The Story of the Barbary CorsairsLane-Poole, Stanley
History
The Story of the Barbary Corsairs
Lane-Poole, Stanley
Africa, North -- History -- 1517-1882; Pirates
On July 15, 1634, Sanson and the priests arrived at Algiers. A full
divan was being held, and the Pasha received them courteously, despite
their obstinate refusal to dip the French flag to his crescent. They
were forced, in deference to the universal custom at Algiers, to
surrender their rudder and oars, not so much to prevent their own
unauthorized departure, as to remove the temptation of Christian
captives making their escape in the vessel. Orders were given that
every respect was to be paid to the envoy's party on pain of
decapitation. Rooms were prepared for them in the house of the agent
who represented the coral fisheries of the neighbouring Bastion de
France; and here Father Dan made an altar, celebrated Mass, and heard
confession of the captives. Two days after their arrival, a new Pasha
appeared from Constantinople: he was met by two state-galleys, and
saluted by the fifteen hundred guns in the forts and the forty galleys
in the harbour. The Aga of the Janissaries, and the Secretary of
State, with a large suite of officers, drummers, and fifes, received
him on his landing with a deafening noise. The new Pasha, who was
robed in white, then mounted a splendid barb, richly caparisoned with
precious stones and silk embroidery, and rode to the palace, whence
he sent the French envoy a present of an ox, six sheep, twenty-four
fowls, forty-eight hot loaves, and six dozen wax candles; to which the
Sieur le Page responded with gold and silver watches, scarlet cloth,
and rich brocades.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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