p407-344 CHAP. XVII.

See the deep cur&longs;e of power uncontrol'd.

[figure description] Page 121.[end figure description]

It has been noticed that Hayraddin
Barbaro&longs;&longs;a, in the beginning of the
&longs;ixteenth century, rendered his kingdom
tributary to the Grand Seignior; and that,
in the year one thou&longs;and &longs;ix hundred and
twenty three, the Algerines threw off
their dependence on the &longs;ublime Porte.
Since that time, the Turki&longs;h court have
made &longs;everal attempts to reduce the Algerines
to their &longs;ubjection; and, by siding
with the numerous pretenders to the
regency, &longs;o common in this un&longs;table government,
they have, at times, apparently
effected their de&longs;ign: while the Algerines,
by a&longs;&longs;a&longs;&longs;inating or dethroning tho&longs;e

[figure description] Page 122.[end figure description]

princes, who&longs;e weakne&longs;s or wants have induced
them to &longs;ubmit to extraneous power,
have reduced their dependence on the sublime
Porte to a mere name. At pre&longs;ent, the
Grand Seignior, fearful of lo&longs;ing the very
&longs;hadow of authority, he has over them,
contents him&longs;elf with receiving a tribute almost
nominal; con&longs;i&longs;ting chiefly of a
pre&longs;ent, towards defraying the expen&longs;es
of the annual canopy, which is &longs;ent to adorn
the prophet's tomb at Medina: while,
on the other hand, the Algerines, dreading
the Grand Seignior's interference in
their popular commotions, allow the sublime
Porte to confirm the election of their
Dey, and to badge his name, by affixing
and terminating it with tho&longs;e of the principal
officers of the Turki&longs;h government.
Hence the pre&longs;ent Dey, who&longs;e real name
is Ha&longs;&longs;an, is &longs;tyled Vizier, which is al&longs;o
the appellation of the Grand Seignior's
fir&longs;t mini&longs;ter. As Ba&longs;haw, which terminates
the Dey's name, is the Turki&longs;h

[figure description] Page 123.[end figure description]

title of their viceroys and principal commanders,
he makes war or peace, negotiates
treaties, coins money, and performs
every other act of ab&longs;olute independence.

Nor is the Dey le&longs;s independent of his
own &longs;ubjects. Though he obtains his
office frequently by the election of a furious
&longs;oldiery, and wades to the regency
through the blood of his predece&longs;&longs;or; yet
he is no &longs;ooner inve&longs;ted with the in&longs;ignia
of office, than, an implicit reverence is
paid to his commands, even by his serocious
electors; and, though he often
&longs;ummons his divan or council of great officers,
yet they are merely advi&longs;ory. He
conducts foreign affairs, at his own good
plea&longs;ure; and, as to internal, he knows
no re&longs;traint, except from certain local customs,
opinions, and tenets, which he him&longs;elf
venerates, in common with his meane&longs;t
&longs;ubjects. Ju&longs;tice is admini&longs;tered in his
name. He even determines controversies
in his own per&longs;on, be&longs;ides being

[figure description] Page 124.[end figure description]

supposed virtually pre&longs;ent in the per&longs;ons of
his cadis or judges. If he inclines to interfere
in the determination of a &longs;uit, upon
his approach, the authority of the cadis
cea&longs;e, and is merged in that of the Dey.
Some cu&longs;toms have been intimated, which
re&longs;train the Dey's de&longs;poti&longs;m. The&longs;e relate
principally to religion, property,
and females. He will not condemn
a prie&longs;t to death; and, although upon
the decea&longs;e of a &longs;ubject, his landed
property immediately e&longs;cheats to the
reigning Dey, yet he never &longs;eizes it, in the
life of the po&longs;&longs;e&longs;&longs;or; and, when a man is
executed for the highe&longs;t crime, the females
of his family are treated with re&longs;pect:
nay, even in an in&longs;urrection of the soldiery,
when they murdered their Dey,
neither they nor his &longs;ucce&longs;&longs;our violated
the female apartments of the &longs;lain.
A mere love of novelty in the &longs;oldiery,
the wi&longs;h to &longs;hare the large&longs;&longs;es of a new
&longs;overeign, the policy of his courtiers,

[figure description] Page 125.[end figure description]

the ambition or popularity of his officers
or children, have not unfrequently caused
the dethroning of the Dey; but the
more &longs;y&longs;tematic cau&longs;e of his being &longs;o
frequently dethroned &longs;hall be noticed in
our next chapter.

p407-349 CHAP. XVIII.

May the&longs;e add to the number, that may &longs;cald thee;
Let molten coin be thy damnation.
Shakespeare.

ARGUMENT.

Revenue.

[figure description] Page 126.[end figure description]

The Dey's revenue is &longs;tated
by writers at &longs;even hundred thou&longs;and
dollars per annum. If the limits of this
work would permit, I think I could
prove it under rated, from a view of his
expenditures. It ari&longs;es from a &longs;light tax upon
his &longs;ubjects, a tribute from &longs;ome Moors
and tribes of Arabs, in the interiour
country; a capitation tax upon the Jews;
prizes taken at &longs;ea; pre&longs;ents from foreign
powers, as the price of peace; annual subsidies
from tho&longs;e nations, with whom he
is in alliance; and cu&longs;tomary pre&longs;ents,
made by his courtiers on his birth day.

[figure description] Page 127.[end figure description]

To the&longs;e may be added &longs;ums, &longs;queezed
from his Ba&longs;haws in the government of
the interiour provinces, and from the Jews,
as the price of his protection. With
the&longs;e &longs;upplies he has to &longs;upport the magnificence
of his court, defray the expen&longs;e
of foreign emba&longs;&longs;ies, pay his army, &longs;upply
his navy, and repair his fortifications;
and, by frequent gratuities, if he is not very
&longs;ucce&longs;sful and popular, &longs;upport his interest
among tho&longs;e, who have the power
to dethrone him. His proportion of the
prizes, captured at &longs;ea, and the conciliatory
pre&longs;ents, made by the commercial
powers, are the principal &longs;ources of his
revenue. It is obviou&longs;ly the policy of the
Dey, by frequently enfringing his treaties,
to augment his finances, by new captures
or fre&longs;h premiums for his friend&longs;hip. A
pacific Dey is &longs;ure not to reign long; for,
be&longs;ide the di&longs;gu&longs;t of the formidable body
of &longs;ailors, who are emulous of employ,
when the reigning Dey has once gone

[figure description] Page 128.[end figure description]

through the routine of &longs;eizing the ve&longs;&longs;els,
receiving the pre&longs;ents, and concluding
treaties with the u&longs;ual foreign powers, he
finds that the annual payments, &longs;ecured
by treaties, are in&longs;ufficient for the maintenance
of his nece&longs;&longs;ary expenditures;
and is therefore con&longs;trained frequently
to declare war as a principle of &longs;elf preservation.
I have been told, the pre&longs;ent
Dey conde&longs;cended to explain the&longs;e principles
to an American agent in Algiers,
and grounded his capturing the American
&longs;hipping upon this nece&longs;&longs;ity. I mu&longs;t,
&longs;aid the Dey, be at war with &longs;ome nation,
and yours mu&longs;t have its turn. When
the Dey, from a pacific di&longs;po&longs;ition or
dread of foreign power, is at peace with
the world, the di&longs;gu&longs;ted &longs;ailor and
avaricious &longs;oldier join to dethrone him;
having e&longs;tabli&longs;hed it, as a maxim, that
all treaties expire with the reigning
Dey, and mu&longs;t be renewed with his
&longs;ucce&longs;&longs;our. This is undoubtedly the

[figure description] Page 129.[end figure description]

true &longs;ource whence &longs;pring tho&longs;e frequent
and dreadful convul&longs;ions, in the
regency of Algiers.

p407-353 CHAP. XIX.

All arm'd in proof, the fierce banditti join
In horrid phalanx, urg'd by helli&longs;h rage
To glut their vengeance in the blood of tho&longs;e,
That wor&longs;hip him, who &longs;hed his blood for all.
Author's Manu&longs;cript Poems.

ARGUMENT.

The Dey's Forces.

[figure description] Page 130.[end figure description]

There are but few ve&longs;&longs;els
actually belonging to the Dey's navy.
He has many marine officers, who rank
in the &longs;ea &longs;ervice; but, except on great
expeditions, are permitted to command
the gallies of private adventurers; and it
is the&longs;e picaroons, that make &longs;uch dreadful
depredations on commerce. I can
give but a &longs;lender account of his land
forces. Tho&longs;e in e&longs;tabli&longs;hed pay are &longs;aid
to amount to about eight thou&longs;and foot,
and two thou&longs;and Moori&longs;h hor&longs;e. To

[figure description] Page 131.[end figure description]

the&longs;e may be added four thou&longs;and inhabitants
of the city, who enrol them&longs;elves
as &longs;oldiers, for protection in military tumults,
receive no pay, but are liable to
be called upon to man the fortifications
in emergency, in&longs;urrection, or inva&longs;ion.
Perhaps there are more of this &longs;pecies in
the provinces. The hor&longs;e are cantoned
in the country round the city, and do duty
by detachments at the palace. Three
thou&longs;and &longs;oot are &longs;tationed in the fortifications,
and mar&longs;halled as the Dey's
guards. The re&longs;idue of the land forces
are di&longs;tributed among the Ba&longs;haws to overawe
the provinces. But the principal
reliance, in ca&longs;e of inva&longs;ion, is the
va&longs;t bodies of what may be &longs;tyled militia,
which the Ba&longs;haws, in ca&longs;e of emergency,
lead from the interiour country.

p407-355 CHAP. XX.

Quaint fa&longs;hion too was there,
Who&longs;e caprice trims
The Indian's wampum,
And the crowns of kings.
Author's Manu&longs;cript Poems.

ARGUMENT.

Notices of the Habits, Cu&longs;toms, &c. of the
Algerines.

[figure description] Page 132.[end figure description]

The men wear next to their
bodies a linen &longs;hirt, or rather chemi&longs;e,
and drawers of the &longs;ame texture. Over
their &longs;hirt a linen or &longs;ilk gown, which is
girded about their loins by a &longs;a&longs;h, in the
choice of which they exhibit much fancy.
In this dre&longs;s their legs and lower extremity
of their arms are bare. As an outer
garment, a loo&longs;e coat of coar&longs;er materials
is thrown over the whole. They wear
turbans, which are long pieces of mu&longs;lin

[figure description] Page 133.[end figure description]

or &longs;ilk curiou&longs;ly folded, &longs;o as to form a
cap comfortable and ornamental. Slippers
are u&longs;ually worn, though the soldiers
are provided with a &longs;ort of bu&longs;kin,
re&longs;embling our half boots. The dre&longs;s of
the women, I am told, for I never had
the plea&longs;ure of in&longs;pecting it very critically,
re&longs;embles that of the men, except that
their drawers are longer, and their out &longs;ide
garment is like our old fa&longs;hioned ridinghoods.
When the ladies walk the &longs;treets,
they are muffled with bandages or handkerchiefs
of mu&longs;lin or &longs;ilk over their faces,
which conceals all but their eyes; and, if
toonearly in&longs;pected, will let fall a large vail,
which conceals them intirely. The men usually
&longs;et cro&longs;s legged upon mattre&longs;&longs;es, laid
upon low &longs;eats at the &longs;ides of the room.
They loll on cu&longs;hions at their meals; and,
after their repa&longs;ts, occa&longs;ionally indulge
with a &longs;hort &longs;lumber. I have &longs;uch a laudable
attachment to the cu&longs;toms of my own
country, that I doubt whether I can

[figure description] Page 134.[end figure description]

judge candidly of their cookery or mode
of eating. The former would be unpalatable
and the latter di&longs;gu&longs;ting to mo&longs;t Americans;
for &longs;affron is their common
&longs;ea&longs;oning. They cook their provi&longs;ions
to rags or pap, and eat it with their fingers,
though the better &longs;ort u&longs;e &longs;poons.
Their diver&longs;ions con&longs;i&longs;t in a&longs;&longs;ociating in
the coffee hou&longs;es, in the city, and, in the
country, under groves, where they &longs;moke
and chat, and drink cooling not ine briating
liquors. Their more active amusements
are riding and throwing the dart,
at both which they are very expert.
They &longs;ometimes play at che&longs;s and drafts,
but never at games of chance or for money;
tho&longs;e being expre&longs;sly forbidden by
the alcoran.

p407-358 CHAP. XXI.

Prætulerim &longs;criptor delirus iner&longs;que videri,
Dum mea delectant mala me vel denique fallant.
Hor. Epi&longs; ii.

Done into Engli&longs;h Metre.
I'd rather wield as dull a pen
As chatty B— or bungling Ben;
Tedious as Doctor P—nce, or rather
As Samuel, Increa&longs;e, Cotton M—r;
And keep of truth the beaten track,
And plod the old cart rut of fact,
Than write as fluent, fal&longs;e and vain
As cit Genet or Tommy Paine.

ARGUMENT.

Marriages and Funerals.

