EXECUTION OF THE DEY OF ALGIERS. 65 



with much gentleness, occupying himself with little but 

 his harem. This disgusted those who had raised him to 

 this eminent post, and they resolved upon getting rid of 

 him. "We became aware of the danger which menaced 

 him, by seeing the courts and vestibules of the consular 

 house full, according to the custom under such circum- 

 stances, of Jews, carrying with them whatever they had 

 of most value. It was a rule at Algiers, that all that 

 happened in the interval comprised between the death of 

 a Dey and the installation of his successor, could not be 

 followed up by justice, and must remain unpunished. 

 One can imagine, then, why the children of Moses 

 should seek safety in the consular houses, the European 

 inhabitants of which had the courage to arm themselves 

 for self-defence as soon as the danger was apparent, and 

 who, moreover, had a janissary to guard them. 



Whilst the unfortunate Dey " epileur " was being con- 

 ducted towards the place where he was to be strangled, 

 he heard the cannon which announced his death and the 

 installation of his successor. " They are in great haste," 

 said he ; " what will you gain by carrying matters to ex- 

 tremities ? Send me to the Levant ; I promise you never 

 to return. What have you to reproach me with ? " 

 " With nothing," answered his escort, " but your insig- 

 nificance. However, a man cannot live as a mere pri- 

 vate man, after having been Dey of Algiers." And the 

 unfortunate man perished by the rope. 



The communication by sea between Bougie and Al- 

 giers was not so difficult, even with the " sandalas" as 

 the Caid of the former town wished to assure me. Cap- 

 tain Spiro had the cases landed, which belonged to me. 

 The Caid sought to discover what they contained ; and, 

 having perceived through a chink something yellowish, 



