The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-12-14
SEA ROBBERS.
HOW THE ALGERIANS MADE A
BUSINESS OF PIRACY.
Galleys, Swiftly Propelled by 200
Rowers, Overhauled and Pillaged
Merchant Vessels-Crews and
Passengers Sold Into Slavery.


who taught the Algerians the use of
decked vessels in which they could
venture far out upon the ocean.
But in the Mediterranean the galley was
still preferred. This was narrow vessel,
lying very low in the water. with scarcely
any rigging, with none of the castle
like, imposing, but awkward structures
in which Christian mariners delighted.
The guns, ammunition and provisions
were only what were absolutely neces-
sary; one or two cannons, some shot and
powder, biscuits enough for fifty days, a
few jars of olive oil or of vinegar, and
some barrels of water, which served as
ballast. Only one cabin in the stern, to
which the reis could retire. Two hum
dred rowers and about hundred soldiers
took their places on the plank seats. If
the wind were favorable out at sea, full
sail was set, but when land or another
vessel came in sight, the sails were in
stantly furled, and the skill of the row.
ers came into play. Nothing was to be
heard on board but the brief orders OF
the reis and the keeping time with the
baton of the overseer of the galley slaves,
with the musical rhymtb of one hundred
pairs of oars striking the water at regular
intervals. The galley seemed to fly.
Before vessel of war it would fee at
full speed; for not battle but pillage was
the aim of the captain. Merchant yes.
sells were what he sought; Spanish GAL
Icons, Italian tartans, Provencal barks.
When the threatened vessel perceived
the enemy it was generally too late to
escape. If it tried to flee, q volley OF
artillery would bring it to stand, and
the we'll known cry, "Mena, perrosl"
yield, dogsD would soon ring out.
Bold indeed was he who dared resist.
In most cases sailors and passengers,
paralyzed by terror, did not even attempt
to defend themselves. A few moments
were given by the captors to overhaul
the prize, rapidly to estimate the value
of the cargo, transship the prisoners, and
the galley turned its Prov towards Al
piers. A few salvoes of artillery an
nounced it's return; from the masts,
dressed with silken streamers, waved the
green pensnts, strewn with crescents
and stars. The canons Of the forts and
batteries replied; the good news quickly
spread through the town, and the sailors
quarter was quickly filled with rejoic-
ing crowd. The robbers, returning from
their raid. were hailed as conqueror.
Piracy was, in fact, the fundamental
institution of Algiers; it was the one
industry, the one trade, the daily bread
of the town. The states very existence
depended on the share it deducted from
the profits of piracy. Private speculat-
ors invested their money in privateering
vessels, bought and sold tie captured
cargoes, and trahcked with special ca
rerness in human flesh. The chief
center of commercial activity was at the
Rsdistan, now the Place Mahon, where
slaves were put up for sole. Those
dressed in fine linen, with white hands,
gentlemen, well.to-do citizens, priests,
fetched a good price, as they would
probably be ransomed for large sums.
As for common people, WHO were good
for nothing but working slaves, their
price varied according to their appear
ance, strength and age. Once bought,
the fate of the captives was not 80 very
hard if they could bear patiently the
sorrows of exile and servitude. They
did not suffer much until they were
embarked as rowers. Chained to their
seats, half naked and half starved, ever
in terror of the stick or the sword, the
uost robust pined away. But this rough
experience was only gone through once
or twice year. On land many of the
slaves were only employed in light do
mestic work, and spent most of their
time lettering about in the streets.
Even in the bagnes, or convict prisons,
which were half barrack, half places of
confinement, where the pashas and chief
captains kept their prisoners, they often
found merry companions, who infected
others with their gayety, large.hearted
men, who forgot their own sorrows in
an endeavor to tighten the common mis-
cry.
The golden age Of piracy was the lat.
ter part of the sixteenth century aud the
beginning of the seventeenth, when the
power of the Spanish navy was broken,
and that of France was still of no ao
count. In thirty years the AlgerianE
took twenty thousand merchant vessels,
and captured a million slaves, valued at
least $2500 each. After this, however,
times became harder and grand strokes
of luck rarer. In the eighteenth CEN
tury the decsdence began, and in 1880,
when the French at last entered Algiers
as conquerers, the wet-dock were nearly
empty, the convict prisons deserted, and
they found but four hundred captives tt
set free.-Harper's Weekly.