Virginia Argus

From the Delaware Gazette.

REVENUE OF THE ALGERINES.

The revenues of the Dey are extremely fluctuating, and his income rises or falls in proportion to his opportunities of plundering his subjects or foreigners : whence they are variously computed by different authors. For Shaw says, that the taxes of the whole kingdom produce yearly to the Dey no more than 60,000; but he supposed that the eighth part of the prizes, to which he is entitled ; the property of those persons who die without children, to whom the dey falls heir; with the presents from foreign nations, fines and oppressions, joined to the yearly contribution raised by the government, may amount to as much more. He is besides entitled to all the Christian slaves, whose ransoms are his perquisites, which, with the customs paid by the English, French and other nations, who are suffered to trade with the Barbary states, will tend considerably to augment his revenue. Both the dey and officers under him enrich themselves by the most open acts of rapine and fraud; it is therefore no wonder to find the common people imposing on one another, and especially upon strangers, seeing they themselves are impoverished by heavy taxes and the injustice of those who are in authority.

The dey draws immense revenues from his own subjects, which consist in money, gold and silver corn, cattle, and such other articles as may be most useful to the Turks in Algiers. The prizes which the corsairs take at sea, some years equal the taxes imposed on the people. It is from hence easy to collect that any calculation of revenue must be extremely questionable, and it can hardly be supposed that the dey himself is capable of giving an accurate estimate.

The regencies of Tunis and Tripoli acknowledge some subjection to the dey, but the only annual tribute they pay him is a cargo of butter and oil.

The Agha, with a detachment of Turkish soldiers, collects all taxes within twenty miles of the city of Algiers. Beyond that distance the dey has three Turkish armies of about two thousand men each, continually reinforced as emergencies require, and stationed in different parts of his kingdom, for the purpose of rapine and extortion. These armies are severally commanded by the bashaws of Constantine, Biscara and Medea at the places of their respective residence.

They are neither actuated by justice or humanity; but with the assistance of these Turkish oppressors, they not only force subjection to the dey, but compel the Moors to the payment of such taxes as they think proper. This miserable race of beings, who are the objects of every indignity and oppression that can be offered to human nature, are hunted like wild beasts among the mountains : those who discover the least reluctance in paying the assessments of these bashaws, or fly from the rapacity of their pursuers, are beheaded and all their property confiscated.

If they have the least suspicion that a Moor has concealed any part of his treasure, he is tortured till he makes a complete discovery, and many of these poor wretches who are unable to make any disclosure are tortured to death, without being able to satisfy their tormentors. In this manner all gold, silver and other valuable articles, are extorted from the inhabitants. Some of them, however, have courage enough sometimes to attack their oppressors in some of the narrow defiles of the mountains through which they are obliged to pass, where they frequently make great slaughter among the Turks : but generally after the first fire they fly to the craggy recesses of the mountains. They make these tax gathering excursions twice a year, and in every expedition they bring away immense numbers of heads and ears, which are sent to the dey, as an evidence of the bashaws exertions in having raised the necessary contributions. The dey requires that the ears only of the heads of those who are murdered at a distance, be brought him: and the bearer is rewarded with a certain sum of money for each pair he tenders to his humane sovereign.

Once in every six months each of these bashaws sends the califs, their sons, with about fifty mules laden with money and other valuable articles. They all enter Algiers within nine days of each other. At their approach the cassan aga and the aga go out to meet them, and they form a procession into the city.

The bashaws visit the dey once in every two years, with about 120 mules laden with the spoils of the country, and when they approach the city, a grand procession is formed. The cassan aga, the aga, the vickelbashi, the chows and the liberators, with a detachment of five or 600 Turkish soldiers, go out to meet them, and they are escorted into the city with drums beating, French horns playing, and colours flying, attended by an immense concourse of people. The booty is then taken to the dey's palace, where he distributes a portion to his favorite wife, and a part among the different officers of government.

After their entry into the city, they wait impatiently for the taltan, an elegant robe which it is usual for the dey to send them, to signify his approbation of their conduct; and till they receive this present they are in the utmost suspense and apprehension; for if it does not arrive the day after their entry, they know that the loss of their heads will be the consequence.

