Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-08-07

n 4 letter Prom Jonathan cbvSery, esp. s3r
X gson cffhe late fyTgafe fhilaselhhia. non
4 a eatkve IN Tsfhol, 10 Dr.. Mzfchii, d.
4 FED 24fh Novem5er, 1904. -
= I" DEAR siR, ~
81 hope you viii excuse me for the Ii.
berry I take in suggesting to you few
remarks which have occurred since my
captivity. Bashaw has taken me
from the prison where nay fellow officers
are conhaed and ordered me to attend his
sick slaves who are primo. pally eapoli,ans,
psaroes, and our unfortunate crew. Some
of the latter this morning saw chained
to q cart loadad with stones which they
we're dragging through the town to re-
pair the Notifications. They complain
much of hunger, cold and hard labor, and
the lash of the whip. Confess never
saw any thing that wounded my feelings
equal 10 the sight ofthesc poor fellows.
have liberty to walk in the town, hut am
attended by Turk who is loaded with
weapons cf war. am not allowed to vi.
sit any Of the Notifications nor any OF the
foreign consuls. Capt. Bainbridge's su.
deavors to relieve the wants of his crew
IL OtkCh Oy OQt nSW uaS-
ters. Five of our countrymen have turn
ed Turks, and ave have paid their last
debt to nature. Diarrhra and dyseniary
have often appeared among our crew. but
on a free use of Carbonate OF Soda (Natron)
| which is found in abundance in this coun.
try * often whitewashing the walls of the
prison with lime where they sleep, il soon
disappears. Ourcrew are now very heal
thy.
During the several attacks upon this
townb by our squadron under the-command
of commodore preAle Many Turks were
killed * wounded, and several men much
burnt by the explosion of thsr own pow
der. had an opportunity of seeing their.
method ofcuring buros in particular. many
of which extended over the whole body.
The Bashaw has all hrs wounded brought
to an apartment liz the castle where he vi
sits them and makes them a present of
ten dollars each. He then orders his surge
on> & Mamelukes to dress their wounds;
he often assists with his own hands. The
Af1meiuses are his body guards the Ia
ra6oufs are employed 10 expel evil spirits
& make intercession with Mahome, lheis
tprophet for their recovery. Those thai
were burnt, were first Amounted wi. h no.
my, carefully preserving the skin as much
apostolic and keeping the parts exposed
to the air. They then sprinkle the ulcer
ed parts, if any, with fine powder of
white Leads (Ceruse y this is repeated al
short intervals until a scab is formed, that
IS carefully preserved until cure is ac-
complished, which is remarkably soon.
| i" hope and expect that in due ,ime
my country will honorably .snd to the as,
tonishment Of barbarians and ryraa,s, Ii
berate us from the chains Of sllvery, and
restore us to our native land, that happy
land ene thoughts of which is hsailag
balm to our souls in their miserable bon
dage.
Extract Of q letter from an .f,sericaz officer
az Malta, dated .zfiTii 5fh. 1905.
i "in my last believe informed you
that captain Eaton had gone to Alexan-
dria in Egypt, to meet the cidcvant Ba.
shaw ct Tripoii, brother 10 the reigning
Bashaw, since which the Argu. has re-
turned, and bring. ietsrs from Eaton. He
Was received with much attention, and APP
pointed generalissimo by the Bashaw: he
is now at the head of six thousand men on
his march for Tripol, distance of loos
miles, he is supposed by this time to be at
Derne. a province Of Tripoli, about half
way from Alexandria.
" The Argus, has been dispatched TO
Derne with provisions, and the cemn,o-
Inodore has sent to Messna to purchase
field pieces, &c. Great hopes are cntcs-
tanned from this expedition. The reign
ing Bashaw is much alarmed, and has pus
himself at the head of his army TO oppose
them.
Commodore Barron continues very i'll
yet. The Constitution, Constellation, and
brig Vixen are now off 1'ripoIi, from which
place we have just returned the Essex
and Enterprize at Venice and Tries,, ex-
peeled here daily---the Congress s, Nau-
titus at Syracuse or on their passage TO
tina place--ths Syren cruising of Tan
! gier."
Extract ofa letter from arr American officer,
dated Malta, .lfsrn z.
| A letter dated January 9Th, was re-
ceived few days since from capt. Balm
i h~sI r.