Phenix Gazette

ALGERINE MURDERS.

The Moniteur contains a long and very interesting report, dated May 23d. from M. d'Assigny, the Commander of the brig Adventure. taken a prisoner in Algiers, giving an account of the wreck of that vessel, and of the Syrene, on the coast. on the 15th ultimo, and of the treatment experienced by their crews. After describing the exertions made to get the crews safe on shore. M. D'Assigny gives the following relation:

Having assembled the officers of the two brigs. we (M. D'Assigny and M. Bruat, the commander of the Syrene.) presented to them two means of safety which naturally occurred to us. The first was, to arm ourselves, and to remain near the brigs, until time should elapse for the French vessels of war to come to our rescue, the second was, offer no resistance, and to allow ourselves to be conducted by the Bedouins to Algiers. We decided for the latter, our powder being wet, and having little hope of perceiving our vessels during the day. Having then mustered all our men, and collected some provisions, which the sea had washed ashore, we commenced our march towards Algiers at about 4 o'clock in the morning:

We had scarcely proceeded a quarter of a league, when a troop of armed Bedouins pounced upon us. Among the men who formed the crew of the Syrene, was a Maltese, who had been taken on board this brig near Oran. This man. knowing Arabic, and having for a long time sailed with Algerine seamen, devoted himself, as it were,to our salvation. Having recommended to us not to contradict what he should state, he protested to these ferocious barbarians that we were English. Three times was the poinard placed to his throat, for the purpose of terrifying him, and judging from his emotion whether what he stated was true. His firmness imposed upon the Arabs, and, although they were not quite convinced, it raised a doubt in their minds, which partly contributed to save the crew."

Under the pretext of conducting us to Algiers by a shorter road, they made us take the route of the mountains. After a quarter of an hour's march, we arrived at a small village, where they began to plunder us with the greatest cruelty, leaving us, without our shirts, exposed to the wind and the cold rains from the north. After having travelled about four leagues in the mountains, in traversing which we were. at different halts, stripped of the rest of our clothes; we arrived at a pretty considerable village, and they ordered us to stop, and distributed to each of us a small quantity of bread. Here our misfortunes thickened.'At the house of the first Bedouin who had taken us under his protection. the women refused to receive us; we were also repulsed from the second house; but at length the females of the first house relaxed, and it became our asylum.

"Towards the evening of the 18th, the frigate of the division and some brigs approached near the wrecked vessels. and sent boats to reconnoitre. These dispositions of debarkation spread terror in every part; all the Arabs armed themselves and rushed down the mountains shouting; the women took their children on their backs, prepared for flight, whilst we, unfortunate prisoners, were shut up in the strongest houses menaced with death if we made the slightest attempt to escape. We were on the point of being massacred, and the report of a gun which was fired appeared to us to be the signal for our destruction, " whatever turn fortune might take. The Bedouins. vanquished. would take vengeance on us for their losses. or, if exalted by success, would add us to the unhappy victims of their fury.

" Fortunately the result was more favorable than we could have hoped; the boats were recalled, and every thing returned to its former state; but it was not the same in the mountains. M. Bruat, whom I had left with 23 men, among whom were the Maltese and six officers. was at first lodged in the same house with his companions but as it was not large enough to hold them all. they were taken out and set in a sort of mosque. open to the public, by which they were exposed to very bad treatment. On the two first days the Arabs who had captured them, told them that the Bouberak river had been so swollen by the rains which had fallen that it was impossible to take them to Algiers. On the third day. all their intentions appeared still more hostile, the lives of the men were insured, by the arrival of the son of a Turk who had passed the river, and who stated that the officers of the Dey were on the opposite side waiting to protect us. but that the Arabs were very silly in believing that we were English. The Maltese imagined that his presence would hasten the succour which we expected, as he was better able than any other person to explain our dreadful situation. M. Bruat. therefore, despatched him with an entreaty to use all diligence.

" M. Bruat. in swimming across the river, lost his clothes which were carried away by the current. On arriving at the opposite bank, a Turk took off part of his own clothes to cover him. From thence he was conveyed to the tent of the Effendi where finding no person who understood French or English, he was interrogated in Spanish and received the strongest assurances of the safety of all. Two officers were immediately sent into the Mountains and he was permitted to write to his second officer to give him the same assurances. The Effendi, who evinced much benevolence in the intended invasion he inquired if it were true that the troops were embarked against their will. M. Bruat replied; the conduct of our troops when they should disembark would show the falsehood of this assertion. As to the point. c circumstances alone could determine. M. Bruat) the period at which the landing was to take place