Narrative of travels and discoveries in Northern and Central Africa, in the years 1822, 1823, and 1824 — John Shaqi
Narrative of travels and discoveries in Northern and Central Africa, in the years 1822, 1823, and 1824Denham, Dixon
History
Narrative of travels and discoveries in Northern and Central Africa, in the years 1822, 1823, and 1824
Denham, Dixon
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Africa, North -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Africa, North
I embarked in the Express schooner, which the admiral lent me for
the purpose, and, on the 18th November, after three days’ sail,
arrived at Tripoli, and found my two companions at the house of
Mr. Consul Warrington, anxiously expecting my arrival. Of this
gentleman it is not too much to say, that by his cheerful and good
humoured disposition, his zeal, perseverance, and extraordinary good
management, we owe, in a great degree, that influence which England
possesses with this government far beyond that of any other of the
Barbary powers. The English name, in fact, is of such importance
in Tripoli, that there is scarcely a point to carry, or a dispute
to settle, in which the bashaw does not request the interference of
the British consul: and to him, indeed, is, in a great degree, owing
the origin and success of the late mission. He stated broadly to
the government at home, that the road from Tripoli to Bornou was as
open as that from London to Edinburgh; which, with a small allowance
for Oriental hyperbole, was found to be true—witness the journey
of my lamented friend Lieutenant Toole, and also of Mr. Tyrwhitt,
the latter laden with valuable presents.
But this is not all: the British flag has a peculiar power of
protection, and the roof of the English consul always affords a
sanctuary to the perpetrator of any crime, not even excepting murder;
and scarcely a day passes that some persecuted Jew or unhappy slave,
to escape the bastinado, does not rush into the court-yard of the
British consulate for protection. A circumstance occurred in returning
from one of our excursions, which shows in what high estimation the
English character is held in Tripoli. A poor wretch, who, for some
trifling offence, was sentenced to five hundred bastinadoes, having,
while on his way to receive the sentence of the law, contrived to
slip from the custody of his guards, fortunately met with the child
and servant of Doctor Dickson, a most respectable and intelligent
English physician practising in Tripoli: the condemned wretch, with
wonderful presence of mind, snatched up the child in his arms, and
halted boldly before his pursuers. The talisman was sufficiently
powerful: the emblem of innocence befriended the guilty, and the
culprit walked on uninterrupted, triumphantly claiming the protection
of the British flag.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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