The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-07-12
An Ancient Communication.
The following letter was written by
DR.. Jonathan Cowdrey from Tripoli,
Barbarv, to his father in Vermont:

JTs OOHdtlldb NOWolNN I'Oih lIiPCllt
Barbarv, to his father in Vermont:
Nh dear Fdtller:-No doubyS you have
heard of the loss of the frigate y Philadel-
phia' and the capture of the whole crew
by the barbarians, among whom Is your
unfortunate son. We were taken on the
3lst of October. 1905. and robbed entirely of
our property. even the greater part Of the
clothing on our backs was taken from us
Our seamen were Immediately put to hard
labor without mercy; and they have suffer
ed much for the necessities of bfe five have
naid their last debt to Nature. and five have
turned Turks. MY fellow officers and
were permitted to occupy the house where
our C nsul Mr. Cathcart, resided while in
TrlpoH. On our first arrival we signed q
parole Of honor but have not been allowed
to enjoy it. The Bashaw (the head Of the
Regency compels me To exercise my pro-
fesSion III his palace among his slaves. TO
relieve their distress IS q pleasure to me-
"a bout Feb. LIST we We're removed To the
Castle and placed in close confinement un
der a powerful guard Of Turks. who eX-
anime every paper and letter With utmost
scrutiny. to prevent orr having any com
mum alton with our squadron oftM. town.
which they fear What few lettersVWe re
ceive from our friends are opened before
we get them, and no doubt many have been
suppressed.
Mr.. Nesson. the Danish Consul, has done
tSatitnta W. iva IN hanes az heinz liberia
y 90 r. - ta ma II, 4 manner fRat viii
Is'' ~ 20 oI', c@i,ntv v,bGes service We
,.ar., Il, at,1 ,[hSse vr6nos ve were avenp-
NV I'M, nj Ia, ! Ia mjsf9rtnnp we fiji INTO
the hands OF a monster foe who dtVestInS
us OF our liberty and prosperity plunged US
1iVO ,, ta,,,r1,, o,, the ra,,I,v r. ~ Of "A
~ mn ,rinon1,. wallis winch hpsnpalzs
- Ne ~ ~ cJ,riStiaI slovps who created
fbG,,i nnder fhe lash of tyranny. yhe
triin,n,ari,,g Iinhf x admitted thr5urb the
ird,, ,rratin6 i6 tba,fon The doors are sc
.nttl.4G III, 'larats bolts ana bars oft iron and
lynardali .bv infamons Turkish soldiers who
an. ready 10 ulunge their daegprs into our
baarfess,f' tba nod II "a Pyraut Who preserves
Il. 61IE fnr rhe ransom M expects tD gpt
nom onr country.
W.. b',I,a and evppcf that the free sons
IN Coi5,nbia yin ednn relieve us thrir oB-
,,,.'g5sG Observation-Disclosures ana restore MS no orr
sbora fbat w.. NAV iofn them in the np0-
tantior M its riobts 3ud fine aniOvmeDt OF
its hlass,noe Nav fha day soon arrive when
W.. sI1,I ,5.sve fbe Measure ot i0intlr our
t,,tii,,,.i hand In hand IA erect Dungeons
S,i =. mi rs,nt,jae tnr virtue Nav yt,
- ~ - AZ Ga,,nit, +t,rart and bar6ar,3r
tsatH w Ste'.7tsy y. rilhr,s M MN,
OldU "uL Il%nt9' l'lo o',iiiiiror w
are s"c4Iu au0 ~ ~ u'.
VIII re'" "'le4l eiio ni"ilie''iii t'iN'' -
lts eileiilies o,,+i,,i4,, ~. posIou bae
Ever siHce oli SaluilNily ny o"oil' i'.''
been IepQsSessfa, ~ ldYoI " w IaND
nag .Wo ~ vi s'ck,f9S' - ~
anu liie oillei ol'oeii5lt .iie, VOeti
dutlug Wll!Gl tilc 319Ii"N ~" ~ t,. NV =
a,teI0u vh"Y Couut 10 Ky y w
luIhlsH Igo' VI 'nf oot" - a ei 'o,,ae
llle 'l0lll Wy ~ i9Un XXI t,,'SI,.d
ana SaNe me piJasaI. "lY' "Vil H. ISL
ap''t lht.itS ~ lllS PHi"tu, nbw
ert{ ~ "tstM a0out wv toWil
anu 'dkr oliOlu iiu0 M wv Iouiltt9 VI -
lnu4t' OccdslohallS 4lh " ~ oP''S1H9 ~
slSh IalSlaBt - appotlitvu ~ sE',,N GU,
rue VIII me- ~ IenTn1 ~, AZ Y% fs
OF nlteIllg WIN tlsuigs' Nv Az ~
prefer. ny Is Fgly pull Guy P"l' t Ky
every dlitHtioH. c"i opeah ~ i"o'Ii 'iiI
language oi i'e place, up ~ al
nave leCelFSu Solilo ~ .'.v ~ ~
WeIe t@A e ION io w iion 90 w. - -
rocks. AeSe ! ulah5 use u % Ky 49, Gest
com Paul2ha' ep'It ~ t'.5,o Ky IA.
III ptIuoins tuTnl anu "l'oil,tnT CIV TN
9l'.to P "i.lDui1iiS i3 VIM,
lam iiol alloWeu 70 lolu aiy o0iE
WlI5 tle olLl9eIs WY ,tle sun ~ o'Ii
uleilieIlV "lua ~ 1870 t ~ 49, 0'"0i "iN
CIV l stoh
isqd (,r,i,i}t ,,,itb I1r I1,,,ie an, snsifi ~
,Tm,iic ma Win fhe French and Danish
rons,lls iu This place. So tn we draw a
Iitfl,. 'r5o,,ati i,,hen we are in want BVthis
,,,, - 1rpsr; are often snnnIipd wirb bread
or nerbans thay would nerish with hunger.
,rbn barhor is closely blocSaded Nv tha
r insriran enuadrnh undpr Conm0dorp
13arri,n Who lateJv relieved Com Prphle.
In conseonence nj which there is n GREAT
el.,rnitty ~ roNisfons IN his Mace aid
Far II viii he worse amonp ms bpfore
W.. oat from hence
ar ea,adrnn made five vigorous attacks
,,,on +bis rIaca iast SIMMER In which nfucb
,oI t ,,+ns shed Tarne If naacn have haen
, - y 80 ,,,;tho|,t et4act Rashaw demands
for ne onJ naaca e. nm 060 orr Govern.
r no u' hos Pofferad tbrof0b Com Prehle
1io0 ood a verv vide differance An addi-
,in,1ai ainonntiis evnected from our conntry
Wv ~ r, " S,nn@Sa Won lJnoV, m ,r
l ~ ~ IN 4iani do w. avn, 1T warm WORK
W S,i, snn,%,ar assure Won IFS not very
i NJ ~ 10 ,r;Sonar n beselred ctr
Prta-n "a 81 o Dg ,'rotnotnr -
ouT bIo't n 10 oe1 Rashew has heen on the
81, - nc dRho',t aIo1e' ,,earo I'm INA daath
" ~ +otha the forn,er 10 Nv ha 1snrnad
~ tS j,iinn on "f his eIde hrdtb
oie tlI14nT ri ~ Mtt tha other INTO Egvnt he
:; ., 80 r,aI ~ nc unhiects When he findS
Is very crel 70 liz IT, tnnr
.i H SuiiV9 1890 W - t6nr, Gov thaft bonSa
and rig6f foot at the Joint. and dips the
stumps into boiling tar. for less crimes he