214 
TRAVELS IN BARBARY. 
store the merchandise. The Basha, who was theft 
subject to the Porte, did not venture to disobey. 
On the 31st July I67O, a vessel, on board of 
which was the Sieur Mouette, set sail from 
Dieppe for the Caribbee Islands. They spent 
some time in an English port, which they left in 
the beginning of October. On the 16th, they 
came in sight of two vessels bearing Turkish co- 
lours. These vessels having come within speak- 
ing distance, assured them that they were Alge- 
rines at peace with France, and, therefore, French 
subjects had nothing to fear ; they only wished to 
send two or three of their people on board, to exa- 
mine if any of the crew belonged to other nations. 
The moment the Moors came on board, they drew 
Out their concealed weapons, and attacked the 
French. Our author was immediately seized by 
" a devil of a black," who held a battle-axe over 
his head. In this predicament, he did not deem 
it prudent to offer any resistance, but quietly yield- 
ed himself. They were immediately carried in to 
Sale (Salee), the centre of the piratical trade of 
Morocco. They were then conducted to the slave 
market, and exposed bare-headed to public auction. 
The purchasers directed their chief attention to the 
hands, in order thence to conjecture the quality of 
their purchase. A knight of Malta, with his mother, 
were sold for 1500 crowns. Mouette, after being 
