Travels in England, France, Spain and the Barbary States ... 1813-15

Front matter

TRAVELS w ENGLAND, FRANCE, SPAIN, AUD THE BAUBMLY STATES, IN THE YEARS 1813—14 AND 15. BY MORDECAI M. NOAH, LATE CONSUL OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE CITY AND KINGDOM OF TUSIE ) MEMBER OF THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY, &C. XEW-TORK: ri'BJLtSHED BY KIRK AND MERCEIN, WALL-STREET. LONDON: BY JOHN MILI.TR, NO. 25 BOW-STREET, COVTNT-GARCr**. Southern District of New-York, ss. BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the twenty-fifth day of January, in the fortythird year of the Independence ofthe United States of America, Mordecai M. Noah, of the said District, hath deposited in this office the title of a book, the right ■whereof he claims as author, in the words and figures following, to wit: " Travels in England, France, Spain, and the Barbary States, in the years 1813 — 14 and 15. Bu Mordecai Jtf. Noah, late Consul of the United States for tlie City and Kingdom of Tunis ; Member ofthe New-York Historical Society, ifc."

In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, " An Act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Rooks, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the time therein men tioned." And also to an Act, entitled, " An Act, supplementary to an Act, entitled, an Act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints." JAMES DILL, Clerk of the Southern District of New-York.

Preface

J. HERE is no apology due for writing a book of Travels, but there is for the introduction of subjects, which may be considered as irrelevant to the original object ; and, that I may not be charged with an unnecessary detail of my official concerns while in the public service abroad, it may be well to explain the causes which induced me to send this book into the world. During our late war with the Algerines, I held the appointment of Consul of the United States for the city and kingdom of Tunis, one of the most respectable and interesting stations in the Regencies of Barbary. The government thought proper to ingraft on my duties, as Consul for that kingdom, a distinct and, as I had reason to believe, independent mission, having for its object, the release of a number of unfortunate Americans, who were captives at Al giers, and, at the same time, to ascertain, as far as could be pru dently done, the object of the Algerines in declaring war against us, and their expectations in the adjustment of the difficulties. — The manner in which this duty was performed, was an ostensible motive for my recall from that station, and on my return home, after some delay, my public concerns, as far as they related to pecuniary matters, were honourably terminated by the government.

PREFACE.

. In the course of those political contests, inseparable from tbe freedom of discussion on the subject of men and measures, my political opponents took occasion, frequently, to refer to my official conduct abroad, and not unmixed with censure, insinuations, and charges, which, very pointedly, affected my integrity. These innuendoes seemed to comprise one general charge — that the administration had terminated my public affairs in a favourable manner, and settled my accounts improperly, to acquire political support. This charge, affecting the government equally with myself, was repeated so frequently, and in so many shapes, as to render it obligatory to explain fully, all the measures to which it related, and I came to the determination to publish my journal entire, not only to satisfy those who have doubted,1 but those who would not doubt, that any thing improper had been done on my part.

I publish these facts with reluctance : I wish, for the credit of the country, that they could have been withheld ; but there is no alternative between labouring under suspicions, which, however light and trivial, may, in time, acquire force and effect, or at once clearing them up, to the satisfaction of the most fastiduous. This work may, therefore, be considered as a work of explanation and defence, although my official affairs occupy but a small portion of it. The sketch on England I would have omitted," but it would break the chain of narrative, and I have preserved it. In the ar rangement of notes and materials, it is more than possible that I have omitted points necessary and desireable to be known, and introduced subjects which may not create much interest. It is difficult to ascertain the taste of readers — to hit that happy medium which may give general satisfaction.

Some require descriptions of habits and manners ; others of science and learning, agriculture and the arts ; some have a taste for the ancient character of countries, others reject antiquity for modem accounts. I have, therefore described things as they appeared to me, and if I have dwelt with too much attention on the ancient history of places, I have con-

PREFACE.

. V sidered that it might possibly lead to a more close attention to the study of history, a study which is deemed of essential importance to the progress of learning and civilization, and the successful ad vancement of governments. It is, however, impossible to visit Carthage or Utica, to travel in Mauritania, Csesariensis, or the Pentapolis, without calling to mind the refined and gallant people which once controlled those fertile regions, indeed nothing but ancient features present themselves. The history of the modern possessors of these provinces, is but a history of crimes and des potism — of the descendants of a civilized people, who have become savage and wandering. In consulting authorities in the sketch of Numidian antiquities, I have placed more reliance on Appian, Procopius, Polybius, and Strabo, than on any other ancient writers, for although they differ on several points, there is, in the aggregate, a coincidence of opinion on general subjects.