[figure description] Page 135.[end figure description]

It is the privilege of travellers
to exaggerate; but I wi&longs;h not to avail
my&longs;elf of this pre&longs;criptive right. I had
rather di&longs;appoint the curio&longs;ity of my
readers by conci&longs;ene&longs;s, than di&longs;gu&longs;t them
with untruths. I have no ambition to be

[figure description] Page 136.[end figure description]

ranked among the Bruces and Chastelreux
of the age. I &longs;hall therefore endeavour
rather to improve the under&longs;tanding
of my reader, with what I really know,
man amu&longs;e him with &longs;tories, of which
my circum&longs;cribed &longs;ituation rendered me
nece&longs;&longs;arily ignorant. I never was at an
Algerine marriage; but obtained &longs;ome
authentic information on the &longs;ubject.

That extreme caution, which &longs;eparates
the &longs;exes in elder life, is al&longs;o attached to
the youth. In Algiers, the young people
never collect to dance, conver&longs;e, or amuse
them&longs;elves with the innocent gaities
of their age. Here are no theatres,
balls, or concerts; and, even in the public
duties of religion, the &longs;exes never assemble
together. An Algerine court&longs;hip
would be as di&longs;agreeable to the hale youth
of New England, as a common bundling
would be di&longs;gu&longs;ting to the Mu&longs;&longs;ulman.
No opportunity is a&longs;&longs;orded to the young
&longs;uitor to &longs;earch for tho&longs;e namele&longs;s

[figure description] Page 137.[end figure description]

bewitching qualities and attentions, which attach
the American youth to his mi&longs;tre&longs;s, and
form the ba&longs;is of connubial bli&longs;s; nor is
the young Algerine permitted, by a thousand
tender a&longs;&longs;iduities, to win the affections
of the future partner of his life.
His choice can be only directed by the
rank or re&longs;pectability of the father of his
intended bride. He never &longs;ees her face,
until after the nuptial ceremony is performed;
and even &longs;ome days after &longs;he
has been brought home to his own hou&longs;e.
The old people frequently make the
match, or, if it originates with the youth,
he confides his wi&longs;hes to his father or
&longs;ome re&longs;pectable relation, who communicates
the propo&longs;al to the lady's father.
If he receives it favourably, the young
couple are allowed to exchange &longs;ome unmeaning
me&longs;&longs;ages, by an old nur&longs;e of the
family. The bride's father or her next
male kin, with the bridegroom, go before
the Cadi and &longs;ign a contract of marriage,

[figure description] Page 138.[end figure description]

which is atte&longs;ted by the relatives on each
&longs;ide. The bridegroom then pays a stipulated
&longs;um to the bride's father; the nuptial
ceremony is performed in private,
and the bridegroom retires. After &longs;ome
days, the bride is richly arrayed, accompanied
by females, and conveyed in a
covered coach or waggon, gaudy with
flowers, to her hu&longs;band's hou&longs;e. Here
&longs;he is immediately immured in the women's
apartments, while the bridegroom
and his friends &longs;hare a convivial fea&longs;t.
After &longs;ome ceremonies, the nature of
which I could not di&longs;cover, the bridegroom
enters the women's apartment,
and for the fir&longs;t time di&longs;covers whether
his wife has a no&longs;e or eyes. Among the
higher ranks, it is &longs;aid, the bride, after
the expiration of a month, goes to the
public bath for women, is there received
with great parade, and loaded with
pre&longs;ents by her female relations, assembled
on the occa&longs;ion. The

[figure description] Page 139.[end figure description]

bridegroom al&longs;o receives pre&longs;ents from his
friends.

Within a limited time, the hu&longs;band
may break the contract, provided he will
add another item to that already given,
return his bride with all her paraphernalia;
and, putting the holy alcoran to his
brea&longs;t, a&longs;&longs;ert that he never benefited himself
of the rights of an hu&longs;band.

Notwith&longs;tanding the apparent re&longs;traint,
the women are under, they are &longs;aid to be
attached to their hu&longs;bands, and enjoy
greater liberty than is generally conceived.
I certainly &longs;aw many women in the
&longs;treets, &longs;o muffled up, and &longs;o &longs;imilar from
their outward garment, that their neare&longs;t
relatives could-not di&longs;tingui&longs;h one from
another. The vulgar &longs;laves conjecture
that the women take great liberties in this
general di&longs;gui&longs;e.

Their funerals are decent but not ostentatious.
I &longs;aw many. The corps, carried
upon a bier, is preceded by the prie&longs;ts,

[figure description] Page 140.[end figure description]

chanting pa&longs;&longs;ages from the alcoran
in a dolorous tone. Wherever the
proce&longs;&longs;ion pa&longs;&longs;es, the people join in
this dirge. The relatives follow, with
the folds of their turbans loo&longs;ened.
The bodies of the rich are depo&longs;ited
in vaults, tho&longs;e of the poor, in graves.
A pillar of marble is erected over them,
with an unblown ro&longs;e carved on the top
for the unmarried.

At certain &longs;ea&longs;ons, the women of the
family join a proce&longs;&longs;ion in clo&longs;e habits,
and proceed to the tomb or grave, and adorn
it with garlands of flowers. When
the&longs;e proce&longs;&longs;ions pa&longs;s, the &longs;laves are obliged
to throw them&longs;elves on the ground
with their faces in the du&longs;t, and all, of
whatever rank, cover their faces.

p407-364 CHAP. XXII.

O prone to grovelling errour, thus to quit
The firm foundations of a Saviour's love,
And build on &longs;tubble.
Author's Manu&longs;cript Poems.

ARGUMENT.

The Religion of the Algerines: Life of the
Prophet Mahomet.

[figure description] Page 141.[end figure description]

In de&longs;cribing the religious tenets
of the Algerines, the attention is immediately
drawn to Mahomet or Mahomed,
the founder of their faith.

This fortunate impo&longs;tor, like all other
great characters in the drama of life, has
been indignantly vilified by his opponents,
and as ardently prai&longs;ed by his adherents.
I &longs;hall endeavour to &longs;teer the
middle cour&longs;e of impartiality; neither
influenced by the biggoted aver&longs;ion of

[figure description] Page 142.[end figure description]

Sales and Prideaux, or the &longs;pecious prai&longs;e
of the philo&longs;ophic Boulanvilleirs.

Mahomet was born in the five hundred
and &longs;ixty ninth year of the chri&longs;tian
era. He was de&longs;cended from the Coreis,
one of the noble&longs;t of the Arabian tribes.
His father, Abdalla, was a man of moderate
fortune, and be&longs;towed upon his &longs;on
&longs;uch an education as a parent in con&longs;ined,
if not impoveri&longs;hed circum&longs;tances, could
confer. The Turks &longs;ay, he could not
write; becau&longs;e they pride them&longs;elves in
decrying letters, and becau&longs;e the pious
among them &longs;uppo&longs;e his ignorance of letters
a &longs;ufficient evidence of the divine original
of the book, he publi&longs;hed, as received
from and written by the finger of
Deity.

But when the Arabian authors record,
that he was employed as a factor by his uncle
Abutileb, there can little doubt remain
but that he was po&longs;&longs;e&longs;&longs;ed of all the literary
acquirements, nece&longs;&longs;ary to accompli&longs;h

[figure description] Page 143.[end figure description]

him for his bu&longs;ine&longs;s. He has been stigmatized
as a mere camel driver. He
had the direction of camels it is true.
The merchandize of Arabia was transported
to different regions by carrivans
of the&longs;e u&longs;eful animals, of a
troop of which he was conductor; but
there was as much difference between his
&longs;tation and employment, and that of a
common camel driver, as between the
&longs;upercargo of an India &longs;hip in our days,
and the &longs;eaman before the ma&longs;t. In his
capacity of factor, he travelled into Syria,
Pale&longs;tine, and Egypt; and acquired
the mo&longs;t u&longs;eful knowledge in each country.
He is repre&longs;ented as a man of a
beautiful per&longs;on, and commanding presence.
By his engaging manners and remarkable
attention to bu&longs;ine&longs;s, he became
the factor of a rich Arabian merchant,
after who&longs;e death he married his widow,
the beautiful Cadija, and came into the
lawful po&longs;&longs;e&longs;&longs;ion of immen&longs;e wealth, which

[figure description] Page 144.[end figure description]

awakened in him the mo&longs;t unbounded
ambition. By the venerable cu&longs;tom of
his nation, his political career was confined
to his own tribe; and, the patriarchal
being the prominent feature of the
Arabian government, he could not hope
to &longs;urmount the claims of elder families,
even in his own tribe, the genealogies of
which were accurately pre&longs;erved. To
be the founder and prophet of a new religion
would &longs;ecure a glorious preeminence,
highly gratifying to his ambition,
and not thwarting the preten&longs;ions of the
tribes.

Mankind are apt to impute the mo&longs;t
profound abilities to founders of religious
&longs;y&longs;tems, and other fortunate adventurers,
when perhaps they owe their &longs;ucce&longs;s more
to a fortunate coincidence of circumstances,
and their only merit is the sagacity
to avail them&longs;elves of that tide in
the affairs of men, which leads to wealth
and honour. Perhaps there never was a

[figure description] Page 145.[end figure description]

conjuncture more favourable for the introduction
of a new religion than that, of
which Mahomet availed him&longs;elf. He
was &longs;urrounded by Arian chri&longs;tians,
who&longs;e darling creed is the unity of the
Deity, and who had been per&longs;ecuted by
the Athena&longs;ians into an abhorrence of
almo&longs;t every other chri&longs;tian tenet: by
Jews, who had fled from the vindictive
Emperour Adrian, and who, too willfully
blind to &longs;ee the accompli&longs;hment of
their prophecies in the per&longs;on of our Saviour,
in the mid&longs;t of exile were ready to
contemn tho&longs;e prophecies, which had &longs;o
long deluded them with a Me&longs;&longs;iah, who never
came: and by Pagans, who&longs;e belief in
a plurality of gods made them the ready
pro&longs;elytes of any novel &longs;y&longs;tem; and the
more wi&longs;e of whom were di&longs;gu&longs;ted with
the gro&longs;s ad&longs;urdities of their own mythology.
The &longs;y&longs;tem of Mahomet is &longs;aid to
have been calculated to attach all the&longs;e.
To gratify the Arian and the Jew, he

[figure description] Page 146.[end figure description]

maintained the unity of God; and, to
plea&longs;e the Pagans, he adopted many of
their external rites as fa&longs;tings, wa&longs;hings,
&c. Certain it is, he &longs;poke of Mo&longs;es and
the patriarchs, as me&longs;&longs;engers from heaven,
and that he declared Je&longs;us Chri&longs;t to be
the true Me&longs;&longs;ias, and the exemplary pattern
of a good life, a &longs;entiment critically
expre&longs;&longs;ing the Arian opinion. The slories
of Mahomet's having retired to a
cave with a monk and a Jew to compile
his book; and falling into fits of the epilepsy,
per&longs;uading his di&longs;ciples that the&longs;e
fits were trances in order to propagate his
&longs;y&longs;tem more effectually, &longs;o often related
by geography compilers, like the tales of
Pope Joan and the nag's head consecration
of the Engli&longs;h bi&longs;hops, are fit only to
amu&longs;e the vulgar. It is certain, he secluded
him&longs;elf from company and a&longs;&longs;umed
an au&longs;terity of manners, becoming the
reformer of a vicious world. In his retirement,
he commenced writing the al

[figure description] Page 147.[end figure description]

coran. His fir&longs;t pro&longs;elytes were of his
own family, the next, of his near relatives.
But the tribe of Corei were &longs;o familiar
with the per&longs;on and life of Mahomet
that they de&longs;pi&longs;ed his preten&longs;ions;
and, fearful le&longs;t what they &longs;tyled his mad
enthu&longs;ia&longs;m &longs;hould bring a &longs;tigma upon
their tribe, they fir&longs;t attempted to rea&longs;on
him out of his &longs;uppo&longs;ed delu&longs;ion; and,
this failing, they &longs;ought to de&longs;troy him.
But a &longs;pecial me&longs;&longs;enger of heaven, who,
Mahomet &longs;ays, mea&longs;ured ten million furlongs
at every &longs;tep, informed him of their
de&longs;ign, and he &longs;led to Medina, the inhabitants
of which, being already prepo&longs;&longs;e&longs;&longs;ed
in favour of his doctrine, received him
with great re&longs;pect.[5]

[figure description] Page 148.[end figure description]

He &longs;oon in&longs;pired them with the mo&longs;t
implicit confidence in the divinity of his
mi&longs;&longs;ion, and confirmed their faith by daily
portions of the alcoran, which he declared
was written by the finger of God,
and tran&longs;mitted to him immediately from
heaven by archangels, commi&longs;&longs;ioned for
that important purpo&longs;e. He declared
him&longs;elf the Sent of God, the &longs;word of his
almighty power, commi&longs;&longs;ioned to enforce the
unity of the divine e&longs;&longs;ence, the unchangeableness
of his eternal decrees, the future
bli&longs;s of true believers, and the torment of
the damned, among the nations. He
boldly pronounced all tho&longs;e, who died
fighting in his cau&longs;e, to be entitled to the
glory of martyrs in the heavenly paradi&longs;e;
and, availing him&longs;elf of &longs;ome of the antient
feuds among the neighbouring
tribes, cau&longs;ed his di&longs;ciples in Medina to
wage war upon their neighbours, and
they invariably conquered, when he
headed their troops. The tribe of Corei

[figure description] Page 149.[end figure description]

flattered by the honours, paid their kinsman,
and confounded by the repeated
reports of his victories, were &longs;oon proselyted,
and become afterwards the mo&longs;t
enthu&longs;ia&longs;tic &longs;upporters of his power. In
&longs;ix hundred and twenty &longs;even, he was
crowned fovereign at Medina, like the
divine Melchi&longs;edec, uniting in his per&longs;on
the high titles of prophet and king. He
&longs;ubdued the greater part of Arabia, and
obtained a re&longs;pectable footing in Syria.
He died at Medina in the year &longs;ix hundred
and thirty three, and in the &longs;ixty
fourth year of his age. European writers,
who have de&longs;troyed almo&longs;t as many
great per&longs;onages by poi&longs;on as the French
have with the guillotine, have attributed
his death to a do&longs;e admini&longs;tered by a
monk. But when we con&longs;ider his advanced
age and public energies, we need
not recur to any but natural means for
the cau&longs;e of his death.

eaf407v2.n5

[5] This flight was in the &longs;ix hundred and twenty
&longs;econd year of the chri&longs;tian era, when Mahomet
was fifty four years of age. The Mahometans
of all &longs;ectaries commence their computation
of time from this period, which they &longs;tyle the hegira,
or flight.

p407-373 CHAP. XXIII.

