New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-21

slaves" says l. Shipper, in The United service,
1.-THE Moorish galleys had Christians as TOW is
I'D almost 10 our own time. and the Maltese heio
many Turks and Aioors 10 that hard labor out 'e
French of the Louis Quatorze Period cnaiheu 10 '
same bench felons who had been reprie'eo rom
the eallows-raurderers and robOeTs-afo lioSe
whose only fault that they wished 10 "oi7'i-P
Gcd in their way.
'eThe oars Of a first class galley were aoout MY
IN number ard from - 10 % feet Ion2' eae oei''e
pulled by SIX men, who sat on benches on oecA
placed q little obliquey to the keel These oars
were never taken inboard while the galley was at
sea but when not in ise were cock billed by de-
pressing the looms and making them fast with a
togg!e The large and heavy loom had grips ooIted
70 Il. that the slaves could easily grasp lhetIi
Along the middle Of the deck, between the pelches
p rsn fore and aft a raised bench or walk, called
The 'coursier,' upon which an officer called the
cornite' walked back and forth. armed with a long
whip with which he enforced silence ana sumu-
lated the slaves 10 the Utmost cNerton At me oar
.sIVhe the salleys were in service the slaves were
never allowed TO leave their benches to which they
were chained eating and sleeping in the exact place
where they toiied 1T the oar in very Falhy OF
'fol5 weather an awning tented over the galley
and stopped TO the gunwale. This was generally
gavlv striped Victor Hugo somewhere says thar
the galIeys Of Louis XIV answered the same pur-
poses as the steamers Of our day. and indeed q
first class galley going at steamer speed over the
smooth blue Mediterranean, gayly painted with
rift carving streaming pendants. trumpets sound
ing ana armored soldiers at their posts, must nave
reen n beautiful sight those who could close their
eyes TO the wretched. emaciated creatures who
toed at the oars.
Zach Of the rowers' benches was ten twelve
feet long covered with coarse sacking or balze.
and extending from the 'coursieT' TO the side II
each bench six slaves we're chained by ring about
the ankle. There was q footboard or stretcher foI
ieeping their feet out OF the water when seas were
? taken on board AS has been said. the oars were
about fifty feet long. balanced that thirteen
feet Of their length was inboard and thirty-seven
cut The 'coDaite' or boatswain. had his post art
near the captain while his mates. or sous -comites
were on the 'coursier. armed with long and heavy
wlips When the captain gave the order to mova.
The boatswain used his silver whistle or call
which was repeated by his mates and the slaves
gave way together. the fifty oars rising ano Iallhs
IKE one machine. They ceased pulling at inc Same
signal and great precision was absolutely neces-
sary to prevent the slaves Of the next bench being
str1cl, by the loom Of the heavy oar.
'-rhe labor OF galley slave-the most fatiGulns
possib!e-has passed into a proyeTh. SIX naked
men (for they we're clothed only when not at work.
with shaver heads. chained 70 a bench. one foot
m The etretcber the other the bench before
thern bending forward toward the stern OF the
galley and pushing the oar at arms length ABOVE
the backs OF those front Of them raise the loom
dip the oar and fall back upon the scat with theF
3ull weight This often continued for many hours
without interrnisslon, and when there was danger
Of utter exhaustion pieces Of bread dipped IN VINE
were crammed into their mouths by the sous
conoites' II one OF them fell dead, as not unfre-
oueatly occurred. the signal was given rowing
? suspended for moment. the shackle knocked OH
and the body pitched overheard
"a most interesting OF life in the French
galleyg has been left US IN the little WORK entitled
Memories dun Protestant condamne aux galleries.
de France first published at Rotterdam In 1iof
anonymously. but now known 10 have been written
by Jean AIarteilhe. OF Bergerac.
sAfarteilhe's sufferings-Inost OF the time in the
gaIleys-enduTed from the year 100 to 1nS'
1nomentous period n the history OF Europe. Born
at Bergerac IN Perigord in 1854, Marteilhe with
many other auguenots of the ueighborhood, was
driven BY the unheard Of crlelties OF the duke
de Ia Eorce-who rivalled on the Dordogne the per-
formances Of the inquisitors OF the CeVennes-to
eudeavor to fee the country. he was only sixteen
years Of age. but well grown and strong His
father was IN prison. the younger children inapris-
oned IA a convent his mother forced TO abjure
her faith and twenty-five Dragons quartered upon
her for indefinite time.
'ITght from the country was declared a capital
crime. but Marteilhe and q companion managed
70 leave Bergerac and made their way to Paris,
where they were advised TO make for Holland, via
AEezfe res and Charleroi. After number Of hair
breadth escapes from arrest they finally i'm
prisoued and reported the Marquis de Ia Vriiere
rs Hugenots escaping from France. and this report
was speedily followed by their condemnation TO the
galIeys for being found on the frontier without
passport.
IN spite OF the terrible prospect Of the galleys
they refused to conform and in January. 1902. they.
with many others were sent in chain Of convicts
10 DUnQuerque. where they all placed
board the galley L'Heureuse, the 'capitane' or
flagship Of the squadron Of six gaIleys belonging
10 that port Here they were chained to separate
benches so as to prevent communication. and they
witnessed the punishment of the bastnade on the
very Gay OF their arrival A villanous benchmate
demanded money Of Marteilhe for drink, and, being
refused. reported him for disappearing the Virgin
and the saints and the comlte about to give
him the bastinade when he was rescued by the
jor Of the gaIeys, who investigated the case
had the wretch who had reported him punished
in the same way and then chained to the criminal
bench: for there was a he'll within a hell in the
gaIeys.
THE bastinade was inflicted by stripping the
victim and laying him across a bench. while two
convicts held his legs and two his arms. The
'couIte then set a muscular Turk beat him with
q thick rope. AS the Turk knew he would suffer
II he did not put forth his whole strength, great
wales were raised at each stroke Marteilhe says
that few could bear more than twelve blows with
out becoming insensible but that the strokes were
continued until all that were ordered received.
Thirty or forty was the usual number for slight
offences. but he had hundred given, In
which case the victims scarcely ever survived.
After the punishment vinegar and salt were rubbed
81 10 restore the circulation and prevent gangrene.
after remaining on board the Heureuse about
fortnight distribution Of the newcomers was
made. and Marteihe was allotted to the Paine.
which galley was noted having the most cruel
coInite' Of tho whole. squadron. The commander
OF this galley was very bitter against Huguenots,
and used urge the conaite use the whip freely
upon them. especially when they were naked and
rowing
In the July following Marteilhe's committaI TO
the galleys the squadron left Dunquerque for a
cruise upon the Flemish coast and overhauled a
Dutch mar-of-war becalmed The Galleys pulled
Up, firing from their long bow-guns; and when
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