The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1825-04-21
AMERICAN CAPT1WNs
IN TEivOLI.


tn be seen from the top Of the castle. The
Tripolitan gun-boats were disarmed, and the
Bashaw's gunners were employed in draw.
ing the charges from the cannon on the bat
terry. Many of the guns now stood in the
sand, as they did when commodore Preble
first attacked the town. On being fred two
OF three times, they recoiled into the sand so
deep that they could not be worked, and were
abandoned. The Bashaw told me. that if he
had three frigates, he would blockade a.
merica. He said he could do it as easily as
frigate and schooner could blockade Tri-
poll
October 26.-A great scarcity Of grain.
Our crew had no bread for three days. The
Bashaw gave orders to all the market peo-
pic not to sell grain to any body but his house.
hold. There was no bread to be had for
money. A dispute took place between the
Bashaw and the renegade Lyslc, about the
purchasing Of some barley. Lysle was con
siderably Intoxicated, and insisted on his
right to purchase grain in the market The
Bashnw was highly affronted and flew at
him with all his might, struck him, and or
dered his Mamelukes to disarm him and put
him in prison, which they strove to obey,
and carried him off. The Bashaw, however,
soon ordered him released, and then order
cause of the quarrel, bastinadoed with FIVE
hundred blows, which was Immediately put
into execution.
November 9-The Bashaw had an epi-
leptc fit; and his people thought he was
possessed with the Devil. They performed
many ceremonies to cast him out which they
said succeeded. The Turks said they saw
many ghosts the night before; and that a
.lIarabe7yt drove the devil out OF the Bashaw.
December 6.-Our men safer for the
want of provisions. The bashaw does not
allow them either victuals ~ cash.--They
get but small allowance U. read, and tina:
on the credit of their own county. They
arc beat numerically and comp :lled to work
hard every day.
December I'll was informed, that through
the influence of many Turks, the Bashaw
had given orders to Sarcy. our master, to
treat the American prisoners with the vt
most severity. in order to induce the United
States the sooner to make peace. he was
impatient for his money.
December lO.--Our men all agreed not
to work unless they were fed; and according
/, when the wardens wert to the prison and
ordered them out, they all refused. The
wardens whipped them until they were tir-
ed, and then went away to inform the Ba-
and oil, and they went to work.
December 21.-At evening the Bey, the
eldest son to the Bashaw, was married to his
first cousin, eldest daughter to the Bashaw
who was driven out of Tripoli by the present
Bashaw. The Bride was said to be very,
handsome, and but twelve years old.
Our boatswan, carpenter, sail maker, and
first masters mate, who had the liberty OF
the town for few months, were put in close
confinement with our other officers, on sus-
picon of attempting to raise the crew to take
the town.
December 25.-The Barhaw's son-in-law
Sclim, who had care of the stores, was de.
tected in selling quantity Of cordage to 2
Tunissian merchant. The Bashaw ordered
him five hundred bastnadoes; but Selm fed
to a lMar45e.ut for protection and escaped
punishment.
January 24.-Renegado Wilson, who pre-.
tended to be a great engineer, was ordered
by the Bashaw to fire hot shot at mark
but succeeded indiffereDtiy. The Bashan
however,, was highly pleased, gave Wilson
eight dollars, and promised TO reward him il
proportion TO his exertions in his future vel
fare. Wilson engaged to teach the Turk
how to throw bombs, hot shot, and hant
grenades; and to alter and improve the for
npCallCnsj cSC.
January 25.--The Bashaw sent me to visi
the wife al ALA Mame'uke. She was ono,
wife or concubine to the Bashaw, who gav,
her as a wife to his favorite. She was sis
ter to wife OF the Emperor of Morocco
about eighteen and very handsome. She va
in child bed travail, attended by num5e
of Jewish women. She was delivered OF
son, her first child, to the great joy q! all TIL
Turks in the castle, male and female.
was proclaimed by loud yelling with clap
ping the hand to and from the mouth, b
the women of the castle.
January 28.--The Bashaw was informe
by Wilson, the renegade, that our crew wer
all armed, and about to raise upon the tow
Search was made, and the report found t
be false. 6ut the Bashaw WAS much intim
idatcd, and an additional guard was place
over US.
February 1-.George Grifiths, one of ou
crew, having informed the Bashaw that
could build an air furnace, and cast guns, shr
&c. was furnished with mason and nine
car crew, aud set to work with a pro.ni,
that he should have one hundred dollars fl
the first shot he should cast. After expent
ing about FIVE hundred dollars in the exp,
rimcnt, Grtfiths this day attempted to bla
in his furnace: but with all the wood 81
coal that the Bashaw could furnish, he cou
not melt the iron, and the furnace cracked
several places. 1t afterwards appcartd tn
Griffiths had no intention to cast any shot
February 5.-While number of our MI