See childi&longs;h man neglecting rea&longs;on's law,
Contend for trifles, differ for a &longs;traw.
Author's Manu&longs;cript Poems,

ARGUMENT.

The Sects of Omar and Ali.

[figure description] Page 150.[end figure description]

Upon the decea&longs;e of the
prophet, his followers were almo&longs;t confounded.
They could &longs;carce credit their
&longs;en&longs;es. They fancied him only in a
&longs;woon, and waited in re&longs;pectful &longs;ilence
until he &longs;hould again ari&longs;e to lead them
to conque&longs;t and glory. His more confidential
friends gathered around the
corp&longs;e; and, being impre&longs;&longs;ed with the
policy of immediately announcing his
&longs;ucce&longs;&longs;our, they held a fierce debate upon
the &longs;ubject. In the alcoran, they found
no direction for the election, nor any successour
to the caliphate pointed out.

[figure description] Page 151.[end figure description]

They agreed to &longs;end for his wives and
confidential dome&longs;tics. The younge&longs;t
of his wives produced &longs;ome writings,
containing the precious &longs;ayings of the
prophet, which, &longs;he &longs;aid, &longs;he had collected
for her own edification. To the&longs;e
were afterwards added &longs;uch ob&longs;ervations of
the prophet, as his more intimate associates
could recollect, or the policy of tho&longs;e
in power invent. The&longs;e were annexed to
the alcoran, and e&longs;teemed of equal authority.
This compilation was called
the book of the companions of the apostle.
In the writings, produced by his favourite
wife, the prophet had directed his
great officers to elect his &longs;ucce&longs;&longs;our from
among them, and a&longs;&longs;ured them that a
portion of his own power would re&longs;t upon
him. Abubeker, a friend and relative,
and &longs;ucce&longs;sful leader of the forces of the
prophet, by the per&longs;ua&longs;ions of tho&longs;e around,
immediately entered the public
mo&longs;que; and, &longs;tanding on the &longs;teps of

[figure description] Page 152.[end figure description]

the de&longs;k, from which the prophet u&longs;ed to
deliver his oracles, he informed the multitude
that God had indeed called the
prophet to paradi&longs;e, and that his kingly
authority and apo&longs;tolic powers re&longs;ted upon
him. To him &longs;ucceeded Omar and
O&longs;man: while the troops in Syria, conceiving
that Ali, their leader, was better
entitled to &longs;ucceed than either, elevated
him al&longs;o to the caliphate, though he refused
the dignity until he was called by the
voice of the people to &longs;ucceed O&longs;man.
Hence &longs;prang that great &longs;chi&longs;m, which
has divided the Mu&longs;&longs;ulman world; but,
though divided, as to the &longs;ucce&longs;&longs;our of
the prophet, both parties were actuated
by his principles and adhered to his creed.
Omar and his &longs;ucce&longs;&longs;ours turned their
arms towards Europe; and, under the
name of Saracens or Moors, po&longs;&longs;e&longs;&longs;ed
them&longs;elves of the greater part of Spain
and the Mediterranean i&longs;les: while the
friends of Ali, e&longs;tabli&longs;hing them&longs;elves as

[figure description] Page 153.[end figure description]

&longs;overeigns, made equal ravages upon
Per&longs;ia, and even to the great penin&longs;ula of
India.

The Algerines are of the &longs;ect of Omar,
which, like many other religious &longs;chi&longs;ms,
differs more in name, than in any fundamental
point of creed or practice from
that of Ali. The propriety of the translation
of the alcoran into the Per&longs;ian language,
and the &longs;ucce&longs;&longs;ion of the caliphate
&longs;eem the great &longs;tandards of their respective
creeds.

p407-377 CHAP. XXIV.

Father of all! in ev'ry age,
In ev'ry clime ador'd,
By &longs;aint, by &longs;avage, and by &longs;age,
Jehovah, Jove, or Lord.
Pope.

ARGUMENT.

The Faith of the Algerines.

[figure description] Page 154.[end figure description]

The Algerine doctors a&longs;&longs;ert,
that the language of the alcoran is &longs;o ineffably
pure, it can never be rendered
into any other tongue. To this they
candidly impute the mi&longs;erable, vitiated
tran&longs;lations of the chri&longs;tians, who they
charge with having garbled the &longs;acred
book, and degraded its &longs;ublime alegories
and metaphors into ab&longs;urd tales. This
is certain, the portions, I have heard
chanted at funerals and quoted in conversation,
ever exhibited the pure&longs;t

[figure description] Page 155.[end figure description]

morality and the &longs;ublime&longs;t conceptions of the
Deity. The fundamental doctrine of the
alcoran is the unity of God. The evil
&longs;pirit, &longs;ays the koran, is &longs;ubtly deluding
men, into the belief that there are more
gods than one, that in the confu&longs;ion of
deities he may obtain a &longs;hare of devotion;
while the Supreme Being, pitying
the delu&longs;ions of man, has &longs;ent Abraham,
Mo&longs;es, Soliman, breathed forth the Messias
of the chri&longs;tian in a &longs;igh of divine
pity, and la&longs;tly &longs;ent Mahomet, the &longs;eal of
the prophets, to reclaim men to this essential
truth. The next fundamental
points in the Mu&longs;&longs;ulman creed are a belief
in the eternal decrees of God, in a
re&longs;urrection and final judgment to bli&longs;s or
mi&longs;ery. Some hold with chri&longs;tians that
the future puni&longs;hment will be infinite,
while others &longs;uppo&longs;e that, when the &longs;ouls
of the wicked are purified by fire, they
will be received into the favour of God.
They adhere to many other points of

[figure description] Page 156.[end figure description]

practical duty: &longs;uch as daily prayers, frequent
ablutions, acts of charity and &longs;evere
fa&longs;tings; that of rhammadin, is the principal,
which is &longs;imilar to the catholic lent, in abstinence,
for the penitent ab&longs;tains only from
a particular kind of food, while he gluts
him&longs;elf with others perhaps more luscious.
The alcoran al&longs;o forbids games
of chance, and the u&longs;e of &longs;trong liquors;
inculcates a tenderne&longs;s for idiots, and a
re&longs;pect for age. The book of the companions
of the apo&longs;tle enjoins a pilgrimage
to his tomb, to be made by the true
believers once at lea&longs;t in their lives: but
though they view the authority, which
enjoined this tedious journey divine, yet
they have contrived to evade its rigour
by allowing the believer to perform it by
proxy or attorney.

Upon the whole, there does not appear
to be any articles in their faith, which incite
them to immorality or can countenance
the cruelties, they commit. Neither

[figure description] Page 157.[end figure description]

their alcoran nor their prie&longs;ts excite them
to plunder, in&longs;lave or torment. The
former expre&longs;sly recommends charity,
ju&longs;tice, and mercy towards their fellow
men. I would not bring the &longs;acred volume
of our faith in any comparative view
with the alcoran of Mahomet; but I
cannot help noticing it as extraordinary,
that the Mahometan &longs;hould abominate
the chri&longs;tian on account of his faith, and
the chri&longs;tian dete&longs;t the Mu&longs;&longs;ulman for
his creed; when the koran of the former
acknowledges the divinity of the chri&longs;tian
Me&longs;&longs;ias, and the bible of the latter commands
us to love our enemies. If each
would follow the obvious dictates of his
own &longs;cripture, he would cea&longs;e to hate,
abominate, and de&longs;troy the other.

p407-381 CHAP. XXV.

O here, quæ res
Nec modum habet neque con&longs;ilium,ratione modoque
Tractari non vult.[6]
Hor. Sat. 3. Lib. ii.

ARGUMENT.

Why do not the Powers in Europe suppress
the Algerine Depredations? is a
Que&longs;tion frequently a&longs;ked in the United
States.

[figure description] Page 158.[end figure description]

I answer, that this mu&longs;t be
effected by a union of the European maritime
powers with the Grand Seignior; by
a combination among them&longs;elves; or by
an individual exertion of &longs;ome particular
&longs;tate. A union of the European powers
with the Grand Seignior mo&longs;t probably
would be attended with &longs;ucce&longs;s; but
this is not to be expected; as it never can
be the intere&longs;t of the &longs;ublime Porte to

[figure description] Page 159.[end figure description]

&longs;uppre&longs;s them, and the common faith of
the Mu&longs;&longs;ulman has more influence in
uniting its profe&longs;&longs;ors than the creed of the
chri&longs;tian, to the di&longs;grace of the latter:
and, as the Grand Seignior's dominion
over the Algerines is little more than
nominal, he is anxious to conciliate their
favour by affording them his protection;
con&longs;idering prudently, that though intractable,
they are &longs;till a branch of the
Mu&longs;&longs;ulman &longs;tock. Provoked by their
in&longs;ults, he has &longs;ometimes withdrawn his
protection, as was the ca&longs;e, when he by
treaty with the Venetians permitted their
fleet to enter the Ottoman ports, for the
expre&longs;s purpo&longs;e of de&longs;troying the Algerine
gallies; but, it is obvious, the &longs;ublime
Porte meant merely to cha&longs;ti&longs;e not to ruin
them.

In the Grand Seignior's wars with the
Europeans, the piratical &longs;tates have rendered
&longs;ignal &longs;ervices, and he him&longs;elf not
unfrequently receives valuable douceurs

[figure description] Page 160.[end figure description]

for exerting his &longs;uppo&longs;ed influence over
them, in favour of one or another of the
contending powers of Europe. In the
&longs;iege of Gibraltar by the Spaniards, during
the late American war, that garri&longs;on
received frequent &longs;upplies of provi&longs;ion
from the Barbary Shore; but, by the application
of Louis XVI. to the &longs;ublime
Porte, the Grand Seignior influenced the
Barbary &longs;tates to prohibit tho&longs;e &longs;upplies;
and the Engli&longs;h con&longs;ul was di&longs;mi&longs;&longs;ed from
one of them with the mo&longs;t pointed marks
of contempt. While the Grand Seignior
reaps &longs;uch &longs;olid advantages from
them, it is ab&longs;urd to predicate upon his
cooperation again&longs;t them; neither can a
union of the European powers be more
fully anticipated. Jealou&longs;y as often actuates
mighty nations, as weak individuals.
Whoever turns the pages of hi&longs;tory with
profit, will perceive that &longs;ordid pa&longs;&longs;ion is
the impul&longs;e of action to the greate&longs;t
&longs;tates. Commercial &longs;tates are al&longs;o

[figure description] Page 161.[end figure description]

actuated by avarice, a pa&longs;&longs;ion &longs;till more baneful
in its effects. The&longs;e excite war, and
are the grand plenipotentiaries in the adjustment
of the articles of peace. Hence
it is, that, while every European power is
&longs;olicitous to enrich and aggrandize it&longs;elf,
it can never join in any common project,
the re&longs;ult of which, it is jealous, may advantage
its neighbour; and is content to
&longs;uffer injury, rather than its rival &longs;hould
&longs;hare in a common good. Hence it is,
that chri&longs;tian &longs;tates, in&longs;tead of uniting to
vindicate their in&longs;ulted faith, join the
cro&longs;s and the cre&longs;cent in unholy alliance,
and form degrading treaties with piratical
powers; and, as the acme of political
folly, pre&longs;ent tho&longs;e very powers, as the
purcha&longs;e of their friend&longs;hip, weapons to
annoy them&longs;elves in the fir&longs;t war, that
their avarice or caprice &longs;hall wage. But,
if ever a confederacy of the European
powers &longs;hould be formed again&longs;t the Algerines,
experience affords us but &longs;lender

[figure description] Page 162.[end figure description]

hopes of its &longs;ucce&longs;s; for, I will venture to
a&longs;&longs;ert, that from the confederacy of Ahab
and Jeho&longs;haphat, when they went up to
battle to Ramoth Gilead, to the treaty of
Philnitz, there never was a combination
of princes or nations, who, by an actual
union of their forces, attained the object
of their coalition. If the political finger
is pointed to the war of the allies of Queen
Anne, and the conque&longs;ts of the Duke of
Marlborough, as an exception, I likewi&longs;e
point to the di&longs;tracting period, when that
conqueror was &longs;uperceded by the Duke of
Ormond, and the treaty of Utrecht will
confirm the opinion I have advanced.

