The National Register.
London, England, 1814-10-09 00:00:00

ALGETiINE PIRATES.

The following narrative, taken from nn Italian Journal, published in
London, gives a horrid picture of the bolia.zoties with which these
'' friends of the sen, and enemies of ell who sail upon it," tore, to the
di-grace of all civilie,ol Europe, permitted to profane the age in which
we live. I-, it time that those Pt! ()chit-, should he t 4 rinioated ? !loci
is it nat an nodertalsieg worthy of those who are e.oployed in putting
a stop to the cioloyery of the Ali leans of the south, by cruel and inn-
cenary Faolteans, to prevent tho moduo) Africans from seizing and
earryieg into slay; ry the unoffendiug citizens of Lurope ?
" We set sail from the island of St. Pietro, where we had taken
shelter fro ti several suspicious vessels that had been seen beveling
around us the day before. Ike inhabitants of this little spot are it gelid
and a peaceful p-ople. They enjoy a perfect freedom, and 'would be
eomphody happy. but for the very ft-event landings and incursions of
the ALerines, who. some few years back, ca ried away the Khule popu-
lation to hard labour and slavery, from which they were afterwards
rescued by the munificence of the King of "err:ll:lie.
" The sun was slowly rising above the ho:io et, when four suspicious
sail, the same which had been st..ten two days before, appeared in sight.
On approaching nearer, the whole extent of our dangerous si:uttion
became more evi6ent. We immediately attempted to alter our course ;
bet by an uulucky fatality, the wind, which hitherto had been rather
fresh, failed us on a sudden. An iron hand seemed to fasten us tin the
way, s. The seamen, stupified by terror and grief at the sight of those
well known ships, forgot their duties, and nothing was attempted for
our safety. For six long hours hid we remain in this awful state of sus-
pense, till at last the four strange soil, which we now made out to be
the Algerine sou idron, came within pistol shot of as. Their boats were
soot) hoisted, and we were boarded in an instant, amidst the clash to'
Naked se:meters, and the heart-rending, horrible noise of the most bar-
barous and insulting exultation. As soon as the vessel had been talie,t
oosseplrioo of, and part of the piooengers, amongst whom I found myself,
been kndctebol and thrown boo the boats, we were taken on board
f flag-ship. ton our arrival thither, the Turks and the Moors raised
ro.-ir ferocious sh nits of victory, anti we were draeged before the first
who assigned to 'he whole of us a most wretched hors in the cable
Car, surround-A by darkness, and Lying upon coils of ropes Who
shall describe the horrors of ow situation ? It seemed to us a dream
horrib;e shadows alit' unreal mocker'. Ott all parts we were
assailed by the cries of despair. The sullen ida•phernies of the sailor,
our How sufferer ; the imprecations of the unhappy father, who had
Vtt les children behind him ; the loud grief of the weeping mothers;
sod the sobs of the innocent babes, reached us from every point of this
dark abode, and deafened our curs ;Oh God what a night !
" We continued eruizine fbr 2`4?. days in seare'a of prey, ourselves be.
come corsairs; and two bowers of lascussa ftirmed our daily food. Lock-
men was asked, why he travelled in company with n banditti ? To
see how they have contriver] to become so wicker] and profligate,' was
his reply.
At hot Algiers caws in view and such had been cur state of uns