THE WESTMAN ISLANDS. 119 



son, with his wife and children, and the rest of the prisoners, was sold into 

 slavery in Algiers. The account of his sufferings and privations, which he 

 wrote in the Icelandic language, was afterwards translated and published in 

 Danish. 



It was not until 1636, nine years after their capture, that the unfortunate 

 Heimaeyers were released, and then only by being ransomed by the King of 

 Denmark. Such was the misery they had endured from their barbarous task- 

 masters, that only thirty-seven of the whole number survived, and of these but 

 thirteen lived to return to their native island. 



