70 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF FRANCIS ARAGO. 



In February, 1809, the new Dey, the successor of the 

 " epileur," a short time after having entered on his func- 

 tions, claimed from two to three hundred thousand francs, 

 I do not remember exactly the sum, which he pre- 

 tended was due to him from the French Government. 

 M. Dubois Thainville answered that he had received the 

 Emperor's orders not to pay one centime. 



The Dey was furious, and decided upon declaring war 

 against us. A declaration of war at Algiers used to be 

 immediately followed by putting all the persons of other 

 nations into prison. This time matters were not pushed 

 to this extreme limit. Our names might be figuring on 

 the list of the slaves of the Regency ; but in fact, so far 

 as I was concerned, I remained free in the consular 

 house. By means of a pecuniary guarantee, contracted 

 with the Swedish Consul, M. Norderling, I was even per- 

 mitted to live at his country house, situated near the 

 Emperor's fort. 



The most insignificant event was sufficient to modify 

 the ideas of these barbarians. I had come into the town 

 one day, and was seated at table at M. Dubois Thain- 

 ville's, when the English Consul, Mr. Blankley, arrived 

 in great haste, announcing to our Consul the entrance 

 into the port of a French prize. " I never will uselessly 

 add," said he, generously, " to the severities of war ; I 

 came to announce to you, my colleague, that I will give 

 up your prisoners on a receipt which will insure me the 

 deliverance of an equal number of Englishmen detained 

 in France." " I thank you," answered M. Dubois Thain- 

 ville ; " but I do not the less deplore this event that it 

 will retard, indefinitely, perhaps, the settlement of the ac- 

 count in which I am engaged with the Dey." 



During this conversation, armed with a telescope, I 