The detail of the hi&longs;tory of the Algerines
evinces, that the arms of individual
&longs;tates can be attended with no deci&longs;ive
&longs;ucce&longs;s. Indeed, the expen&longs;e of an efficacious
armament would defray the price
of the Dey's friend&longs;hip for years; and
the powers of Europe &longs;ubmit to his insults
and injuries from a principle of

[figure description] Page 163.[end figure description]

economy. An ab&longs;olute conque&longs;t of the
Algerine territory cannot be effected but
by inva&longs;ion from the interiour, through the
cooperation of the Grand Seignior or the
a&longs;&longs;i&longs;tance of the other Barbary &longs;tates.
The former I have &longs;hewn cannot be predicated,
and the latter, for obvious reasons,
is as little to be expected. A permanent
conque&longs;t of the city and port of
Algiers cannot be effected, without the
&longs;ubjection of the interiour country. Temporary
though &longs;pirited attacks, upon that
city and port, have never an&longs;wered any
&longs;alutary purpo&longs;e. They may be compared
to the de&longs;truction of our &longs;eaports,
in our revolutionary war. The port attacked
bore &longs;o &longs;mall a proportion to the
whole, that its de&longs;truction rather &longs;erved to
irritate, than to weaken or &longs;ubjugate. It
&longs;hould be con&longs;idered, likewi&longs;e, that the
hou&longs;es of the Algerines are built of slight
and cheap materials; that upon the approach
of an enemy the rich effects of
the inhabitants are ea&longs;ily removed

[figure description] Page 164.[end figure description]

inland, while nothing remains but heavy
fortifications to batter, and buildings,
which can be readily re&longs;tored, to de&longs;troy.
The following anecdote will &longs;hew how
&longs;en&longs;ible the Algerines them&longs;elves are of
the&longs;e advantages. When the French
vice admiral, the Marquis de Que&longs;ne,
made his fir&longs;t attack on Algiers, he &longs;ent an
officer with a flag on &longs;hore, who magnified
the force of his commander, and threatened
to lay the city in a&longs;hes, if the demands
of the marquis were not immediately
complied with. The Dey, who
had, upon the fir&longs;t approach of the enemy,
removed the aged, the females and
his riche&longs;t effects, coolly inquired of the
officer how much the levelling his city
to a&longs;hes would co&longs;t. The officer, thinking
to encrea&longs;e the Dey's admiration of
the power of the Grand Monarque, answered,
two millions of livres. Tell
your commander, &longs;aid the Dey, if he
will &longs;end me half the money I will burn
the city to a&longs;hes my&longs;elf.

eaf407v2.n6

[6]

Think not by rule and reason, sir, to guide
What ne'er by reason or by measure move.
Francis.

p407-388 CHAP. XXVI.

A pattern fit for modern knights
To copy out in frays and fights.
Hudibrass.

ARGUMENT.

An Algerine Law Suit.

[figure description] Page 165.[end figure description]

An officer of police parades
the city at uncertain hours, and in all directions,
accompanied by an executioner
and other attendants. The proce&longs;s of his
court is entirely verbal. He examines
into all breaches of the cu&longs;toms, all frauds,
e&longs;pecially in weights and mea&longs;ures, all
&longs;udden affrays, di&longs;putes concerning personal
property, and compels the performance
of contracts. He determines
cau&longs;es on the &longs;pot, and the delinquent is
puni&longs;hed in his pre&longs;ence. The u&longs;ual
puni&longs;hments, he inflicts, are fines, beating
on the &longs;oles of the feet, di&longs;memberment

[figure description] Page 166.[end figure description]

of the right hand; and, it is &longs;aid, he has
a power of taking life; but, in &longs;uch ca&longs;e,
an appeal lies to the Dey. If complaint
is made to him of the military, the prie&longs;ts
or officers of the court, navy, or cu&longs;toms,
or again&longs;t per&longs;ons attached to the families
of the con&longs;uls, envoys, or other representatives
of foreign powers, upon &longs;ugge&longs;tion,
the cau&longs;e is immediately reported to the
Dey, who hears the &longs;ame in per&longs;on, or
deputes &longs;ome officer of rank to determine
it, either from the civil, military, or religious
orders, as the nature of the cau&longs;e
may require. In fact, this officer of police
&longs;eldom judges any cau&longs;e of great importance.
The object of his commi&longs;&longs;ion
&longs;eems to be the detection and punishment
of common cheats, and to &longs;uppre&longs;s
broils among the vulgar; and, as he has
the power to adapt the puni&longs;hment to the
enormity of the offence, he often exercises
it capriciou&longs;ly, and, &longs;ometimes, ludicrously.
I &longs;aw a baker, who, for &longs;elling

[figure description] Page 167.[end figure description]

bread under weight, was &longs;entenced to
walk the public market, three times each
day, for three days in &longs;ucce&longs;&longs;ion, with a
&longs;mall loaf, attached by a ring to each of his
ears; and to cry aloud at &longs;hort di&longs;tances
“bread for the poor.” This excited
the re&longs;entment of the rabble, who followed
him with abundance of coar&longs;e ridicule.
Be&longs;ides this itinerant judge, there are
many others, who never meddle with
&longs;uits, unle&longs;s they are brought formally
before them, which is done by mere verbal
complaint; they &longs;end for the parties
and witne&longs;&longs;es, and determine almo&longs;t as
&longs;ummarily as the officer of police. I
confe&longs;s that, when I left the United States,
the golden fee, the lengthy bill of co&longs;t,
the law's delay, and the writings of Honestus,
had taught me to view the judicial
proceedings of our country with a jaundiced
eye; and, when I was made acquainted
with the Algerine mode of distributive
ju&longs;tice, I yearned to &longs;ee a cau&longs;e

[figure description] Page 168.[end figure description]

determined in a court, where in&longs;tant decision
relieved the anxiety, and &longs;aved the
pur&longs;es of the parties; and where no long
winded attorney was &longs;uffered to perplex
the judge with &longs;ubtle argument or mu&longs;ty
precedent. I was &longs;oon delighted with an
excellent di&longs;play of &longs;ummary ju&longs;tice.
Ob&longs;erving a collection of people upon a
piazza, I leaned over the rails, and discovered
that an Algerine cadi or judge
had ju&longs;t opened his court. The cadi
was &longs;eated cro&longs;s legged on a cu&longs;hion with a
&longs;lave, with a whip and batten on one &longs;ide;
and another with a drawn &longs;cimitar on the
other. The plaintiff came forward and told
his &longs;tory. He charged a man, who was in
cu&longs;tody, with having &longs;old him a mule,
which he &longs;aid was &longs;ound, but which proved
blind and lame. Several witne&longs;&longs;es
were then called, who proved the contract
and the defects of the mule. The
defendant was then called upon for his
defence. He did not deny the fact, but

[figure description] Page 169.[end figure description]

pleaded the law of retaliation. He &longs;aid,
he was a good Mu&longs;&longs;ulman, performed all
the rites of their holy religion, had &longs;ent a
proxy to the prophet's tomb at Medina,
and maintained an idiot; that he never
cheated any man before, but was ju&longs;tified
in what he had done, for, ten years before,
the plaintiff had cheated him wor&longs;e in
the &longs;ale of a dromedary, which proved
broken winded. He proved this by several
witne&longs;&longs;es, and the plaintiff could not
deny it. The judge immediately ordered
the mule and the money paid for it to
be produced. He then directed his attendants
to &longs;eize the defendant, and give
him fifty blows on the &longs;oles of his feet
for this fraud. The plaintiff at every
&longs;troke applauded the cadi's ju&longs;tice to the
&longs;kies; but, no &longs;ooner was the puni&longs;hment
inflicted, than, by a nod from the judge,
the exulting plaintiff was &longs;eized and received
the &longs;ame number of blows with the
batten for the old affair of the broken

[figure description] Page 170.[end figure description]

winded dromedary. The parties were
then di&longs;mi&longs;&longs;ed, without co&longs;ts, and the
judge ordered an officer to take the mule,
fell it at publick outcry, and di&longs;tribute the
product, with the money depo&longs;ited, in
alms to the poor. The officer proceeded
a few &longs;teps with the mule, and, I thought,
the court had ri&longs;en, when the cadi, supposing
one of the witne&longs;&longs;es had prevaricated
in his te&longs;timony, called back the officer,
who had charge of the mule, ordered
the witne&longs;s to receive twenty five
blows of the batten, and be mounted on
the back of the mule, with his face towards
the tail, and be thus carried
through the city, directing the mule to
be &longs;topped at every corner, where the
culprit &longs;hould exclaim; “before the enlightened,
excellent, ju&longs;t, and merciful
cadi Mir Karchan, in the trial of O&longs;man
Beker and Abu I&longs;oul, I &longs;pake as I ride.”
The people around magnified Mir Karchan
for this exemplary ju&longs;tice; and I

[figure description] Page 171.[end figure description]

pre&longs;ent it to my fellow citizens. If it is
generally plea&longs;ing, it may be ea&longs;ily introduced
among us. Some ob&longs;tinate people
may be &longs;till attached to our cu&longs;tomary
modes of di&longs;pen&longs;ing ju&longs;tice, and think
that the advocates we fee, and the precedents
they quote, are but guards and enclosures
round our judges, to prevent
them from capriciou&longs;ly invading the
rights of the citizens.

p407-395 CHAP. XXVII.

And though they &longs;ay the Lord liveth, &longs;urely
they &longs;wear fal&longs;ely.

[figure description] Page 172.[end figure description]

I once had an opportunity
of approaching unnoticed the window of
one of the principal mo&longs;ques. After the
cu&longs;tomary prayers, the prie&longs;t pronounced
the following di&longs;cour&longs;e with a dignified
elocution. It was received by his audience
with a reverence, better becoming
chri&longs;tians than infidels. It undoubtedly
&longs;uffers from tran&longs;lation and the &longs;icklene&longs;s
of my memory; but the manner, in which
it was delivered, and the energy of many
of the expre&longs;&longs;ions made &longs;o &longs;trong an impression,
that I think I have not

[figure description] Page 173.[end figure description]

materially varied from the &longs;entiment. I pre&longs;ent
it to the candid reader, as a curious specimen
of their pulpit eloquence; and as,
perhaps, conveying a more &longs;atisfactory
idea of their creed, than I have already
attempted, in the account I have given of
their religion. The attributes of Deity
were the &longs;ubject of the prie&longs;t's di&longs;cour&longs;e;
and, after &longs;ome exordium, he elevated his
voice and exclaimed:

God alone is immortal. Ibraham
and Soliman have &longs;lept with their
fathers, Cadijah the fir&longs;t born of faith,
Aye&longs;ha the beloved, Omar the meek,
Omri the benevolent, the companions of
the apo&longs;tle and the Sent of God him&longs;elf,
all died. But God mo&longs;t high, mo&longs;t
holy, liveth forever. In&longs;inities are to
him, as the numerals of arithmetic to the
&longs;ons of Adam; the earth &longs;hall vani&longs;h before
the decrees of his eternal de&longs;tiny;
but he liveth and reigneth forever.

[figure description] Page 174.[end figure description]

God alone is omniscient. Michael,
who&longs;e wings are full of eyes, is
blind before him, the dark night is unto
him as the rays of the morning; for he
noticeth the creeping of the &longs;mall pi&longs;mire
in the dark night, upon the black &longs;tone,
and apprehendeth the motion of an atom
in the open air.

God alone is omnipresent. He
toucheth the immen&longs;ity of &longs;pace, as a
point. He moveth in the depths of ocean,
and mount Atlas is hidden by the
&longs;ole of his foot. He breatheth fragrant
odours to cheer the ble&longs;&longs;ed in paradi&longs;e, and
enliveneth the pallid flame in the profoundest
hell.

God alone is omnipotent. He
thought, and worlds were created; he
frowneth, and they di&longs;&longs;olve into thin
&longs;moke; he &longs;mileth, and the torments of
the damned are &longs;u&longs;pended. The

[figure description] Page 175.[end figure description]

thunderings of Hermon are the whi&longs;perings
of his voice; the ru&longs;tling of his attire
cau&longs;eth lightning and an earthquake; and
with the &longs;hadow of his garment he blotteth
out the fun.

