Daily National Intelligencer

BARBARIAN CAPTIVITY.

An intimation was given in the French papers, shortly after Lord Exmouth's attack on Algiers, that a Frenchman, who had been in captivity 34 years, with the barbarians, was one of the christian slaves delivered up to that officer, agreeably to the treaty of submission then entered into by the Algerines. This unfortunate being, when restored to his friends, was quite ignorant of the events of the French revolution, and the convulsions of Europe for the last twenty-five years, which grew out of it. This, we doubt not, is one of the rarest instances of liberation on record, and we are glad to have this opportunity (through the kind industry of a friend) of laying the particulars before the American public. We beg the reader to excuse any stiffness in the style which may be met with, owing to the literal translation that has been attempted. The extraordinary facts set down may perhaps compensate for the defect.

[Wash. City Gaz.

An authentic relation of the dreadful tortures which a poor Frenchman (Peter Dumon) suffered in Africa, during a slavery of 34 years.

In the year 1782, being 14 years old, I left Paris, my native city, to follow, as a servant, le chevalier de Ternay. We embarked at Brest, on board of H. M's ship le Duc de Bourgogne, which was sent to America. A few days after our arrival at Rhode Island, where M. de Ternay died suddenly, I went to St. Christophe; from thence to Gibraltar, and from Gibraltar to St. Procha, where I was employed in Monsieur count de Artois's equipages. I started with M. Montnerry, who had received an order to join the French squadron, then blockading Mahon. We embarked on board of his majesty's brig le Lievre, of 14 guns, and after a stormy passage we were shipwrecked on the coast of Africa, between Oran and Algiers. The crew of the brig consisted of 140 men, half of whom were drowned, and the other half massacred by the Arabians of the Coubaly tribe, 18 excepted, (among whom I was one) who had presence of mind enough to hide until day. Arabians don't allow themselves to kill in open day any one who declares himself their slave. As soon as the Arabians perceived us, they seized us, and we were compelled to walk with them 6 nights, (they never travel in day time) till we arrived at Shisley's mountain, which is inhabited by Arabians of the Coubaly tribe, and which is the residence of their Cheyk. His house is situated upon a hill; it is the only one in the whole country; the other Arabians encamp under tents. After we were presented to the cheyk, (whose name was Schyd Solyman) who has an unlimited power over all the individuals whom the tribe consisted of, we were chained two by two, and during 28 years; consequently I have been compelled to support, night and day, with my miserable fellow chain mate, the weight of fetters which made us inseparable. Every morning at 4 o'clock the slaves were taken out to work, sometimes at the mines, sometimes at clearing the mountain, or cutting down timber, or ploughing the ground. We were bound to work until twilight, and we had not any other rest but to smoke during a quarter of an hour some tobacco we could pick up in the fields by the way. In the morning, when we were getting out of the bagne, (that is, a large and dark prison where 4000 men, who were confined, had for beds only a little straw which they could bring along with them, and where never penetrated a ray of the sun, or any light whatever!) we each received two rolls, which were black, tough, and very often mouldy, and some rotten olives; this was our only meal every day. We had but once in the whole year (the day of the circumcision of the children of the tribe) a small piece of meat and a little broth. If any one of us, harassed with fatigue and hunger, discontinued working a few moments, the chief guardian threshed him unmercifully. In short, so miserable was our fate, that (not one day excepted) two or three were found who had killed themselves. I remained 28 years in this dreadful situation; my life was constantly uniform. I am going to give the recital of the only incident which happened to me during the whole of that time.

A Marabon (so they call a Turkish monk) who was travelling through the country where we lived, gave us in alms 30 seguins, (about 200 francs); our chief guardian wanted to get his part of it. I was the only one who refused giving him any thing. Filled with indignation on account of my refusal, he treated me every day in the most cruel manner. Every morning when I was getting out of the bagne, he overwhelmed me with injuries and blows. Tired of such a life, I resolved to put an end to it by taking vengeance on my persecutor, whom I determined to kill at the first blow he would give me. I did not wait a long time for the opportunity of executing my purpose; the next day, when I was going to work, he came to me, and began to strike me; I went back, and having seized a large stone, I threw it against his face, and beat the right eye out of his head. I was instantly surrounded by Arabians, who tied me to a mule; and, after having been threshed in a dreadful way, I was bro't before the cheyk. I happily had learned to speak Arabic, and I was able to ex
plain to the cheyk the motives of my conduct. I made him perceive the cruel proceedings of the guardian towards me; the cheyk, penetrated with the justice of my remonstrances, condemned him to be hanged; then, addressing himself to me, "which hand of yours has struck your enemy," said he. "He has infringed on the laws of the Koran, and has suffered his punishment; now you must suffer yours." As I foresaw the chastisement I was reserved for, I answered, I had thrown the stone with my left hand, in order to save the right. He then ordered the hand which had committed the crime to be tied to a plank, and struck till the skin and flesh were taken off, which was executed immediately in the most cruel manner. After I had suffered this dreadful torture, without being allowed to dress my wound, I was compelled that very day to move round a mill stone which I was condemned to do for a whole year.

The cheyk of the Coubaly tribe was always at war with the other tribes; and when he was forced to march his troops against them, he took along with him one hundred slaves to pitch the tents, to load and unload camels, and generally for the most tiresome and painful duty. I remained 28 years amongst these barbarians, until the bey of Titre, (Titterie) who was tributary to the dey of Algiers, after some negotiations entered into with the cheyk, had us conveyed into the country under his jurisdiction; we were then only five hundred in number; and walked eight days to get to Titre, where we remained about five months. The bey sold us to the regency of Algiers, for a sum of money which was deducted from that he was bound to pay for his annual tribute. After the bargain was concluded we set out, and arrived, after four nights' journey, at Algiers, where I remained a slave about 6 years.

I was liberated in the glorious expedition under Lord Exmouth, to whom I owe my restoration to my country, after a slavery of 34 years!