thundering assault, as if the castle, like the walls of
Jericho, spoken of in the Jewish Chronicles, would tumble down
at the blowing of rams' horns. After some time a parley
ensued. The grand bashaw of the city appeared on the battlements of the castle, and as far as I could understand from circumstances dared the little bashaw of two tails to single combat-this thou knowest was in the style of ancient chivalrythe little bashaw dismounted with great intrepidity, and ascended
the battlements of the castle, where the great bashaw waited to
receive him, attended by numerous dignitaries and worthies of
his court. one of whom bore the splendid banners of the castle.
The battle was carried on entirely by words, according to the
universal custom of this country, of which I shall speak to thee
more fully hereafter. The grand bashaw made a furious attack
in a speech of considerable length; the little bashaw, by no
means appalled, retorted with great spirit. The grand bashaw
attempted to rip him up with an argument, or stun him with a
solid fact; but the little bashaw parried them both with admirable adroitness, and run him clean through and through with a
syllogism. The grand bashaw was overthrown, the banners of
the castle yielded up to the little bashaw, and the castle surrendered after a vigorous defence of three hours, during which the
besiegers suffered great extremity from muddy streets and a
drizzling atmosphere.
On returning to dinner I soon discovered that as usual I had
been indulging in a great mistake. The matter was all clearly
explained to me by a fellow-lodger, who on ordinary occasions
moves in the humble character of a tailor, but in the present