The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 13, September, 1835Various
History
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 13, September, 1835
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
The greater part of the laborers and domestic servants of Algiers,
particularly those employed by Foreign Consuls, are of the race of
Kabyles, who as before stated, inhabit the mountainous districts of
the Regency, and are with good reason supposed to be the descendants
of the aboriginal _Nomades_. One of these tribes having made some
attacks on the people in the vicinity of Bugia, the Dey on the 22d of
October, ordered all the Kabyles in Algiers to be put in confinement.
The Consuls of some of the smaller European powers, after a little
hesitation, surrendered those in their service; the Agent of the
Netherlands offered to his the choice of remaining under his
protection, or of escaping; they chose the latter, and his premises
were not disturbed. The French Consul at first made a show of refusal
to deliver his domestics, but afterwards adroitly got rid of the
difficulty, by _paying and discharging them_; they were of course
immediately arrested. Mr. Shaler and the British representative
Macdonnell each indignantly resisted this invasion of privileges,
which had always been held as most sacred in Barbary. Mr. Shaler
placed his Kabyle servants in his cabinet, where he remained with
them, declaring to the Dey that they could only be removed from thence
by force, and warning him of the consequences which would attend such
an insult to his nation; this determined conduct produced the desired
effect, the guards were withdrawn, and the servants of the American
Consulate were effectually protected. In treating with
semi-barbarians, much depends on the personal character of the agent;
Mr. Macdonnell, a mild and amiable old gentleman, devoted to rural
pursuits, could not secure for himself that respect, which was enjoyed
by the shrewd, energetic and intrepid Shaler; so that notwithstanding
he had hoisted the flag of his nation, and placed its seal on the
doors of his house, it was forcibly entered by the Algerine guards,
and its most private apartments were ransacked in search of the
unfortunate servants.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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