A L G 



daUars ; but he Aippofcs ihat the eighth part of tlic pii/.cs, 

 the eflcc\s of perfoiis who ilic without chilJicn, coiili ibutions 

 from the dillii<;\K, together with prcfcnts from foreigners, 

 fmes and opprefiloiis, may pioducc as much more. 



Tiic commerce of Algiers is principally carriv.d on by 

 their corfairs or pirates, and with this view it is certainly the 

 iuterefl of the AJgeriucs to be at war with thofe nations that 

 trade in the Mediterranean ; bocaufe they have always foiiiid 

 that the balance of the captures made bv them was greatly 

 on their fide, both with regard to number and value ; and 

 without fuch a conftant fu])ply, their (late could not fupport 

 itlelt, or pi-eveiit the moil dangerous infurrections. On the 

 other hand, all the maritime powers in Europe willi to be 

 at peace with the Algerines. Nevcrth.elefs, free Chriftians, 

 Jews, native or foreign, Arabians and Moors, are permitted 

 to excrcife a free commerce both by fea and land, together 

 with other tnides and manufactures in filk, cotton, wool, 

 leathei", and other commodities. Thefe, however, are moflly 

 carried on by the Spaniards, that are fettled in this king- 

 dom, and efpecially near the metropolis. Carjitts alfo con- 

 ftitute a manufacture of this country, though inferior to 

 thofe of Turkey. There are alfo at Algiers looms for vel- 

 vet, taffaties, and other wrought filks, and a coarfe kind of 

 linen is alfo made in moft parts of the kingdom. Few of 

 their commodities or prududs are lent into fjreign markets ; 

 their oil, wax, hides, pulle ajid corji, being barely fufficient to 

 fupply the country- : although wliilll grain was in poflcffion 

 of the Algerines, the F.nghlh merchants Ibipped from theuce 

 fevcn or eight tliouland ton of wheat and barley ever)- year. 

 Their other exports eondll chiefly of ollrieh feathers, wax, 

 hides, wool, copper, rags, filk failles, embroidered handker- 

 chiefs, dates, and Chriilian (laves. Their imports conlift 

 chiefly of gold and filver Huffs, damaflcs, cloths, fpices, tin, 

 iron, plated brafs, lead, quickfdvcr, cordage,fail-cloth5, bul- 

 iets, linen, cochineal, tartar, alum, rice, fugar, foap, cotton, 

 raw or fpun, copperas, aloes, brazil and logwood, vermilion, 

 arfenic, gum, tar, fulphur, opium, anife and cummin feed, 

 maflic, farfaparilla, afpic, frankincenfe, galls, honey, paper, 

 combs, cards, dried fruits, and a variety of woollen Huffs. 

 But of thefe a fmall qiuntity is imported by the merchants, 

 though there is a conftant demand for them, on account of 

 heavy duties, frequent exactions, precarious payments, and 

 uncertam returns. Thev arc alfo fumirtied by the Englirti 

 «onful with powder, balls, bombs, fire-arms, cordage, and 

 other naval ftores ; as the countrj- furniflies no materials for 

 fhip-building. 



The coin of Algiers is moftly foreign ; their own being 

 only of three kinds, viz. the barba ot copper, bearing the 

 arms of the country on both fides, fix of which were for- 

 merly wortli an afper, but now only half that value ; the 

 afpcr, or fqnare piece of filver, with Arabic charaftcrs on 

 each fide, 15 of which make a Spanifh rial, and 24 a dupta, 

 worth about a crown ; and gold coin of three forts, coined 

 xjnly at Tremecen, viz. the rupee, worth 35 afpcrs, the me- 

 dian^ 5O) and the zian or dian, 100. I'efidcs thefe, the 

 Turkiih fukanins of gold, worth about a ducat, the moti- 

 cales of Fez, worth about 22 pence, the Spanilh rials, 

 Frencti crowns, Hungarian ducats, and other European 

 money, are current among them ; but without any fixed 

 ftand:(rd. The, ellabliflied Ipeeies here is the patacachica, 

 •or pataea of afpers, an ideal fum like the Englllh pound, 

 worth always 232 afpers, the third part of a pataea gorda, 

 commonly of the weight of two and a-half piftolcs, which 

 weight is raifcd or lowered at the pleafnie of the Dey, or 

 accordmg to the exigence of the government. The filver 

 mint at Algiers is under tlie fuperintendence of the Jews, 

 for which they pay a yearly fum to the Dcy. 