God alone is merciful. When
he forged his immutable decrees on the
anvil of eternal wi&longs;dom, he tempered the
mi&longs;eries of the race of I&longs;mael in the fountains
of pity. When he laid the foundations
of the world, he ca&longs;t a look of benevolence
into the aby&longs;&longs;es of futurity;
and the adamantine pillars of eternal justice
were &longs;oftened by the beamings of his
eyes. He dropt a tear upon the embryo
mi&longs;eries of unborn man; and that tear,
falling through the immea&longs;urable lap&longs;es of
time, &longs;hall quench the glowing flames of
the bottomle&longs;s pit. He &longs;ent his prophet
into the world to enlighten the darkne&longs;s
of the tribes; and hath prepared the pavilions
of the Houri for the repo&longs;e of the
true believers.

[figure description] Page 176.[end figure description]

God alone is just. He chains the
latent cau&longs;e to the di&longs;tant event; and
binds them both immutably fa&longs;t to the
fitne&longs;s of things. He decreed the unbeliever
to wander amid&longs;t the whirlwinds of
errour; and &longs;uited his &longs;oul to future torment.
He promulgated the ineffable creed,
and the germs of countle&longs;s &longs;ouls of believers,
which exi&longs;ted in the contemplation of
Deity, expanded at the &longs;ound. His ju&longs;tice
refre&longs;heth the faithful, while the damned
&longs;pirits confe&longs;s it in de&longs;pair.

God alone is one. Ibraham the
faithful knew it. Mo&longs;es declared it amidst
the thunderings of Sinai. Je&longs;us
pronounced; it and the me&longs;&longs;enger of God,
the &longs;word of his vengeance, filled the
world with immutable truth.

Surely there is one God, IMMORTAL,
OMNICIENT, OMNIPRESENT, OMNIPOTENT,
mo&longs;t MERCIFUL, and JUST; and
Mahomet is his apo&longs;tle.

[figure description] Page 177.[end figure description]

Lift your hands to the eternal, and
pronounce the ineffable, adorable creed:
THERE IS ONE GOD, AND MAHOMET
IS HIS PROPHET.

p407-401 CHAP. XXVIII.

For &longs;ufference is the badge of all our tribe.

[figure description] Page 178.[end figure description]

I have thus given &longs;ome &longs;uccinct
notices of the hi&longs;tory, government, religion,
habits, and manners of this ferocious
race. I have inter&longs;per&longs;ed reflections,
which, I hope, will be received by the
learned with candour; and &longs;hall now resume
the thread of my more appropriate
narrative.

By unremitted attention to the duties
of my office, and &longs;ome fortunate
operations in &longs;urgery, I had now &longs;o far
ingratiated my&longs;elf with the director and
phy&longs;icians of the infirmary, that I was allowed
to be ab&longs;ent any hours of the day,
when my bu&longs;ine&longs;s in the ho&longs;pital permitted,
without rendering any e&longs;pecial rea&longs;on

[figure description] Page 179.[end figure description]

for my ab&longs;ence. I wandered into all
parts of the city, where &longs;trangers were
permitted to walk, in&longs;pected every object
I could, without giving umbrage. I sometimes
&longs;trayed into that quarter of the city,
principally inhabited by Jews. This cunning
race, &longs;ince their di&longs;per&longs;ion by Vespasian
and Titus, have contrived to
compen&longs;ate them&longs;elves for the lo&longs;s of Palestine,
“by engro&longs;&longs;ing the wealth, and
often the luxuries of every other land;
and, wearied with the expectation of that
heavenly king,” who &longs;hall repo&longs;&longs;e&longs;s them
of the holy city, and put their enemies beneath
their feet, now &longs;olace them&longs;elves
with a Me&longs;&longs;iah, who&longs;e glory is en&longs;hrined
in their coffers. Rigidly attached to
their own cu&longs;toms, intermarrying among
them&longs;elves, content to be apparently
wretched and de&longs;pi&longs;ed, that they may wallow
in &longs;ecret wealth; and &longs;ecluded, in
mo&longs;t countries, from holding landed property,
and in almo&longs;t all from filling

[figure description] Page 180.[end figure description]

offices of power and profit, they are generally
received as meet in&longs;truments to do
the mean drudgery of de&longs;potic courts.
The wealth, which would render a subject
too powerful, the de&longs;pot can tru&longs;t
with an unambitious Jew; and confide
&longs;ecrets, which involve his own &longs;afety to a
mi&longs;erable I&longs;raelite, whom he can annihilate
with a nod. The Jews tran&longs;act almost
all the Dey's private bu&longs;ine&longs;s, besides
that of the negotiations of merchants.
Nay, if an envoy from a foreign power
comes to treat with the Dey, he may have
the parade of a public audience; but,
if he wi&longs;hes to accompli&longs;h his emba&longs;&longs;y,
he mu&longs;t employ a Jew: and, it is &longs;aid,
the Dey him&longs;elf &longs;hares with the Jew the
very &longs;ums paid him for his influence with
this politic de&longs;pot. The Jews are al&longs;o the
&longs;pies of the Dey, upon his &longs;ubjects at
home, and the channels of intelligence
from foreign powers. They are therefore
allowed to a&longs;&longs;emble in their

[figure description] Page 181.[end figure description]

synagogues; and have frequently an influence
at the court of the Dey, with his great
officers, and even before the civil judge,
not to be accounted for from the morality
of their conduct. Popular prejudice is
generally again&longs;t them; and the Dey often
avails him&longs;elf of it by heavy amercements
for his protection. In the year
one thou&longs;and &longs;ix hundred and ninety,
he threatened to extirpate the whole
race in his dominions, and was finally
appea&longs;ed by a large contribution
they rai&longs;ed and offered as an expiation
of a &longs;uppo&longs;ed offence. It was commonly
reported, that the Jews in Algiers, at that
time, had procured a chri&longs;tian child,
which they privately purified with much
ceremony, fattened and prepared for a sacrifice,
at their fea&longs;t of the pa&longs;&longs;over, as a
&longs;ub&longs;titute for the pa&longs;chal lamb. This
horrid tale, which &longs;hould have been despised
for its ab&longs;urdity and inhumanity,
the Dey affected to credit. He

[figure description] Page 182.[end figure description]

appointed &longs;everal Mahometan prie&longs;ts to
&longs;earch the habitations of the Jews, immediately
before the fea&longs;t of the pa&longs;&longs;over,
who, di&longs;covering &longs;ome bitter herbs and
other cu&longs;tomary preparations for the festival,
affected to have found &longs;ufficient
evidence again&longs;t them; and the mob of
Algiers, mad with rage and perhaps inflamed
by the u&longs;urious exactions of particular
Jews, ru&longs;hed on furiou&longs;ly to pillage
and de&longs;troy the wretched de&longs;cendants of
Jacob. Two hou&longs;es were demoli&longs;hed, and
&longs;everal Jews a&longs;&longs;a&longs;&longs;inated before the arrival
of the Dey's guards, who quickly di&longs;per&longs;ed
this outrageous rabble. The Dey, who
de&longs;ired nothing le&longs;s than the de&longs;truction
of &longs;o u&longs;eful a people, was &longs;oon appea&longs;ed
by a large pre&longs;ent, and declared them
innocent: and, &longs;uch is the power of
de&longs;potic governments, that the Jews
were &longs;oon received into general favour;
and the very men, who, the day

[figure description] Page 183.[end figure description]

before, proceeded to de&longs;troy the whole
race, now &longs;aw, with tame inaction, several
of their fellows executed for the attempt.

p407-407 CHAP. XXIX.

But endle&longs;s is the tribe of human ills,
And &longs;ighs might &longs;ooner cea&longs;e than cau&longs;e to &longs;igh.
Young.

ARGUMENT.

The arrival of other American Captives.

[figure description] Page 184.[end figure description]

Returning from a jaunt
into the city, I was immediately commanded
to retire to my room, and not to
quit it, till further orders, which it was
impracticable to do, as the doors were sastened
upon me. The next morning, my
provi&longs;ions were brought me, and the
doors again carefully &longs;ecured. Surpri&longs;ed
at this impri&longs;onment, I pa&longs;&longs;ed many restless
hours in recurring to my pa&longs;t conduct,
and perplexing my&longs;elf in &longs;earching
for &longs;ome inadvertent offence, or in dreadful
apprehen&longs;ion, le&longs;t the pre&longs;ent imprisonment
&longs;hould be a prelude to future and

[figure description] Page 185.[end figure description]

more &longs;evere puni&longs;hment. The &longs;tone quarry
came to my imagination in all its horrours,
and the frowns of Abdel Melic again
pierced my &longs;oul. I attempted in vain to
obtain from the &longs;lave, who brought me
provi&longs;ions, the cau&longs;e of my confinement.
He was probably ignorant; my solicitations
were uniformly an&longs;wered by a
melancholy &longs;hake of the head. The
next day, the director of the ho&longs;pital appeared.
To him I applied with great
earne&longs;tne&longs;s; but all the information he
would give was, that it was by the Dey's
order I was confined; and that he, with
the phy&longs;icians and my friend the Mollah,
were u&longs;ing all their influence to obtain
my relea&longs;e. He coun&longs;elled me to amu&longs;e
my&longs;elf in preparing and compounding
drugs, and promi&longs;ed to &longs;ee me again,
as &longs;oon as he could bring any good news.
About a week after, an officer of the court,
with a city judge, entered my apartment,
and informed me of the cau&longs;e of my

[figure description] Page 186.[end figure description]

imprisonment. From them I learned, that
&longs;everal American ve&longs;&longs;els had been captured;
and, it was &longs;u&longs;pected, I had been
conver&longs;ing with my countrymen; and,
from my &longs;uperiour knowledge of the country,
I might advi&longs;e them how to e&longs;cape.
If a man is de&longs;irous to know how he loves
his country, let him go far from home; if
to know how he loves his countrymen, let
him be with them in mi&longs;ery in a &longs;trange
land. I wi&longs;h not to make a vain di&longs;play of
my patrioti&longs;m, but I will &longs;ay, that my own
misfortunes, upon this intelligence, were &longs;o
ab&longs;orbed in tho&longs;e of my unfortunate fellow
citizens, thus delivered over to chains
and torment, many of them perhaps separated
from the tendere&longs;t dome&longs;tic connexions
and homes of ea&longs;e, that, I
thought, I could again have willingly endured
the la&longs;hes of the &longs;lave driver, and
&longs;ink my&longs;elf beneath the burthens of slavery,
to have &longs;aved them from an Algerine
captivity. I could readily a&longs;&longs;ure the

[figure description] Page 187.[end figure description]

Dey's officers, that I had not conver&longs;ed
with my mi&longs;erable countrymen; but,
while I &longs;pake, the idea of embracing a
fellow citizen, a brother chri&longs;tian, perhaps
&longs;ome one, who came from the &longs;ame
&longs;tate, or had been in the &longs;ame town, or
&longs;een my dear parents, pa&longs;&longs;ed in rapid succession,
and I was determined, betide what
would, to &longs;eek them the fir&longs;t opportunity.
We were &longs;oon joined by the Mollah, who
repeatedly a&longs;&longs;ured my examiners, that,
though an infidel, I might be believed.
By his &longs;olicitation, I was to be relea&longs;ed;
but not until I would bind my&longs;elf by a
&longs;olemn oath, admini&longs;tered after the christian
manner, that I would never &longs;peak to
any of the American &longs;laves. When this
oath was propo&longs;ed, I doubted whether to
take it; but, recollecting that, if I did
not, I &longs;hould be equally debarred from
&longs;eeing them, and &longs;uffer a grievous confinement,
which could do them no service,
I con&longs;ented and bound my&longs;elf never

[figure description] Page 188.[end figure description]

directly or indirectly to attempt to vi&longs;it or
conver&longs;e with my fellow citizens in slavery.
It was, at the &longs;ame time, intimated
to me, that for the breach of this oath
I might expect to be impaled alive.—
Often, when I have drawn near the
places of their confinement and labours,
I have regretted my &longs;ubmitting to this
oath, and once was almo&longs;t tempted to
break it, at &longs;eeing Captain O`Brien at
&longs;ome di&longs;tance.

p407-412 CHAP. XXX.

Now, by my hood, a gentile and no Jew.

