Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1836-03-11
LETTERS FROM AFRICA.
By THOMAS CAMPBELL.
LETTER fat.4 e..
AIgiers ID h Sepl 1881 .

Algiers, l9,h Sept 1884.
My dear Friend, ,--0ne day that was
in the Kings library at PARIS, exploring
books on ancient geogrdphv, cast my
eyes on point OF the map* thai cores
ponds will, the site otlhe city. lis re-
cent eSsnGdl history rushed full on my
thoughts, and seemed to rebuke them for
dwelling ontbo dead more than the liv-
Ins. The question Of how widely and
how soon this conquest Of Algiers may
throw open the gates Of African CIviliZa
Aion, is It not infinitely more interesting
shan any musiy old debate among classic
typographers? To confine our studies
90 mere antiquities is like reading by can
delight with our shutters closed, after
the sun has risen. So closed the VOL
lime Twas persuIDg, and wished myself
With oil my soul AT AlgIers. All, but the
distance SNARE s0oam ct importuO
sum" Of Africa the heat that mast lie
ondured--and the pestIence that may be
encountered do no. these considerations
make the thing Impossible3 NJ, not i'm
possible. ! said TO myself, On second
thoughts; the distance is not so great,
and the risk ofcontagion has been brav-
ed by thousands with impunity;l will
see this curious place. went to my
friend, M. GalignanI, and told him my
iAtention; he introduced me to Mons. Law
Tenee, who was soon TO return to the colo
ny as the Procureur de Roi. NJ. Law
renee, with The greatest frIendliness, sent
me about a dozen books relating to the
colony, and offered, il would accompany
him in the maipost to Toulon, TO procure
me passage from thence to AIgiers in
the Government ampakei. Unlortu-
natOly for me, had too much baggage
10 bQ accommodated in the mail, SO had
TO set out in the diligence, trusting TO
meet with Nj. Lawrence at MarsallIes.
As travelled night aud day, had but a
hasty view OF the country, and when
reached Marsailles, found that ths Pro-
cureur de Rui had got before me, and (as
! concluded) was embarked at Toulon.
A merchant vessel was to sail for Algi
ers the next morning; | took a berth on
board Of her, being anxious 10 get across
before tho season OF thu equinoctial gales
/ have since learnt that these gales
are not so punctual 10 their visits to the
Mediterranean during tho autuan as to
o,her seas. Meanwhile, an advice which
M. Lawrence had give me dwelt in my
mind, nImeIy, by all means to take u
servant with ma from Europe, as the Al
gcrine lodging houses leave you very
much to serve yourself Ia, only ddy )
inere[are which spent in the most inter
esting city orSoulhern France was deVo
led, nnt 10 seeing its curiosities, but to
searching Tor the INST valuable Of all Gu
rosiicy IA faithful domestic. A young
man with an honest looking countendnce
who reminded me Of your ines'imA6le
servant George, brought me certificate
OF his character for a twcIvcmonth past;
buta,ihel tack The recommended couId
not speak for him, ond there was mys-
tery over MS anterior biography which
makes mc fear he was only an outside re
sembIduce oI George. | engaged hIm, i,
nevertheless. He said no was a British
: SUBJECT, and n native of GibTalter; but
when took him to British Consul, his
answers were not ~ satisfactory os 10
procure passport. Ho then recoIIected
thut he had been born at CAdiz; the Span
i4h Consul, however, doubted the accura
CIV Of his memory. Afterwards he dis
covered that he was a native of Naples,
but with no better success. In fine, we
went hiher aul yonder in search Of some
testimony as to his birth, which seemed
10 je as doubtful as that Of Homer, only
with this difference. int the cities where
lie alleged he had been born seemed to
vie with each other rather in disowning
than claiming, Tho honour his nativity
nnd nobody would give him passport
So | was Obliged to embark alone-a
kniah! errlnt without squire.
sailed from MlrsaiIes the | Eth ins ST.
and VIC crossed the Mediterranean in six
days That they were not in oil re-
spects the pieasantest days Of my life
you will easily Imagine, when tell you
that twelve Of US adult nasscngcrs, be-
A1es an obst:eperous child of tour yesrs
old, were pn'' :. alive in cabin nine feel
rauare. There was no refuge during
t6e dn, time on deck, for 1t seemed 10 be
kept from being SIT "n ire by the sun
only hy incessaul buckets Of water. II ii
true that we could sally from our den IN
tie evening, and IN the Nighttime we had
some rcposc, but it was cons'anny inter
rupted al day break by III; ipnrious brat
have mentioned, beating a toy drum, and
Hawlns Justify whsn il was taken lron
him. Allast tic very mother who had
borne him LOST nll patience; size 'hre"
his play .thiag into the sea. and threaten
I'd 10 send the little drummer himself al
.ttit. S Veral of Us hunanely' but ia
vain, implOred her to fulfil her threat
/. We were fortunate, however, as 10 ou'
ship. crvw, who, from the captain down
10 lhe Mousse, or cabin'boy, were al as
sidoOsly attentive to Us. The M"9'1"r-