Vol. I. 



A L G 



The religion of the Algerines differs from that of the 

 Turks only in their adopting a greater variety of fupcifti- 

 tions. 'I'hey acknowledge the Koran as tlie rule of their 

 faith and piactiee, but are remifs in the oblcrvancc of it. 

 They have three principal oflicer;, who picfide in rcligioui 

 matters, vi-i. the Mufti, or High Prieil ; the Cadi, orChiet" 

 Judge in ecelefiailieal, and fomc other concerns, civil and mi- 

 litaiy, that are referred to liim, and the grand Marabout. 

 Thefe three ofhcers have their feats in the great douwan 

 next under the Dey, and on his right hand. The cadi is 

 obliged to attend at the court of jullice once or twice a day, 

 to hear and determine complaints. But afl^airs of moment 

 are fubmitted to the Dey, or, in his ablenee, to the trea- 

 furer, mafter of the horfe, or other principal officers of the 

 regency, who Jit in the gale of the palace, according to a 

 cuilom recognized in Scripture (Deut. xxii. 15. xxv. 7. 

 If. xxix. 21. Amos V. 10. Dan. ii. 49.) for that pui-pofe. 

 The caufe is thus quickly decided, and fentcnce executed in 

 lefs than an hour. In cafes of debt, the deljtor is ufually 

 detained in prifon till the bailiff fcizc his effects and fell them ; 

 after falc, it there be an overplus, it is returned to tlie pii- 

 foner ; if the amount falL (liort, he is releafed, and no further 

 demands are made upon him. The ballinado, wliich is in- 

 ilifted with fmall flicks about the fize of the finger, which 

 are brought in bundles to the place of punifhment, is the 

 punifhmcnt of fmall ofleiiders, and it is apj>lied to the bellv, 

 back, or foles of the feet, according to the nature of the 

 crime, or the plcafure of the judge, who likcwifc appointii 

 the number of llrokes to be given. For clipping or debaiing 

 the public coin, the old Egyptian punifhment of cutting off 

 the hands of the ti-anfgrefl'or is inflifted. When a Jew or 

 Chriftian flave, or fubjcti, is guilty of murder, or any other 

 capital crime, he is carried without the gates of the city, and 

 burnt ahve ; but the Moors and Arabs are either impaled for 

 the fame crime, or elfe they are hung up by the neck over the 

 battlements of the city walls, or elfe thrown upon the ching. 

 hurt, or hooks, that arc fixed over the walls below, where 

 fomctimes they break from one hook to another, and hang 

 in the moft exquifite torments, 30 or 40 hours. The Turks 

 are not publicly puniihed, but fent to the houfe of the Aga, 

 where, according to the quality of the offence, they are baf- 

 tinadoed or ftraiiglcd. \Vhen the women offend, they are 

 fent to fomc private houfe of correction ; and if the crime 

 be capital, as w hen they arc taken in adulter)', S:c. they arc 

 tied up in a fack, canied out to fea, and drowned. The 

 wcilcrn Moors ufe the barbarous punilliment of fawing the 

 body of the criminal in two. See Mattli. xxiv. 5 1. l.ukc xii. 

 46. Heb. xi. 37. For this purpofe they prepare two boards, 

 of a proper length and breadth, and having tied the cnminaj 

 between them, they proceed to the excculiou by beginning 

 at the head. A perfon of the firll rank in that country, 

 who had been ambaffador at the Britilli Court, was put t» 

 death in this maimer. 



As to the population of Algiers, it is not eafily afccr- 

 tained ; but we may obferve in general, that it is much lefs 

 than in other countries of the fame extent, where arts, 

 fciences and iiidullry are not fo much rtftraintd. Tracts of 

 countiy are here uninhabited and uiicullivatcd ; not to add, 

 that defpotifm, want of commercial interconrfc in the inland 

 provinces, and the frequent ravages of the plague, contribute 

 to the diminution of the inhabitants. The (oil ol this coun- 

 try is generally fertile, and more efpecially towards the fea- 

 coalt and in the vallies. There are few forefls, but trafts of 

 thickets and brufhwood are more common. The moil woodr 

 part of the country, and that which fupplies the greateft 

 quantity of timber, is the diflriift about Bugia. Upon the 

 whole, the face of the country is mountainousj and in the 

 4 R cbaias 