I have found Dr. Shaw extremely cor rect and industrious, but I consider D'Ainville's map of ancient cities the most faithful guide, and which should be used by all travellers in the north of Africa. Isaac S. .Smith, of this city, who travelled with me through Spain, has obligingly lent me his notes to refresh my memory ; and those on Tunis, not growing out of personal observation, I am indebted for to a worthy fellow-citizen, long a resident in that kingdom. I do not know that I have presented any thing new or extraordinary in this work, or that I shall have advanced science, or promoted useful learning ; yet it may add to the stock of American literature. We are too apt to receive erroneous impressions through foreign sources ; and if every citizen who travels in countries which are seldom visited, would give his ideas of men and things, would de scribe people, habits, and manners, in his own way, free from the VI

PREFACE.

. alloy or bia9 os other writers, we should be more independent, aBd in time establish a permanent literary character of our own ; and as perfection cannot be expected, we must encourage com mencements, which, however humble, may induce others to write, and thus extend the sphere of American productions. I am sensi ble that there are many errors in this book, inseparable from ex peditious writing; and when it is known, that the greatest portion of it has been composed, while, at the same time, labouring through the tedious detail and perplexing difficulties of superintending a daily political journal, the indulgence which it claims will not be withheld. ERRATA. Page 18. — Last Une of the quotation, read " to sound what note she pleases." Page SO. — First line, read " so much for the facility of evading the spirit of the law by conforming to its letter."

Page 31. — Eighteenth line, tor "possessing," read "professing." Page 58.— First line, for " -what" read " that." Page 60.— Third line, for " who," read " which." Page 126. — Sixteenth line, instead of " five hundred millions of dollars" read "Jive millions and a half sterling.'* Page 209. — Eighteenth line, " for barks well moored," read " barks we!! fttanned."

Part I

ioINCE the prosecution of the war against the Tripolitans, our relations with the Barbary states have become peculiarly interesting. It was in the Mediterranean that the naval force of the United States received a powerful impulse, and obtained a fixed character. The policy of those Regencies is imperfectly understood in this country, and we are at this day but partially acquainted with the manners and customs, soil and climate, trade and manufactures of that portion of northern Africa. I had long expressed a desire to visit the country of Dido and Hannibal ; to trace if possible the field of Zama, or seek out the ruins of Utica : but travellers in those regions, now inhabited by barbarians, must be strongly protected. The simple merchant, in the eyes of Musselmen, have no right to contemplate the scite of ancient cities, or view the mouldering columns and broken shafts of antiquity.

I foresaw the necessity of visiting Carthage by autho rity, and in 181 1, applied to the government for the appointment to the consulate at one of those regencies. I had another motive for directing my steps towards that quarter ofthe globe ; I was de sirous of obtaining the most authentic information, in relation to the situation, character, resources, and numerical force of the Jews in Barbary, part of whom had been banished from their colleges at Cordova, and part were emigrants from Judea and Egypt. The only Jewish traveller in those countries, whose works are extant, is Benjamin, of Tudela in Spain, who travelled in the 13th century. Joel Barlow, who had resided at Algiers fora length of time, advocated the appointment, and considered it expedient from his knowledge of the people and government, to make a nomination which might be acceptable to a vast portion ofthe commercial inhabitants ofthe regencies of Barbary.

From some unknown cause, the vacancies at Tripoli and Tunis were not silled at that period, and I received the appointment of Consul for Riga, in Russia, an important port in the Baltic, but at that period holding forth no inducements, in consequence of the war on the continent, and the commercial obstacles which that war created, I declined visiting that part of Europe, and in April 1813, I received the appointment of Consul for the city and kingdom of Tunis. This was a salary office, and a trust of importance, and conferred as I conceived, after a deliberation of two years, and a perfect knowledge of character, claims and qualifications. I accepted the appointment, and made arrangements for my departure, under favourable auspices. War had been declared against us by the Algerines. Mr. Lear the Con sul-general was rudely dismissed, and a vessel belonging to Salem was captured, and her crew made prisoners.

