The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1849-12-26

and will show you Boston notions OF
every kind, from pumpkins and smoked
herrings down to wooden nutmegs." He
soon filled the table with all the good
cheer and solid comforts with which the
Bostonians know so well how to furnish
a ship. "And here" said he, sis the
Boston Centinel, Major Russcll's pa
per-" All doubts were now at an end:
and while we had been partaking of fare
to which we had long been unaccustomed,
homely fare, but more welcome on that
accountable captain said
eff you are surprised at our short
passage so far up the Mediterranean,
what will you say when tell you it is
just sixty days since the keel of this YES
sci was laid in Boston; yet here we are!'
We could scarcely credit it.
"Nay, that's not all, sir" continued
Captain Wyer ''On my way here, off
Cagliari, l captured two large British
ships filled with valuable cargoes. and
ordered them for this port They will
be here Tomorrow morning."
"What! in a neutral port, in which
the British exercise unlimited influence?
They will never permit us to sell the
cargoes."
"Well, sir, we can only try"
Sure enough, next morning early, the
ancient city of Tunis, honored ONCE by
the presence of Scipio Africanus, Han
nibal, and other distinguished person.
ages known to history, was thrown into
the greatest commotion on seeing two
large and deeply-laden ships entering
the port, the stars and stripes floating
over the union jack. 1t startled the
British consul and all the corps diplomat
igue, and we soon saw the whole bevy on
horseback making for the palace,
81 smell sulphur" said the captain
There S a storm brewing, and we shall
have il soon"
| In an hour, message arrived by
Mameluke that VIC were wanted at the
palace. After making our toilette, Sid
AmbrosiO, our chancellor, and Mustapha
the dragoman, were soon mounted, and
off we paced at moderate rate for
Bardo. The consular corps were all
present when we entered the solia. The
| Bey, reclining as usual on his crimson
cushions, was busily engaged combing
his long black beard with tortoise shell
studded with brilliants, and looking I'M
usually grave.
"What does all this mean consul
two British prizes entering our port, and
! for what purpose"
"To sell them, your highness!"
"What! against our treaty with Eng
land?"
Certainly not, if there is such pro-
hibition in the treaty"
The British consul, a most excellent
man, unrolled the parchment, to which a
seal of wax was appended nearly as
large as one of our western cheeses,
and commenced reading as follows:
sit is further stipulated aud agreed upon.
that no European power at war with Eng
land, shall be permitted to fit out privAteer-
or other armed vessels, to cruise against the
commerce of Great Britain from, or bring
prizes into, the Tunisian ports"
'Well, sir, said the Bey, "what have
YOU to say to that? Is it not full and
conclusive?"
entirely so; but it does not apply to
us We are not an European power"
THAT sir" said the British consul,
sis a mere evasion of the spirit of this
section of our treaty. 1t was intended
to apply, and does apply, to all Christian
powers"
every probable, sir; but we are not
a Christian powerr' The whole court
looked amazed. The Bey raised him.
self up from his cushions, took a hearty
pinch of snuff from splendid diamond
box, and gave us an anxious and inqui-
ring look
Chow will you make that appear
SIR" said the British consul
Every easily, sir We then read
the following section from our treaty
with Tripoli:
"As the United States is in no manner
Christian Government, and entertains ne
hostility towards any denomination, it i.
hereby understood, that 40 disturbance shall
arise between the two powers OIL any relig
ious question:
1t was useless to argue the point fur
Their. We did not in any shape come
within the purview of that treaty, so per.
mission was given to land the goods; ane
the ships and cargoes, consisting of every
variety of merchandise, were sold in q
single day. The consul sent for Brit
ish blockading squadron from Malta
but the privateer slipped out of the bay
ran up the Archipelago, destroyed near
, ly two millions of British property, wa.
chased round the Mediterranean by two
ships of the line and two frigates, escap
| ed through the Gut of Gibralter, and ar
! rived home safely.
The commerce of any power would
t by this privateer marine, be utterly des
trOyed in a war with the United States
and all the navy of Great Britain coul,
r not blockade ports SO as to prevent pri
5 vateers from escaping. We should flint
, them on the Atlantic, the Pacific, in tn,
, Indian oceans, the Baltic, ant The Medi
terranean. They would be everywhere
-Noah's Sunday Times.
Hocc,Su poJJx, N r,s,,,r, f.r,,, al.