The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-12-30

: : !: !: ! ! : ! ! !
itself
- history,
- tails of
of the
= resident,
! - IF Massa-
4 cSetts llH : Is to the
7 Sbary States to arra5s about the
yfly ransom, and square things
sSerally' Mr.. Cutting joined Col;
humphreys in Lisbon, and a journal
which he kept gives clear idea OF
1.-The way of travelling 100 years ago,
and of what is meant by the remark
in the history that "the Barbary
States y cabtured vessels OF all
Christian nations" He sailed from
Philadelphia in April, 1898. for Eng
land, and on August IS left Falmouth
in the King George packet for Lisbon,
where he arrived on the 2Sth. His
first Illuminating entry appears on
August 81: Col Fl. informs me Mr..
Harrison has not been able 10 do any
thing decisive with respect to a neu.
tral vessel for us to proceed to our
destination" Even ambassadors, 1t
appears, were not safe from the Bar
barry pirates, though on their way to
the Barbary States.
On Sept. 5, however. they procured
a vessel, a Swedish brig, to convey
them up the Mediterranean. On tn
9th they learned by way of Malaga
''that an American vessel and cargo
has recently fallen into the hands OF
the Algerines. By the Cadiz marine
list we find it is the schooner Laurel.
Capt. John Daniels. from Philadei-
zsphis, laden with -four and copper,
and was captured by an Algerian Cor
sair about the 2Sth ult., the captain
and crew, having abandoned her, had
escaped safe on shore in their boats.
The letter states those pirates are
much more daring than ever, since
the Portuguese squadron have ceased
cruising about Gibraltar"
On the 18th they got off in their
h;red ship" called the Postillion, and
R1st reached Gibraltar, too late
Rpg to land. The next day
boat came alongside
and took our papers
pe they landed and
cor, Gen. Sir Robt.
hEeteran, near 80
tnphrsvs and Mr..
GibraltafNi Nior some
th the officers of tn
: Moving themARlves, but
always he lookout for a Chance to
move toward their destination. A.
Cutting tells this interesting story; :,
Mr.. Mattra, the English consul at
Tangier, related an anecdote OF Gen.
Arnold, that despicable traitor to
American liberty, which l never be.
fore met with. 1t was this: Several
years since, as early as 1875, when
Mr.. Mattra was in England, he be-
came slightly acquainted with Arnold
who knowing his situation in Moroc.
co, solicited an opportunity of propos-
ing to him a scheme of business that
: could not fail of being lucrative. Mr..
Mattra at last gave Arnold hearing.
The plan that he proposed was that
Mr.. Mattra should by his interest at
the court of Morocco procure commits
sions for sundry corsairs, which he
r (Arnold) would come and fit out from
Tangier. But observed MIR. Mattra,
who would you cruise against2 The
Emperor of Morocco has no maritime
enemy, nor does he wish to provoke
rupture with any of the European
powers Arnold replied, But the
Americans have as yet no treaty with
Morocco. I would capture their YES
sells; I know very well the track to
find them; by such an expedition we
would soon acquire ample fortunes.
Arnold pressed the matter very seri.
ously for some time, but finding that
!. Mr.. Mattra rejected the nefarious
scheme and steadily refused to exert
! the smallest influence toward obtain
ing the commissions in question, the
arch-renegade solicited that he would
assist him in procuring Algerine COM
missions. Mr.. Mattra, heartily dis
gusted. with such viuainy, assured
Arnold that he had no interest and
scarcely any acquaintance at or near
Algiers, and therefore explicitly ex
cused himself from participating in
such a diabolical pursuit. 1t was not
only one, sad Mr.. Mattra, but per-
haps dozen times, that Arnold seri-
!, cusly addressed him to the foregoing
purport."
From the apothecary's shop to the
control of an Algerine pilot vessel is
something of jump, but Arnold
could have taken 1t if any one could.
Undoubtedly our sailors missed good
deal of trouble by not having Arnold
on their track flying the Algerian
flag.
"Oct. 5.-Two Dutch frigates and
q sloop of war lately came down frorn
Malaga and are now at anchor in
Gibralta bay, ostensibly waiting the
arrival of a squadron from Holland ,
which is to convey commissioner
to arrange the articles of peace with
, the regency OF Algiers, or to denounce
vengeance against them for the depre.
dations their corsairs have committed
on the Dutch commerce in the Med
iterranean sea-" On Sunday, Octo-
: ber 6, the American commissioners
attended services with the garrison.
Mr.. Cutting notes that he met Mr..
Mace, British consul at Algiers, who
had been at Gibraltar eight or nine
months waiting for the plague to sub.