I was instructed to negociate for the release of these captives, snd calculated to have charge of affairs generally in the Mediterranean. Two vessels were bound to France, the schooner General Arm strong, captain Champlin, and the schooner Joel Barlow, captain Buchannan, both fine and fast sailing vessels, and I took my passage in the latter, and on the 28th of May, we left the harbour of Charleston. This harbour is well defended, the obstructions of the bar will ever prevent the entrance of heavy ships, and the batteries of forts Moultrie, Johnston, and Pinckney, with other small redoubts and fortifications, give a strong and efficacious appearance to the port. We weighed anchor at day break, in company with the General Armstrong, with a light and favourable breeze. The rising sun gilded the spire of St. Michael's church, which serves as a beacon to tbe mariners entering the harbour, and shed a soft light on the white barracks and embrazures of Fort Johnson. — On our lest, on a low sandy beach, jutting towards the sea, were the summer houses of Sullivan's Island, built without order or re gularity, yet affording an agreeable and healthy retreat from the heat and bustle of the city.

The General Armstrong outsailed us, she was light and coppered, and aster passing through the north channel, we soon lost sight of her. The departure ofthe pilot is an event which produces some sen sation. He is about to return to the shore, and probably in a few hours, will find himself in the bosom of his family : the voyager, like the pilgrims of old, braving the dangers of the ocean, has the world before him filled with peril and calamity, and voluntarily faces them in the pursuit of pleasure or of gain, of fame or intelligence. There is a magic in the word home, that few permit to have its due weight. Our pilot got into his little skiff and waived his hand, accompanied by the customary wishes of " a good time to ye," and direct ed his course to his boat, which under easy sail was plying around the vessel.

The light-house gradually receded from our view, and as its white summit buried itself in the ocean, I left the deck to take a survey of our situation and the companions of our voyage. The schooner was about 160 tons, extremely sharp and narrow, and had been originally pierced for 14 guns ; being at present con verted into a letter of marque, and laden with cotton, she carried but two nine pounders, and eighteen remarkably fine looking men — a force which at all events afforded a show of resistance, and I trusted to the celerity of her movements in escaping from the squadrons of the enemy. Her accommodations were greatly confined. In a small trunk cabin I found an old French lady and her son, a young man of about 25 years osage ; a little active French woman, which, with an American gentleman and myself, the captain and mate, constituted seven souls, cribbed in a narrow space originally intended forthe accommodation of two.

The captain had assured me that no other passengers should be taken forthe voyage, and I took no precaution to ascertain the fact until it was too late. The old lady, who, though a resident for many years in the country, spoke not a word of English ; her son had taught the French language in Charleston, and was apparently deranged ; the little French woman had been originally a Maitresse de Hotel in L'Orient, where Americans generally were accommodated ; and from the glowing descriptions they had given of our country, the little woman was determined to travel and re alize some happy scenes. She arrived in Charleston after running the gauntlet through the British fleet, with a small venture of silks and laces which she had bartered for three bales of Sea Island cotton, together with a quantity of sugar and coffee, deposited at the bottom of her trunk, with the patriotic resolution of smuggling the same into France.

" I have seen enough of America, Monsieur Consul," said she, " 1 have been very much disappointed, ah chere France ! will I ever get back safe." It was worth a smile, to hear a dissertation on America from a traveller who had been ten days in Charleston. The little woman talked incessantly during the voyage : she literally lived on deck, and in the most violent gales of wind, when our little vessel was almost inundated by the tremendous combings of the sea, she would sit under the bulwarks, and sing French catches — so that her lively voice was frequently heard in the pauses of the wind. A little dog was her companion, to whom she taught the military exercise, which, aster having gone through with much sagacity, she dismissed with the constant monologue of " now behave well, and the emperor will give you a cross of honour — you will not be the first dog to whom he has given a cross of honour."

This valedictory satisfied us that our passenger was no friend to Bonaparte, but rather attached to the ancien regime. Passengers on a sea voyage are the " abstract chronicles ofthe time." From compulsory association we study characters ; and de fine habits and temper according to the operation of events. An enlightened and intelligent companion, in all situations, is desirable, but particularly at sea, — where the time passes too frequently in a dull monotony, and the perils ofthe ocean add to the general gloom. Our passengers were not calculated to enliven us. — The old lady tranquilly confined herself to her birth; and the partial derange ment of her son, rendered our situation peculiarly irksome. The incessant volubility of our Maitresse de Hotel, in patois or provincial French, no longer served to amuse us.