[figure description] Page 189.[end figure description]

After I had taken this oath,
the officers departed, and I was liberated.
I was now more cautious in my rambles,
avoided the notice of the Mu&longs;&longs;ulmen inhabitants,
and made more frequent visits
to that part of the city, inhabited by
Jews and foreigners. Refre&longs;hing my&longs;elf
with a gla&longs;s of &longs;herbet in an inferiour
room, I was acco&longs;ted by an old man, in
mean attire, with a pack of handkerchiefs
and &longs;ome remnants of &longs;ilk and mu&longs;lins
on his back. He a&longs;ked me, if I was not
the learned &longs;lave, and reque&longs;ted me to
vi&longs;it a &longs;ick &longs;on. I immediately re&longs;olved

[figure description] Page 190.[end figure description]

togo with him; rejoicing that Providence,
in my low e&longs;tate, had left me the power
to be charitable. We traver&longs;ed &longs;everal
&longs;treets and &longs;topped at the door of a
hou&longs;e, which, in appearance, well &longs;uited
my conductor. It had but two windows
towards the &longs;treet, and tho&longs;e were clo&longs;ed
up with rough boards, the cracks of which
were &longs;tuffed with rags and &longs;traw. My
conductor looked very cautiou&longs;ly about,
and then, taking a key from his pocket,
opened the door. We pa&longs;&longs;ed a dark entry,
and, I confe&longs;s, I &longs;huddered, as the
door clo&longs;ed upon me, reflecting that, perhaps,
this man was employed to decoy
me to &longs;ome &longs;ecret place, in order to assassinate
me, by the direction of my superiours,
who might wi&longs;h to de&longs;troy me in
this &longs;ecret manner. But I had but little
time for the&longs;e gloomy reflections; for,
opening another door, I was &longs;tartled with
a blaze of light, let into apartments splendidly
furni&longs;hed. My conductor now

[figure description] Page 191.[end figure description]

assumed an air of importance, reque&longs;ted
me to repo&longs;e my&longs;elf on a &longs;ilken couch,
and retired. A young lady, who was
veiled, of a graceful per&longs;on and plea&longs;ing
addre&longs;s, &longs;oon brought a plate of sweetmeats
and a bottle of excellent wine.
The old man &longs;oon reappeared; but, &longs;o
changed in his habit and appearance,
I could &longs;carce recognize him. He was
now arrayed in drawers of the fine&longs;t linen,
an embroidered ve&longs;t, and loo&longs;e gown
of the riche&longs;t Per&longs;ian &longs;ilk. He &longs;miled at
my &longs;urpri&longs;e, &longs;hook me by the hand, and
told me that he was a Jew; a&longs;&longs;uring me,
that he was with his brethren under the
protection of the Dey. The outward
appearance of his hou&longs;e, and the meanness
of his attire abroad were, he &longs;aid, necessary
to avoid envy and &longs;u&longs;picion.
But come, &longs;aid he, I know all about you;
I can confide in you. Come refre&longs;h
your&longs;elf with a gla&longs;s of this wine;—neither
Mo&longs;es nor your Me&longs;&longs;iah forbid the

[figure description] Page 192.[end figure description]

u&longs;e of it. We ate of the collation,
drank our wine liberally; and then he introduced
me to his &longs;on, whom I found
labouring under a violent ague. I administered
&longs;ome &longs;udorifics, and left direction
for the future treatment of my patient.
Upon my departure, the Jew put
a zequin into my hand, and made me
promi&longs;e to vi&longs;it his &longs;on again; requesting
me to &longs;eat my&longs;elf in the place, he had
found me, at the &longs;ame hour, the next
day but one afterwards; and, in pa&longs;&longs;ing
through the dark entry, conjured me not
to mention his dome&longs;tic &longs;tyle of living.
The name of this Jew was Adonah Ben
Benjamin. I vi&longs;ited his &longs;on, according
to appointment, and found him nearly restored
to health. The father and &longs;on
both expre&longs;&longs;ed great gratitude; but the
former told me he would not pay me for
this vi&longs;it in &longs;ilver or gold, but with something
more valuable, by his advice.
Come and &longs;ee me &longs;ometimes; I know

[figure description] Page 193.[end figure description]

this people well, and may render you
more &longs;ervice than you expect. I afterwards
vi&longs;ited this Jew frequently, and
from him obtained much information.
He told me, in much confidence, that
&longs;oon after I was taken, a Jew and two
Algerines made a tour of the United
States, and &longs;ent home an accurate account
of the American commerce; and that
the Dey was &longs;o impre&longs;&longs;ed with the idea of
our wealth, that he would never permit
the American &longs;laves to be ran&longs;omed under
a large premium, which mu&longs;t be accompanied
with the u&longs;ual pre&longs;ents, as a purchase
of peace, and an annual tribute.
Expre&longs;&longs;ing my anxiety to recover my
freedom, he advi&longs;ed me to write to &longs;ome
of the American agents in Europe. I
accordingly addre&longs;&longs;ed a letter to William
Carmichael, E&longs;q; charge des affairs from
the United States, at the court of Madrid,
repre&longs;enting my deplorable circumstances,
and the mi&longs;erable e&longs;tate of my

[figure description] Page 194.[end figure description]

fellow pri&longs;oners; praying the interference
of our government, &longs;tating the
probable mode of acce&longs;s to the Dey, and
enclo&longs;ing a letter to my parents. This
my friend, the Jew, promi&longs;ed to convey;
but, as I never received any an&longs;wer from
Mr. Carmichael, and my letters never
found the way to my friends; I conclude,
from the known humanity of that gentleman,
my letters mi&longs;carried.

Some time after, I heard that the United
States had made application, through
Mr. Lamb, for the redemption of their
citizens, and I had hopes of liberty; intending,
if that gentleman &longs;ucceeded in
his negotiations, to claim my right to be
ran&longs;omed, as an American citizen, but
his propo&longs;als were &longs;couted with contempt.
I have &longs;ometimes heard this
gentleman cen&longs;ured for failing to accomplish
the object of his mi&longs;&longs;ion, but very
unju&longs;tly; as I well remember that I, who
was much intere&longs;ted in his &longs;ucce&longs;s, never

[figure description] Page 195.[end figure description]

blamed him at the time; and, I know,
the ran&longs;om, he offered the Dey, was ridiculed
in the common coffee hou&longs;es, as
extremely pitiful. The few Algerines,
I conver&longs;ed with, affected to repre&longs;ent it
as in&longs;ulting. It was reported, that he
was empowered to offer only two hundred
dollars per head for each pri&longs;oner
indi&longs;criminately, when the common price
was four thou&longs;and dollars per head for a
captain of a ve&longs;&longs;el, and one thou&longs;and four
hundred for a common fore ma&longs;t &longs;ailor.
When this un&longs;ucce&longs;sful attempt failed,
the pri&longs;oners were treated with greater
&longs;everity; doubtle&longs;s with a de&longs;ign to affright
the Americans into terms, more
advantageous to the Dey.

Finding my hopes of relca&longs;e from the
applications of my country to &longs;ade, I
con&longs;ulted the friendly Jew, who advi&longs;ed
me to endeavour to pay my own ran&longs;om,
which, he &longs;aid, might be effected with my
&longs;avings from my practice by the

[figure description] Page 196.[end figure description]

mediation of a rich Jew, his relation. I accordingly
put all my &longs;avings into Adonah
Ben Benjamin's hands, which amounted
to two hundred and eighty dollars, and
re&longs;olved to add to it all I could procure.
To this intent I hoarded up all I could
obtain; denying my&longs;elf the &longs;lender refreshments
of bathing and cooling liquors,
to which I had been for &longs;ome time
accu&longs;tomed. The benevolent Hebrew,
promi&longs;ing that, when I had attained the
&longs;um requi&longs;ite, within two or three hundred
dollars, he him&longs;elf would advance
the remainder, no mi&longs;er was ever more
engaged than I to increa&longs;e my &longs;tore.
After a tedious interval, my pro&longs;pects
brightened &longs;urpri&longs;ingly. Some fortunate
operations, I performed, obtained me
valuable pre&longs;ents; one to the amount of
fifty dollars. My &longs;tock, in the Jew's
hands, had increa&longs;ed to nine hundred
dollars; and, to add to my good fortune,
the Jew told me, in great confidence, that,

[figure description] Page 197.[end figure description]

from the plea&longs;ing account of the United
States, which I had given him, for I always
&longs;pake of the privileges of my native
land with fervour, he was determined to
remove with his family thither. He &longs;aid
he would make up the deficiency in my
ran&longs;om, and &longs;end me home by the fir&longs;t
European ve&longs;&longs;el, with letters to a Mr.
Lopez, a Jew, who, he &longs;aid, lived in
Rhode I&longs;land or Ma&longs;&longs;achu&longs;etts, to whom
he had a recommendation from a relation,
who had been in America. To Mr. Lopez
he intended to confign his property.
He accordingly procured his friend, who&longs;e
name I did not then learn, to agree about
my ran&longs;om. He concluded the contract
at two thou&longs;and dollars. My friends in
the ho&longs;pital expre&longs;&longs;ed &longs;orrow at parting
with me; and making me &longs;ome pecuniary
pre&longs;ents, I immediately added them to
my &longs;tock, in the hands of the Jew. In
order to le&longs;&longs;en the price of my ran&longs;om,
the contractor had told my ma&longs;ter that

[figure description] Page 198.[end figure description]

he was to advance the money, and take
my word to remit it, upon my return to
my friends. This &longs;tory I confirmed. I
went to the Jew's hou&longs;e, who hone&longs;tly
produced all my &longs;avings; we counted
them together, and he added the remainder,
tying the money up in two large bags.
We &longs;pent a happy hour, over a bottle of
his be&longs;t wine: I, in anticipating the pleasure
my parents and friends would receive
in recovering their &longs;on, who was lo&longs;t, and
the Jew in framing plans of commerce in
the United States, and in the enjoyment
of his riches in a country, where no despot
&longs;hould force from him his hone&longs;t
gains; and, what added to my enjoyment,
was the information that a ve&longs;&longs;el was to
&longs;ail for Gibraltar in two days, in which,
he a&longs;&longs;ured me, he would procure me a
pa&longs;&longs;age. I returned to the ho&longs;pital, exulting
in my happy pro&longs;pects. I was
quite be&longs;ide my&longs;elf with joy. I capered
and danced as merrily, as my youthful

[figure description] Page 199.[end figure description]

acquaintance at a hu&longs;king. Sometimes I
would be lo&longs;t in thought, and then bur&longs;t
&longs;uddenly into loud laughter. The next
day towards evening, I ha&longs;ted to the hou&longs;e
of my friend the Jew, to &longs;ee if he had engaged
my pa&longs;&longs;age, and to gratify my&longs;elf
with conver&longs;ing upon my native land.
Being intimate in the family, I was entrusted
with a key of the front door. I
opened it ha&longs;tily, and pa&longs;&longs;ing the entry,
knocked for admittance at the inner door,
which was &longs;oon opened. But, in&longs;tead of
the accu&longs;tomed &longs;plendour, all was gloomy;
the windows darkened, and the family;
in tears. Poor Adonah Ben Benjamin
had, that morning, been &longs;truck with
an apoplexy, and &longs;lept with his fathers.
I &longs;oon retired as &longs;incere a mourner as the
neare&longs;t kindred. I had indeed more reason
to mourn than I conceived; for, upon
applying to his &longs;on for his a&longs;&longs;i&longs;tance in
perfecting my freedom, which his good father
had &longs;o happily begun, he pro&longs;e&longs;&longs;ed

[figure description] Page 200.[end figure description]

the utmo&longs;t ignorance of the whole transaction;
declared that he did not know the
name of the agent, his father had employed,
and gave no credit to my account of
the monies I had lodged with his father.
I de&longs;cribed the bags. He cooly answered,
that the God of his father Abraham
had ble&longs;&longs;ed his father Adonah with many
&longs;uch bags. I left him, di&longs;tracted with
my di&longs;appointment. Sometimes I determined
to relate the whole &longs;tory to the director
of the ho&longs;pital, and apply for legal
redre&longs;s to a cadi; but the &longs;pecimen I had
of an Algerine law &longs;uit deterred me. I
had been &longs;o inadvertent, as to countenance
the &longs;tory that a Jew was to advance
the whole &longs;um for me. If I had been a
Mu&longs;&longs;ulman, I might have atte&longs;ted to my
&longs;tory; but a &longs;lave is never admitted as
an evidence in Algiers, the We&longs;t Indies,
or the Southern States. The disappointment
of my hopes were &longs;oon known in
the ho&longs;pital, though the hand Adonah

[figure description] Page 201.[end figure description]

Ben Benjamin had in the contract remained
a &longs;ecret. The artful Jew, who
had contracted for my ran&longs;om, fearing he
&longs;hould have to advance the money himself,
&longs;pread a report that I was immen&longs;ely
rich in my own country. This coming
to the ears of my ma&longs;ter, he rai&longs;ed my
ran&longs;om to &longs;ix thou&longs;and dollars, which the
wily I&longs;raelite declining to pay, the contract
was di&longs;&longs;olved. From my ma&longs;ter I
learned his name, and waited upon him,
hoping to obtain &longs;ome evidence of Adonah's
having received my money, at lea&longs;t &longs;o
far as to induce his &longs;on to re&longs;tore it. But
the Jew po&longs;itively declared that Adonah
never told him other, than that he was to
advance the ca&longs;h him&longs;elf. Thus, from
the brighte&longs;t hopes of freedom, I was reduced
to de&longs;pair; my money lo&longs;t; and
my ran&longs;om rai&longs;ed. I ble&longs;s a merciful
God that I was pre&longs;erved from the desperate
folly of &longs;uicide. I never attempted
my life; but, when I lay down, I

[figure description] Page 202.[end figure description]

often hoped that I might never awake again,
in this world of mi&longs;ery. I grew dejected
and my fle&longs;h wa&longs;ted. The phy&longs;icians
recommended a journey into the country,
which my ma&longs;ter approved; for, &longs;ince the
report of my wealth in my native land, he
viewed my life as valuable to him, as he
doubted not my friends would one day
ran&longs;om me at an exorbitant premium.

p407-426 CHAP. XXXI.

