fufficient money to pay for the hire of a houfe, in the manner, and for the purpose you propofe. This provifional arrangement to continue in force, until Mr. Montgomery fhall receive ulterior inftructions from the governinent of the United States, for continuing or fufpending the fame. I entreat you will be perfuaded, my dear and unfortunate countrymen, that I receive with great fatisfaction the marks of your approbation, of the honeft, but ineffectual efforts I have made in your favor. Would to Heaven, they had been as fuccessful as they were difinterested and fincere. I have only to repeat, that you may at all times, and on all occafions, count upon the fympathetic regard And efteem of your real friend, And affectionate fellow-citizen, P. S. Though I have repeatedly remarked, that it may perhaps, (for particular reafons) be inexpedient for me to keep up a regular correfpondence with you; yet it is proper 1 fhould add, that I fhall always be glad to hear from you; and that it may be particularly interefting to the government of our country, to receive at the earlieft poffible period, all intelligence of importance. I fhall therefore always be ready to communicate fuch intelligence, until fome nearer, and better channel of communication can be eftablished. CHAP. CHA P. V. Particular anecdotes, occurrences and occafional remarks, which throw fome additional light upon the hiftory," customs and manners of the Algerines. IT Tis impoffible for any flave to efcape from Algiers by land: for if he is discovered by the Moors het is apprehended and brought back to the city, where they receive a reward for their trouble. Those that can get on board of French or English fhips obtain their liberties, and no demand is made upon the commanders to deliver them up: and whenever foreign veffels lie in the habour all the flaves who work in the marine are obliged to wear heavy chains. But by water many flaves have efcaped, and the Algerines have in confequence become fo extremely vigilant, that an escape is now almost impracticable. Attempt of fifteen flaves to escape. WHILE the American captives were employed at Bublywhite, a fcheme was concerted between fifteen Genoese, Portuguese, and Neapolitan flaves, to make their escape in one of the boats that attend the pantoons. This plot had been in agitation for feveral weeks, and in the mean time they had had prepared themfelves with weapons of defence, and all neceffary articles for their voyage. About nine o'clock one very hot morning, in the time of Ramadan, while Montenegro, the warden of the pantoon, lay afleep, these fifteen flaves, at the word of command, jumped into the boat which lay along fide the pantoon, and put to fea in an inftant. The portezero, or boatswain of the pantoon, immediately waked Montenegro, who was aftonished beyond meafure when he faw them under weigh, and hallowed to them in a furious tone of voice to return; upon which one of the Portuguese waved his naked fword in defiance, the crew gave three loud huzzas, and rowed with all their might towards the Spanish coaft. Montenegro, dreading the confequences of this piece of neglect, immediately fled for fafety to the grand mofque which ftands out of the town. As foon as the news was announced to the dey, he ordered men to be ftationed on eminences with fpy-glaffes, to obferve the course they fteered; and in the mean time a Spanish built boat, a fwift runner (which is always moored near the feat of the vichelhadge of the marine to be in readiness upon any particular emergency) was inftantly ordered to purfue them. The vichelhadge manned the boat with a double tire of pifcerees, or rowers, and that they might purfue them with greater expedition he embarked himself. By this time the fugitives were out of fight; but the pifcorees fteered directly towards that part of the ocean where they had difappeared. The vichelhadge, in order to encourage them to greater exertions, frequently threw them money, and they rowed with fuch expedition that about noon they overtook the fugitives, who had fo completely exhaufted them themselves in their endeavours to escape, that they were scarcely able to move their oars. As foon as their pursuers had overtaken them they fubmitted without the leaft refiftance, and paffively refigned themselves to the fury of their purfuers, who beat them most unmercifully, and after fecuring them in chains, brought them back to the city, where they arrived about four o'clock in he afternoon. They were immediately taken before the dey, who ordered two of the principals to be executed: and they were accordingly led to the fountain in front of the dey's palace, where they kneeled down, and one of the dey's guards with a fharp tahan fevered their heads from their body... The dey obferved, that had a greater number embarked he would not have pretended to have fent in pursuit of them; but he naturally concluded that fo fmall a number would foon exhauft themselves. One is apt naturally to arraign their impolicy in taking their departure with fo fmall a number. But we ought to reflect upon the great difficulty and danger of detection in affecting an escape of this nature; for the very air of the country feems to infpire the principles of villany and deception; scarcely any scheme can be concerted without detection, and there are many mifcreants of flaves here, who would feel no remorse whatever in betraying their moft intimate friends for a trifling reward. Montenegro, though he was pardoned after this event, yet he forfeited the royal favor, and was turned out of office; and the pantoons have fince been fo well guarded that an efcape is totally impracticable. Spanish defperado. THE moft turbulent and intemperate flaves in Algiers are the Spaniards, who go armed with a dagger or long knife, and a quarrel with each other generally terminates in affaffination. About ten o'clock one night, after the American flaves had retired to reft in the Bagnio Gallaro, a violent quarrel happened between two Spaniards, which made fuch an uproar in the bagnio, that one of the corporals, or guardians, entered the room with a lantern in his hand, in order to quell the disturbance; and with his rope he fell to beating the Spaniards most unmercifully. One of them, who did not relish the chastisement very well, defired him to defift, and threatened to ftab him if he perfifted in beating him; which fo irritated the corporal, that he dealt out his blows more furiously than ever. The Spaniard grown outrageous with fuch treatment, drew his dagger and gave him four or five wounds, of which he inftantly expired. By this time the fecond corporal entered the apartment, and as he entered, the defperate Spaniard rushed furiously upon him, and in attempting to ward off the blow he received a wound in his arm; upon which he immediately retreated, and locked himfelf up in one of the taverns that ftand near the bagnio. The two Spaniards were now at liberty to decide their difpute, and they rufhed furioufly upon each other with their knives; but the leaft defperate of the two, after receiving feveral wounds, made his escape, and left his antagonist complete mafter of the bagnio. He now paraded the paffage flourishing |