adopted, than the Algerines began to make prizes of feveral merchant fhips belonging to powers at peace with the Porte. Nay, having feized a Dutch fhip and poleacre at Scanderoon, they ventured on fhore; and finding the town abandoned by the Turkish aga and inhabitants, they plundered all the magazines and warehoufes, and fet them on fire.

About this time Lewis XIII. undertook to build a fort on their coafts, instead of one formerly built by the Marfilians, and which they had demolished. This, after fome difficulty, he accomplished; and it was called the Baftion of France: but the fituation being afterwards found inconvenient, the French purchased the port of La Calle, and obtained liberty to trade with the Arabians and Moors. The Ottoman court, in the mean time, was fo much embarraffed with the Persian war, that there was no leifure to check the Algerine piracies. This gave an opportunity to the vizir and other courtiers to compound matters with the Algerines, and to get a fhare of their prizes, which were very confiderable. However, for form's fake, a fevere reprimand, accompanied with threats, was fent them; to which they replied, that " thefe depredations deferved to be indulged to them, feeing they were the only bulwark against the Chriftian powers, especially againft the Spaniards, the fworn enemies of the Mollem name. Adding," that if they fhould pay a punctilious regard to all that would purchafe peace, or liberty to trade with the Ottoman empire, they would have nothing to do but fet fire to all their fhipping, and turn cameldrivers for a livelihood."

In the year 1635, four young brothers of a good family in France, entered into an undertaking fo defperate, that perhaps the annals of knight-erE

rantry

rantry can scarcely furnish a pael.-This was no lefs than to retort the piracies of the Algerines upon themselves; and as they indifcriminately took the fhips of all nations, fo were these heroes indifcriminately to take the ships belonging to Algiers; and this with a small frigate of ten guns!-In this ridiculous undertaking 100 volunteers embarked; a Maltefe commiffion was procured, together with an able master and 36 mariners. They had the good fortune, on their first setting out, to take a fhip laden with wine, on the Spanish coaft: with which they were fo much elated, that three days after they madly encountered two large Algerine corfairs, one of 20 and the other of 24 guns, both well manned, and commanded by able officers. These two large veffels having got the fmall frigate between them, racked her fo furiously with broad fides, that they foon carried away her mainmäft: notwithstanding which, the French made fo defperate a refiftance, that the pirates were not able to take them, till the noise of their firing brought up five more Algerines; when the French veffel, being almost torn to pieces, was boarded and taken. The young knight-errants were punished for their temerity by a dreadful captivity, from which they redeemed themfelves in 1642, at the price of 6000 dollars.

CHAP

CHA P. II.

The Algerines fit out a formidable fleet, which is totally deftrayed by the Venetians. Algiers in great confufion at

the news. The Algerines fit out a new fleet. A Dutch merchantman defeats a number of their galleys. Lewis XIV. makes preparations against Algiers. The city bombarded and fet on fire by the French. The Algerines commit great ravages in France. Their city again lombarded, fet on fire, and almost deftroyed. They fue for peace. Capt. Beach burns feven of their hips. The Turkish babaw expelled. The Spanish expedition of 1775.

THE

HE Algerines continued to profecute their piracies with impunity, to the terror and difgrace of the European powers, till the year 1652; when a French fleet being accidently driven into Algiers, the admiral took it into his head to demand a releafe of all the captives of his nation, without exception. This being refufed, the Frenchman, without ceremony, carried off the Turkish viceroy, and his cadi or judge, who were just arrived from the Porte, with all their equipage and retinue. The Algerines, by way of reprifal, furprised the Baftion of France already mentioned, and carried off the inhabitants to the number of 600, with all their effects; which fo provoked the admiral, that he fent them word that he would pay them another vifit the next year with his whole fleet.

The Algerines, undifmayed by the threats of the French admiral, fitted out a fleet of 16 galleys

and

and galliots, excellently manned and equipped, under the command of admiral Hali Pinchinin. The chief defign of this armament was against the treafure of Loretto; which, however, they were prevented by contrary winds from obtaining. Upon this they made a defcent on Puglia, in the kingdom of Naples; where they ravaged the whole territory of Necotra, carrying off a vaft number of captives, and among them fome nuns. From thence fteering towards Dalmatia, they fcoured the Adriatic; and loading themselves with immenfe plunder, left those coafts in the utmost confternation.

At last the Venetians, alarmed at fuch terrible depredations, equipped a fleet of 28 fail, under the command of admiral Capello, with exprefs orders to burn, fink and take all the Barbary corfairs he met with, either on the open fea, or even in the Grand Signior's harbours, pursuant to a late treaty of peace with the Porte. On the other hand, the captain bafhaw, who had been fent out with the Turkish fleet to chase the Florentine and Maltese cruifers out of the Archipelago, underftanding that the Algerine fquadron was fo near, fent exprefs orders to the admiral to come to his affiftance. Pinchinin readily agreed; but having first refolved on a defcent upon the island of Liffa, or Lifina, belonging to the Venetians, he was overtaken by Capello, from whom he retired to Valona, a fea port belonging to the Grand Signior, whither the Venetian admiral pursued him, but the Turkish governor refufing to eject the pirates according to the articles of the peace between the Ottoman court and Venice, Capello was obliged to content himself with watching them for fome time. Pinchinin was foon weary of reftraint, and ventured cut; when an engagement immediately enfu

ed,

ed, in which the Algerines were defeated, and five of their veffels difabled; with the lofs of 1500 men, Turks and Christian flaves; befides 1600 galley+ flaves who regained their liberty. Pinchinin, after this defeat, returned to Valona, where he was again watched by Capello; but the latter had not lain long at his old anchorage before he received a letter from the fenate, defiring him to make no farther attempt on the pirates at that time, for fear of a rupture with the Porte. This was followed by a letter from the governor of Valona, defiring him to take care left he incurred the Sultan's difpleafure by fuch infults. The brave Venetian was forced to comply; but refolving to take fuch a leave of the Algerines as he thought they deferved, obferved how they had reared their tents, and drawn their booty and equipage along the thore. He then kept firing among the tents, while fome well-manned galliots and brigantines were ordered among their fhipping, who attacked them with fuch bravery, that, without any great lofs, they towed out their 16 galleys, with all their cannon, flores &c. In this laft engagement, a ball from one of the Venetian gallies, happening to ftrike a Turkish mofque, the whole action was confidered as an infult upon the Grand Signior. To conceal this, Capelle was ordered to fink all the Algerine fhips he had taken, except the admiral; which was to be conducted to Venice, and laid up as a trophy. Capello came off with a fevere reprimand; but the Venetians were obliged to buy, with 500,000 ducats, a peace from the Porte. The Grand Signior offered to repair the lofs of the Algerines, by building ten galleys for them, upon condition that they fhould continue in his fervice till the end of the enfuing fummer; but Pinchinin, who knew how little the Algerines chofe to E 2

lie