No gentle breathing breeze prepares the &longs;pring,
No birds within the de&longs;ert regions &longs;ing.
Philips.

ARGUMENT.

The Author, by Permi&longs;&longs;ion of his Ma&longs;ter,
travels to Medina, the burial Place of
the Prophet Mahomet.

[figure description] Page 203.[end figure description]

The director &longs;oon after proposed,
that I &longs;hould attend &longs;ome merchants,
as a &longs;urgeon in a voyage and
journey to Medina, the burial, and Mecca
the birth, place of the prophet Mahomet;
a&longs;&longs;uring me, that I &longs;hould be
treated with re&longs;pect, and indeed find &longs;ome
agreeable companions on the tour, as several
of the merchants were infidels, like
my&longs;elf, and that any monies I might acquire,
by itinerant practice, &longs;hould be my
own. I accepted this propo&longs;al with

[figure description] Page 204.[end figure description]

pleasure, and was &longs;oon lea&longs;ed to two Mussulman
merchants, who gave a kind of bond
for my &longs;afe return to my ma&longs;ter. I had
ca&longs;h advanced me to purcha&longs;e medicines,
and a ca&longs;e of &longs;urgeon's in&longs;truments, which
I was directed to &longs;tow in a large leather
wallet. I took a kind leave of my patrons
in the ho&longs;pital, who be&longs;towed many
little pre&longs;ents of &longs;weetmeats, dates,
and oranges. I waited upon the good
Mollah, who pre&longs;ented me with fifty dollars.
I have charity to believe that this
man, though an apo&longs;tate, was &longs;incere in
his faith in the Mahometan creed. He
pre&longs;&longs;ed my hand at parting, gave me many
&longs;alutary cautions, as to my conduct
during the voyage; and &longs;aid, while the
tears &longs;tarted in his eyes, my friend, you
have &longs;uffered much mis&longs;ortune and misery
in a &longs;hort life; let me conjure you
not to add the torments of the future to
the mi&longs;eries of the pre&longs;ent world. But,
added he, pau&longs;ing, who &longs;hall alter the

[figure description] Page 205.[end figure description]

decrees of God? I flatter my&longs;elf, that
the &longs;cales of natal prejudice will yet fall
from your eyes, and that your name was
numbered among the faithful from all
eternity.

Our company con&longs;i&longs;ted of two Algerine
merchants, or factors, twenty pilgrims,
nine Jews, among whom was the &longs;on of
my decea&longs;ed friend Adonah, and two
Greek traders from Chios, who carried
with them &longs;everal bales of &longs;ilks and a
quantity of ma&longs;tic, to vend at Scandaroon,
Grand Cairo and Medina. We
took pa&longs;&longs;age in a Xebec; and, coasting
the African &longs;hore, &longs;oon pa&longs;&longs;ed the ruins
of antient Carthage, the Bay of Tunis;
and, weathering cape Bona, and
&longs;teering &longs;outh ea&longs;terly, one morning hove
in &longs;ight of the I&longs;land of Malta, inhabited
by the knights of that name, who are
&longs;worn enemies of the Mahometan faith.
I could perceive, that the &longs;ight of this
i&longs;land gave a &longs;en&longs;ible alarm to the crew

[figure description] Page 206.[end figure description]

and pa&longs;&longs;engers. But the captain, or
rather &longs;kipper, who was a blu&longs;tering,
rough renegado, affected great courage,
and &longs;wore that, if he had but one cannon
on board, he would run down and
give a broad &longs;ide to the infidel dogs. His
bravery was &longs;oon put to the te&longs;t; for, as
the &longs;on aro&longs;e, we could di&longs;cern plainly
an armed ve&longs;&longs;el bearing down upon us.
She overhauled us fa&longs;t, and our &longs;kipper
conjectured &longs;he bore the Malte&longs;e colours.
All hands were now &longs;ummoned to get out
&longs;ome light &longs;ails, and &longs;everal oars were put
out, at which the brave &longs;kipper tugged
as lu&longs;tily as the meane&longs;t of us. When
the wind lulled and we gained of the vessel,
he would run upon the quarters of
the Xebec, and hollow; “Come on,
you chri&longs;tian dogs, I am ready for you.”
I have &longs;ome doubts, whether the ve&longs;&longs;el
ever noticed us. If &longs;he did, &longs;he de&longs;pi&longs;ed
us; for &longs;he tacked and &longs;tood to the &longs;outh
we&longs;t. This was no &longs;ooner perceived by

[figure description] Page 207.[end figure description]

our gallant commander, than he ordered
the Xebec to lay too, and &longs;wore, that
he would pur&longs;ue the uncircumci&longs;ed dogs,
and board them; but he fir&longs;t would prudently
a&longs;k the approbation of the passengers,
who in&longs;tantly determined one and
all that their bu&longs;ine&longs;s was &longs;uch, that they
mu&longs;t in&longs;i&longs;t upon the captain's making his
be&longs;t way to port. The captain consented,
but not without much at
his misfortune, in lo&longs;ing &longs;o fine a prize;
and declared that, when he landed his
pa&longs;&longs;engers, he would directly quit the
port and renew the cha&longs;e. After a &longs;mart
run, we dropt anchor in the port of Alexandria,
called by the Turks Scandarcon.
This is the &longs;ite of the antient Alexandria,
founded by Alexander the great;
though its pre&longs;ent appearance would not
induce an opinion of &longs;o magnificent a
founder. It lies not far from the westermost
branch of the river Nile, by which,
in ancient day, it was &longs;upplied with

[figure description] Page 208.[end figure description]

water. The antiquarian eye may po&longs;&longs;ibly
ob&longs;erve, in the &longs;cattered fragments of
rocks, the ve&longs;tiges of the ruins of its antient
grandeur; but a vulgar traveller,
from the appearance of the harbour, choked
with &longs;and, the mi&longs;erable buildings, and
more wretched inhabitants of the town,
would not be led to conclude that this was
the port, which ro&longs;e triumphant on the
ruins of Tyre and Carthage. We here
hired camels; and, being joined by a
number of pilgrims and traders, collected
from various parts of the Levant, we
proceeded towards Grand Cairo, the present
capital of Egypt; and, after travelling
three days, or rather three nights, for
we generally repo&longs;ed in the heat of the
day, which is &longs;evere from one hour after
the &longs;un's ri&longs;ing until it &longs;ets, we came to a
pretty town on the we&longs;t bank of the Nile,
called Gize, and hence pa&longs;&longs;ed over on rafts
to the city of Grand Cairo, called by the
Turks Almizer; the &longs;uburbs of which

[figure description] Page 209.[end figure description]

extend to the river, but the principal
town commences its proper boundaries,
at about three miles ea&longs;t of the Nile. I
was now within a comparatively &longs;hort
di&longs;tance of two magnificent curio&longs;ities,
I had ever been de&longs;irous of beholding.
The city of Jeru&longs;alem was only about
five day's journey to the &longs;outh ea&longs;t, and I
had even caught a glimp&longs;e of the pyramids
near Gize. I went with my masters
and others to &longs;ee a deep &longs;toned pit,
in the ca&longs;tle, called Jo&longs;eph's well; and &longs;aid
to have been dug by the direction of that
patriarch. I am not antiquarian enough
to know the particular &longs;tyle of Jo&longs;eph's
well architecture; but the water was
&longs;weet and extremely cold. The Turks
&longs;ay that Potiphar's wife did not cea&longs;e to
per&longs;ecute Jo&longs;eph with her love, after he
was relea&longs;ed from pri&longs;on, and advanced to
power; but the patriarch, being warned
by a dream to dig this well, and invite her
to drink of the water, which &longs;he had no

[figure description] Page 210.[end figure description]

&longs;ooner done, but one cup of it &longs;o effectually
cooled her de&longs;ires, that &longs;he was ever
afterwards an eminent example of the
mo&longs;t frigid cha&longs;tity. In Grand Cairo,
we were joined by many pilgrims from
Pale&longs;tine, and the adjacent countries.
The third day, our carivan, which consisted
of three hundred camels and dromedaries,
&longs;et out for Medina, under the
convey of a troop of Mamaluke guards,
a tawny, raw boned, ill clothed people.
Some of the merchants, and even pilgrims
made a hand&longs;ome appearance in per&longs;on,
dre&longs;s, and equipage. I was my&longs;elf well
mounted upon a camel, and carried with
me only my leather wallet of drugs, which
I di&longs;pen&longs;ed freely among the pilgrims;
my ma&longs;ters receiving the ordinary pay,
while I collected many &longs;mall &longs;ums, which
the gratitude of my patients added to the
u&longs;ual fee. We pa&longs;&longs;ed near the north
arm of the red &longs;ea, and then pur&longs;ued our
journey &longs;outh, until we &longs;truck the &longs;ame

[figure description] Page 211.[end figure description]

arm again, near the place where the
learned Wortley Montague has concluded
the I&longs;raelites, under the conduct
of Mo&longs;es, effected their pa&longs;&longs;age. The
breadth of the &longs;ea here is great, and the
waters deep and turbulent. The infidel
may &longs;neer, if he choo&longs;es; but, for my own
part, I am convinced beyond a doubt,
that, if the I&longs;raelites pa&longs;&longs;ed in this place,
it mu&longs;t have been by the miraculous interposition
of a divine power. I could
not refrain from reflecting upon the infatuated
temerity, which impelled the Egygtian
king to follow them. Well does
the Latin poet exclaim; Quem Deus vult
perdere, prius dementat. We then
travelled ea&longs;t, until we came to a &longs;mall
village, called Tadah. Here we filled
many goat &longs;kins with water, and laded
our camels with them. In addition to
my wallet, I received two goat &longs;kins or
bags of water upon my camel. The
weight, this u&longs;eful animal will carry, is

[figure description] Page 212.[end figure description]

a&longs;toni&longs;hing; and the facility and promptitude,
with which he kneels to receive his
rider and burthen, &longs;urpri&longs;ing. We now
entered the confines of Arabia Petrea,
very aptly denominated the rocky Arabia;
for, journeying &longs;outh ea&longs;t, we pa&longs;&longs;ed
over many ridges of mountains, which
appeared of &longs;olid rocks, while the vallies
and plains between them were almo&longs;t a
quick&longs;and. Not a tree, &longs;rub, or vegetable
is to be &longs;een. In the&longs;e vallies, the
&longs;un poured intolerable day, and its reflections
from the land were insupportable.
No refre&longs;hing breeze is here
felt. The intelligent traveller often fears
the ri&longs;ing of the wind, which blows
&longs;uch &longs;ultry gales, that man and bea&longs;t often
&longs;ink beneath them, “never to ri&longs;e
again” or, when agitated into a tempe&longs;t,
drive the &longs;and with &longs;uch tumultuous violence,
as to overwhelm whole caravans.
Such indeed were the &longs;tories told me, as
I pa&longs;&longs;ed the&longs;e dreary plains. The only

[figure description] Page 213.[end figure description]

inconvenience, I &longs;u&longs;tained, aro&longs;e from
the inten&longs;e heat of the &longs;un, and the chills
of the night, which our thin garments
were not calculated to exclude. On the
third day, after we left Tadah, the water,
which we tran&longs;ported on our camels, was
nearly expended. The&longs;e extraordinary
animals had not drank but once, &longs;ince
our departure. Near the middle of the
fourth day, I ob&longs;erved our camels &longs;nuff
the air, and &longs;oon &longs;et off in a bri&longs;k trot,
and ju&longs;t before night brought us to water.
This was contained in only one
deep well, dug, like a rever&longs;ed pyramid,
with &longs;teps to de&longs;cend on every &longs;ide, to
the depth of one hundred feet; yet the
&longs;agacity of the camel had di&longs;covered this
water at perhaps twenty miles di&longs;tance.
So my fellow travellers a&longs;&longs;erted; but I
have &longs;ince thought, whether the&longs;e camels,
from frequently pa&longs;&longs;ing this de&longs;ert country,
did not di&longs;cover their approach to
water, rather from the eye, noting familiar

[figure description] Page 214.[end figure description]

objects, than the actual &longs;centing the water
it&longs;elf. A hor&longs;e that has journeyed the
whole day, will quicken his &longs;tep at night,
when, upon a familiar road, within &longs;ome
miles of an accu&longs;tomed &longs;table. Our escort
delighted in the marvellous. Many
a dreadful &longs;tory did they tell of poisonous
winds and overwhelming &longs;ands;
and of the &longs;ierce wandering Arabs, who
captured whole caravans, and eat their
pri&longs;oners. Many a bloody battle had
they fought with this cruel banditti, in
which, according to their narratives, they
always came off conquerours. Frequently
were we alarmed, to be in readiness
to combat their &longs;avage free booters;
though I never &longs;aw but two of the
wild Arabs, in the whole of our journey.
They joined us at a little village, ea&longs;t of
I&longs;lamboul, and acco&longs;ted us with great civility.
They were dre&longs;&longs;ed in blue frocks,
girded round the wa&longs;te with particoloured
&longs;a&longs;hes, in which were &longs;tuck a pi&longs;tol

[figure description] Page 215.[end figure description]

and a long knife. Their legs were bare,
and &longs;heep&longs;kin caps covered their heads.
Their complexions were &longs;allow, but their
garments and per&longs;ons were clean. Indeed,
their dre&longs;s and addre&longs;s evinced them
to be of a more civilized race than our
guards, who affected to treat them with
lofty hauteur; and, when they departed,
a&longs;&longs;ured us that they were &longs;pies, and that an
attack from their countrymen might now
be apprehended with certainty; if, &longs;aid
the leader of our e&longs;cort, they are not terrified
by finding you under our protection.

p407-439 CHAP. XXXII.

