4,30 
away artificers, fhepherds, criminals ef- 
caped from the hands of juftice, among 
whom there are not feldom murderers and 
villains guilty of other thé moft atrocious 
crimes. 
anfwers not to their high-wrought expec- 
tations: they receive a few coarfe cloaths, 
free quarters in the barracks, daily two 
{mall loaves of bread, and every other 
month 406 afpers. Twelve or even fix- 
teen years may thus be pafied, before a 
"Turk is raifed to the clafs of thofe. who are 
entitled to the higheft pay. Such-as-have 
relations, or exercife a trade, fabfift toler- 
ably well: the others overrun the country 
int bands, and live by plundering and rcb- 
bing. Thefe excefles are indeed fometimes 
punifhed by the government; but, as the 
caufe fill contimues to exift, they canst 
be-entirely fupprefied. © No wonder, then, 
if the Turks are haced by the Moors: but 
their hatred thews itfelf in a€ts of vengeance » 
erly againit fuch of them as fingly ftray 
too far into the country; for, on the whole, 
they are more feared than hated: by the 
cowardly natives. 
The Turks refident/in Algiers are ig- 
- yérant, proud in the higheft degree, lazy, 
voluptuous, revengeful and jealous: Wut 
then they are at the fame time faithful, 
fincere, courdgéous, and tolerant. 
to the Meors, Chriftians and Jews. Thefe 
ideas of fupériority, which he brings with 
him from his native country, are nourifh- 
ed and confitmed by the privileges he en- 
joys at Algiers. 
In repofe atid conveniency the’ inhabi- 
tant of the Eaft places his chief happinefs. 
Stretched in indolent eafe on his carpet, 
the opulent Ttirk fmokes with voluptuous 
relifh’ his pipe, remains for hours in the 
fame pofture, drinks his coffee, flumbers 
betwéen whiles when he has no company ; 
takes fometimes by way of change a little 
opium ; again fmokes his pipe ; orders his 
flaves-to’petfume him, and in particular 
his beard, with incenfe; and in fuch around 
of enjoyments confumes the whole day. 
Thofe who-are lefs favoured by fortune 
enjoy as mtich’as they can, and for this pur- 
pofe haften to the coffee-howfe, to fmoke 
their pipes at eafe, to view the paflengers, 
and enjoy the pleafant delirium arifing from 
opium. Even the poor'and indigent will 
live ona feanty portion of the coarfeft food, 
and wander abcut the ftreets dirty and co- 
vered with rags, rather than faubmit to 
work. Nothing is able toroufe the Furk 
from his inactivity; he feems merely to 
vegetate, and to prefer this torpid flate of 
exiftence tovevery other, 
Account of the Inhabitants of Algiers. ” 
Their firft reception at Algiers 
The } 
meafeft Turk ‘eReems himfelf far foperior : 
[June 4," 
This indolence is accompanied with an 
unbounded propenfity-to fenfual pleafores. 
A moderate paffion for the fexual inter- 
courfe is in this country. a rare phenome- 
non. 
Not lefs exceffive is the Algerine’ 
Turk in his jealoufy : no punifiment is - 
fo cruel, no deed fo black, but the offended 
party will refolve upon to wreak his ven- 
géance on his rival. As the Turk knows 
no higher happinefs.on earth than the gra- 
tification of his voluptuous defires; and - 
as his heart is full of it, his ps overflow | 
with it, and it forms the darling fubject 
of ‘his conveffation: here his habitually 
ferious countenance brightens up; and 
his fancy is Yufficiently awakened to fur’ 
nith him with the neceflary images! Thofe 
who are’ ftrongly built, live upon'a gene=_ 
rovs and nourifhing ‘diet, and’ belong to 
the beautiful races of man, are juftly re=. 
‘nowned for hetewlean powers: | But as 
théy enter upon the courfe of pleafure at. 
too early anvagey- they preferve the repata= 
tiot: of fuperior 
time. O74 
Avariée; foo; is a characteriftic of the 
Turks at Algiers ‘Their original indi- 
gence lays the firt*foundation of'this»paf- 
fion. Inthe fequel, domeftic cares; and 
thé extraordinary expenditure neceflary to 
. 
prowels for only a fhort® 
: 
{rhooth their way to promotion and to the - 
offices of the ftate, render: parfimony a” 
duty, which at laft degenerates into the 
mott fordid avarice. The Turk however 
has likewife his good fide. One may als 
moft always rélie on his word, and reckon 
upon his fidelity and promifed effiftance : 
he is a ftranger te diffimulation and ‘to de- 
ceitful evafions. A Turk will feldom fe- 
cretly purloin any thing: whatever he takes, 
he takes openly and by force, from pride 
or revenge. He as much abhors cunning 
and deceit, as he does pufillanimity and 
cowardice. It muit be obierved, how- 
ever, that among the Turks their natural © 
difpofition to thefe virtues becomes confi- 
derably weakened in proportionyas they 
rife to high honours and dignities. 
The Turks not only think, but aét to-- 
lerantly: at the moft, they pity thofe who 
rofefs not their religion. Some of them” 
Pp s 
even think too nobly and rationally, to 
condemn thofe of a different perfuafion 
merely for foliowing the di€tates and con- 
viGtion of their coniciences: Nay, there 
aré not wanting inftances of Turks exhor- 
ting their Chriltian flaves to the obfervance 
of the external rites of Chriftian worthip. 
Renegadoes are by the moft of them de- 
jpifed. In general, the Algerine Turk is 
equally a ftranger to fanaticifm and bigo- 
try; he hates both. : 