PUNISHMENTS.

In this country it is not to be expected that justice will be administered with any degree of impartiality. The Mahometan soldiery in particular, are so much favored, that they are not punished in public, and seldom put to death for any crime except rebellion; in which case they are either hanged on an iron hook, or strangled with a bow string, which is tied round the neck of the offender, and drawn different ways by two executioners, with all their strength, so that he is instantly despatched. Women guilty of adultery, have a halter tied about their necks, with the other end fastened to a pole, by which they are held under the water till they are suffocated.

The Christian slaves are liable to a variety of punishments. They are some times burned or rather roasted alive. At other times they are impaled. This is done by placing the criminal on the end of a sharp stake, which is thrust up his posteriors close by the back bone, till it appears above his shoulders. Crucifixion, by nailing the hands and feet to walls is often practised.

But the most terrible punishments are those inflicted upon the Jews or Christians who speak against the Mahometan religion; in which case they must either turn Mahometan or be impaled alive. If they apostatize they are roasted alive, or else thrown down from the top of the city walls, upon iron hooks. These catch by the jaws, the ribs or other parts of the body, according as they happen to fall, and the sufferers have been known to hang in different positions for seven days alive, in the most exquisite torture; though by accident they are sometimes put out of pain at once, as was the case with John Gascon the Spanish adventurer. This terrible punishment has frequently been inflicted upon slaves, but at present it begins to be generally disused.

There is a law here, by which any woman convicted of an amorous correspondence with a christian, is tied up in a sack and thrown into the sea. Examples of this kind frequently happen, as the fair sex, in this part of the world, are remarkably frail.

There is another singular punishment which is inflicted upon a gallant, which shows the savage disposition of the people. Upon each side of the gallows, near the upper angle, are fixed two chains of different lengths, to each of which is fastened a sharp hook. The malefactor ascends the ladder with the executioner, who thrusts the hook on the shortest chain through the palm of his left hand : after which he thrusts that on the longest chain through the sole of his right foot, and in this manner the criminal is left hanging in the most excruciating torture for the space of 8 or 9 days before he expires.

The Western Moors still practice the barbarous punishment of sawing the transgressor asunder : which is mostly inflicted upon persons of distinction or crimes against the state. For which purpose they prepare two boards of the same length and breadth with the delinquent, and having tied him between them, they proceed to the execution by beginning at the head. In this manner did Kardus suffer, who was formerly their ambassador to the British court.

For clipping or debasing the public coin, the old Egyptian punishment is still inflicted here, which is cutting off both the hands of the transgressor.

In smaller crimes, or for those not capital, the offenders are fined, or their pay stopped; and it officers, they are reduced to the station of common soldiers, from whence they may gradually raise themselves to their former dignity. The most common punishment for offences not capital, is the bastinado; and the strokes are given either upon the belly, back, or soles of the feet, according to the pleasure of the Cadi, who appoints the number, which sometimes amounts to 2 or 3 hundred. according to the indulgence, the offender can obtain either by bribery or friends; and hence he often dies under this punishment. for want of advocates sufficiently powerful. The most usual mode of bastinading, is upon the soles of the feet. The criminal is laid on his back or belly, his feet are raised and tied to a stake, held fast by officers for the purpose, and in this posture the punishment is inflicted by a number of sticks tied together, of the thickness of one's little finger. A Moor convicted of house breaking, has his right hand cut off and fastened about his neck. He is then led through the city on an ass, with his face turned towards his tail. No respect is paid to the quality of a person; but a pecuniary mulct will arrest the course of justice, unless the offender is guilty of the most flagrant crimes.

The usual punishment for debt is imprisonment, according to the practice of some nations who pretend to be more enlightened. The debtor is usually detained in prison till the chows or bailiffs have seized and sold his effects : if the sale amounts to more than the debt, the surplus is returned to the debtor : if it falls short, he is nevertheless released, and no future demands are made upon him.