Procul! O procul! a&longs;te pro&longs;ani.

[figure description] Page 216.[end figure description]

When we were within one
day's journey of Medina, we halted for a
longer time than u&longs;ual; occa&longs;ioned, as I
found, by the arrival of a mo&longs;t holy
&longs;aint. As I had never &longs;een a &longs;aint, being
bred, in a land, where even the relics
of the&longs;e holy men are not pre&longs;erved,
for I believe all New England cannot
produce &longs;o much as a &longs;aint's rotten tooth
or toe nail, I was &longs;olicitous to &longs;ee and
conver&longs;e with this ble&longs;&longs;ed per&longs;onage. I
&longs;oon di&longs;covered him, in the mid&longs;t of about
fifty pilgrims, &longs;ome of whom were
devoutly touching their foreheads with

[figure description] Page 217.[end figure description]

the hem of his garment, while others, &longs;till
more devout, pro&longs;trated them&longs;elves on
the ground, and ki&longs;&longs;ed the prints of his
foot&longs;teps in the &longs;and. Though I was assured,
that he was filled with divine love,
and conferred felicity on all, who touched
him; yet, to outward appearance, he was
the mo&longs;t di&longs;gu&longs;ting, contemptible object,
I had ever &longs;een. Figure to your&longs;elves,
my readers, a little decrepit, old man,
made &longs;horter by &longs;tooping, with a countenance,
which exhibited a vacant &longs;tare, his
head bald, his finger and toe nails as long
as hawks' claws, his attire &longs;qualid, his face,
neck, arms, and legs begrimed with dirt
and &longs;warming with vermin, and you will
have &longs;ome &longs;aint idea of this Mu&longs;&longs;ulman
&longs;aint. As I was too rea&longs;onable to expect
that holine&longs;s exi&longs;ted in a man's exteriour,
I waited to hear him &longs;peak; anticipating,
from his lips, the profounde&longs;t wi&longs;dom,
delivered in the honied accents of the
&longs;aints in bli&longs;s. At length he &longs;pake; and

[figure description] Page 218.[end figure description]

his &longs;peech betrayed him, a mere idiot.
While this a&longs;toni&longs;hed me, it rai&longs;ed the
re&longs;pect of his admirers, who e&longs;timated his
fanctity in an inver&longs;e ratio to the weakness
of his intellects. If they could have
a&longs;certained, that he was born an idiot,
verily believe, they would have adored
him; for the Mahometans are taught by
their alcoran, that the &longs;ouls of &longs;aints are
often lodged in the bodies of idiots
and the&longs;e pious &longs;ouls, being &longs;o intent on
the joys of paradi&longs;e, is the true rea&longs;on
that the actions of their bodies are &longs;o little
&longs;uited to the manners of this world.
This &longs;aint however did not a&longs;pire to the
&longs;anctity of a genuine idiot; though,
fancy, his mode&longs;ty injured his prefement,
for he certainly had very fair pretensions.
It was re&longs;olved, that the homan
&longs;hould go with us; and, to my gremortification
and di&longs;gu&longs;t, he was mouned
behind me on the &longs;ame camel;
Mahometan friends probably conceived

[figure description] Page 219.[end figure description]

that he would &longs;o far communicate his
&longs;anctity by contact, as that it might affect
my conver&longs;ion to their faith. Whatever
were their faith. Whatever
were their motives, in the embraces of this
nau&longs;eous being, with the people prostrating
them&longs;elves in reverence on each &longs;ide, I
made my entry into the city of Medina.

p407-443 CHAP. XXXIII.

There appears to be nothing in their nature above
the power of the Devil.

[figure description] Page 220.[end figure description]

Medina Tadlardh, erroneously
called Medina Talmabi, is &longs;ituated
in Arabia De&longs;erta, about forty five miles
ea&longs;t from the borders of the red &longs;ea. To
this place, as has been before related, the
prophet fled, when driven from Mecca his
birth place; and here he was buried, and
his remains &longs;till are pre&longs;erved, in a &longs;ilver
coffin, ornamented with a golden cre&longs;cent,
enriched with jewels, covered with cloth
of gold, &longs;upported upon &longs;ilver ta&longs;&longs;els, and
&longs;hadowed by a canopy, embroidered with

[figure description] Page 221.[end figure description]

&longs;ilk and gold thread upon &longs;ilver ti&longs;&longs;ue.
This canopy is renewed annually, by the
ba&longs;haw of Egypt; though other ba&longs;haws,
and great men among the Turks, often
a&longs;&longs;i&longs;t in the expen&longs;e, or augment the value
of the yearly pre&longs;ent, by &longs;ilver lamps and
other ornaments. The whole are contained
in a magnificent mo&longs;que, in which
are &longs;u&longs;pended innumerable gold and silver
lamps, &longs;ome of which are kept continually
burning, and all are lighted on certain
public occa&longs;ions; and even upon
the approach of &longs;ome dignified pilgrim.
I had not acquired &longs;ufficient holine&longs;s, from
my ble&longs;&longs;ed companion, to be permitted to
enter this &longs;anctified building. The Arabians
are profu&longs;ely extravagant, in the titles
they be&longs;tow on the city of Medina;
calling it the mo&longs;t holy, mo&longs;t renowned,
mo&longs;t excellent city; the &longs;anctuary of the
ble&longs;&longs;ed fugitive; model of the refulgent
city in the cele&longs;tial paradi&longs;e; and &longs;ome
of the great vulgar &longs;uppo&longs;e, that when

[figure description] Page 222.[end figure description]

the world &longs;hall be de&longs;troyed, this city,
with the prophet's remains, will be transported
by angels, with all its inhabitants,
to paradi&longs;e. We tarried there but a few
hours, as the great object of the devotions
of the pilgrims was Mecca. Pilgrimages
are performed to both places; but
tho&longs;e to Medina are not indi&longs;pen&longs;ably
nece&longs;&longs;ary; being directed by the book of
the companions of the apo&longs;tles, while
tho&longs;e to Mecca are enjoined by the alcoran
it&longs;elf. The former are &longs;uppo&longs;ed
meritorious, the latter nece&longs;&longs;ary to salvation.
I had the curio&longs;ity to inquire respecting
the prophet's coffin being suspended
in the air by a load &longs;tone, and
was a&longs;&longs;ured that this was a mere chri&longs;tian
obloquy, as no preten&longs;ions of any &longs;uch
&longs;u&longs;pen&longs;ion were ever made.

p407-446 CHAP. XXXIV.

The heaven of heavens cannot contain thee.

[figure description] Page 223.[end figure description]

Being freed from my ble&longs;&longs;ed
companion, I had an agreeable journey
from Medina to Mecca, which is the mo&longs;t
antient city in all Arabia; &longs;ituated about
two hundred miles &longs;outh ea&longs;t of Medina,
twenty one degrees and forty five minutes
north latitude, and one hundred and &longs;ixteen
degrees ea&longs;t longitude, from Philadelphia,
according to late American calculations. I
&longs;aw the great mo&longs;que in the centre of Mecca,
which it is &longs;aid, far &longs;urpa&longs;&longs;es in grandeur
that of Sancta Sophia in Con&longs;tantinople. It
certainly is a very augu&longs;t building, the
roof of which is refulgent; but even the

[figure description] Page 224.[end figure description]

inhabitants &longs;miled at my credulity, when
I ob&longs;erved that I had read it was covered
with plated gold. This mo&longs;que contains
within its limits the grand object of the
Mu&longs;&longs;ulman's pilgrimage; the Al Kaaba,
or hou&longs;e of God, &longs;aid to have been built
by the hands of the patriarch Abraham;
to confirm which the Arabian prie&longs;ts
&longs;hew a black &longs;tone, upon which they &longs;ay
Abraham laid his &longs;on I&longs;aac, when he had
bound him in preparation for his intended
&longs;acrifice. This &longs;tone and building
were great objects of veneration, before
the mi&longs;&longs;ion of the prophet, and he artfully
availed him&longs;elf of this popular prejudice,
in rendering the highe&longs;t re&longs;pect to the
holy hou&longs;e, in his life time, and enjoining
upon his followers, without distinction
among males, to vi&longs;it it once in their
lives. The advent of the prophet was
&longs;aid to be announced from the four corners
of the hou&longs;e, which exhibit the four
cardinal points. Few pilgrims are

[figure description] Page 225.[end figure description]

permitted to enter this &longs;acred, venerable
building; but, after travelling, &longs;ome of
them perhaps a thou&longs;and miles, they are
content to pro&longs;trate them&longs;elves in the
courts, which &longs;urround it. Few Mahometans
perform this pilgrimage in per&longs;on;
tho&longs;e who do are highly re&longs;pected.
This pilgrimage was enjoined, by the
prophet, to be performed in per&longs;on; but,
when he laid this injunction, it is not
probable he anticipated the exten&longs;ive
&longs;pread of his doctrines. So long as his
di&longs;ciples were limited by the boundaries
of Arabia, or had only extended themselves
over a part of Syria, this pious
journey was practicable and ea&longs;y; out,
when the cre&longs;cent ro&longs;e triumphant on the
&longs;ea coa&longs;t, and mo&longs;t of the interiour of Africa,
when it &longs;hone with &longs;plendour in
Per&longs;ia, Tartary, and Turkey, and even
adorned the Moori&longs;h minarit in Spain,
actual pilgrimage was deemed impracticable;
and the faithful were allowed to

[figure description] Page 226.[end figure description]

vi&longs;it the Kaaba by deputy. The ingenuity
of more modern times has alleviated
this religious burthen &longs;till further, by allowing
the deputy to &longs;ub&longs;titute other attornies
under him. Thus for example:
the pious Mu&longs;&longs;ulman in Belgrade will
employ a friend at Con&longs;tantinople, who
will empower another friend at Scandaroon
to procure a confidential friend at
Grand Cairo to go in the name of him at
Belgrade, and perform his pilgrimage to
Mecca. Certificates of the&longs;e &longs;everal substitutions
are pre&longs;erved, and the lazy
Mu&longs;&longs;ulman hopes by this to reap
the rewards of the faithful in paradi&longs;e.

p407-450 CHAP. XXXV.

Sweeter than the harmonica or lute,
Or lyre &longs;wept by the ma&longs;ter's pliant hand;
Soft as the hymns of infant &longs;eraphim,
Are the young fighings of a contrite heart.
Author's Manu&longs;cript Poems.

ARGUMENT.

The Author returns to Scandaroon: Finds
Adonah's Son &longs;ick: His Contrition: Is
re&longs;tored to Health.

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After tarrying &longs;ixteen days
at Mecca, during which time my ma&longs;ters
fa&longs;ted, prayed, performed their devotions
at the Kaaba, and &longs;old their merchandize,
we retraced the &longs;ame rout to Scandaroon.
Here we found the &longs;on of Adonah Ben
Benjamin, who had been detained in this
place by &longs;ickne&longs;s, &longs;o weakened from a
tedious &longs;low fever that his life was despaired
of. He expre&longs;&longs;ed great joy, at our

[figure description] Page 228.[end figure description]

return, and begged my profe&longs;&longs;ional a&longs;&longs;i&longs;tance;
a&longs;&longs;uring me, that he e&longs;teemed his pre&longs;ent
di&longs;order a judicial puni&longs;hment from the
God of his fathers, for the injury he had
done me; candidly confe&longs;&longs;ing, that he
knew of his father's having received my
money, which he would re&longs;tore upon our
return to Algiers, if I would effect his recovery.
He prevailed upon my ma&longs;ters
that I &longs;hould abide in the hou&longs;e with
him, during their ab&longs;ence, as they
were engaged upon a trading tour to a
place called Gingè, upon the river Nile.
I exerted all my &longs;kill, both as a physician
and nur&longs;e. Perhaps my attention
in the latter capacity, a&longs;&longs;i&longs;ted by his
youth, was of more &longs;ervice than my prescriptions.
Be that as it may, he recovered
rapidly, and in ten days was able to
walk the &longs;treets; but I could not help
noticing with &longs;orrow, that as his &longs;trength
increa&longs;ed, his gratitude and promi&longs;es to
refund my money decrea&longs;ed.