A prosperous breeze wafted us to the eastward of the Bermudas, and about the fifteenth day after our departure we found ourselves in sight of a fleet of merchantmen, steering to the south-east under easy sail. It was then, for the first time, that an occasion presented itself to remind us that we were at war, and our vessel commissioned as a letter of marque. The captain, tempted by the hope of a prize, made all sail, and brought us so near the fleet, that they crowded canvass and sepa rated. Our little schooner had formerly been a privateer and had a remarkable warlike appearance, and when her ports were up together with her high bulwarks, she was well calculated to intimi date. Selecting a vessel that appeared to be the dullest sailer, we gave chase to her, and, as the seamen terms it, came up with her " hand over hand."

The chase, finding it impossible to escape. was as we conceived prepared to surrender, by taking in sail, haul ing up her courses, and displaying a flag and pendant : it was then, when almost within gun-shot, that she rounded to, and we discovered her to be a British gun brig convoying the fleet. To have given her battle with our disparity of force, would have been madness ; and I soon discovered that our captain was a prudent man, by ordering the ship about and changing our course. — Being to the windward, and having the advantage of sailing, we were under no fear of capture, and the gun brig pursued her course without at tempting to give us chase. * This little incident served to produce some caution in giving chase to strange vessels ; and as our schooner and cargo were not in sured, inconsequence of the excessive high premiums required, the captain resolved to use his best exertions to get into port, and to act only on the defensive in attaining that end.

The sight of a fleet at sea, after having met with no object to change the monotony of the scene for many days, is extremely agreeable. To find ourselves at the break of day surrounded by fifty vessels of various characters — their white sails swelled with a favourable breeze ; — to be near enough to hear the busy hum of voices, and see the active movements of strange figures — to observe the interchange of signals, and condensed or extended movements ofthe fleet, and the reflection of a rising sun shedding its soft rays over the whole picture — is the most cheering object that can be met with on the ocean, and the only one calculated to enliven a pensive voyage, chequered with those scenes of good and ill fortune which so often await perilous enterprize. Our voyage presented nothing remarkable until we approached the coast of France.

Passing the Banks, although considerably to the southward, the extraordinary change in the atmosphere, and fall of the thermometer from summer heat to about 50, indicated the neighbourhood of ice. The dissolving ofthe Polar ice, long a sub ject of curious speculation, has changed materially the nature of our climate, and has checked, and will continue to check, the nature and influence of the seasons. We had now been out from port thirty-five days, a passage which had been lengthened by a continuance of calms, and calculated that we had fairly entered the Bay of Biscay. On the third of July, or by nautical calculation on the fourth, a day which we had earnest ly hoped to have celebrated in France, a strange sail made its appearance to the leeward, which we soon made out to be a brig of war, and discovered that she had a cutter in company, and both apparently in chase of us.

We kept on our course, and aster the observation of two or three hours, we were satisfied that she did not gain upon us, and contemplated to change our course aster night. It was a remarkably fine day, with a brisk and pleasant breeze — the sun was setting in all its glory, and as we were viewing it, like a rich globe of gold sinking gradually into the ocean, we perceived a small black spot upon its disk, which was rendered more strikingly visible by the contrast of colours, and the prismatic rays which illu mined the atmosphere. The captain pronounced it to be a vessel of war, and a short time proved it to be a large one, and in chase of us. We crowded all sail, but in vain ; she was to the windward, and gained upon us every moment. We were now completely locked in and surrounded by enemies ; in vain we changed our course ; the ves sel still approached, and about eight o'clock a large British frigate ran under our stern.

I expected that she would have fired a shot or two over us, but even that appeared to be too great a condescension for a small cruizer of our appearance ; and a few marines, apparently a corporal's guard, levelled and discharged their muskets at our rig ging. The captain was at the bow with a speaking trumpet, and hailed us, and demanded where we were from. Being very promptly answered " from Charleston," he immediately replied, " haul down your jib, sir, immediately." We were under her guns, and a second order was superfluous : our little vessel had all sails taken in. The pas sengers had crowded on deck, and each interchanging very signifi cant looks, having very little to say and not a word of consolation. The seamen, with looks half dejected and half angry, coiled up the ropes, and one of them in a surly melancholy j.one chaunted a stave from the old ballad of Captain Kyd, the pirate : — "And taken was at last, when we sail'd, when we sail'd." "*V^ Our little French woman, for the first time, was mute — her colloquial powers were suspended by the novelty of her situation, and she was only awakened to its true state by casting her eyes on the boat on deck, in which was safely deposited the sum of her worldly possessions, in the shape of three bales of cotton.

" Quel malheur .'" says she, endeavouring to contract the muscles of her face into a melancholy position, " Ah .' Monsieur Consul, je suis ruinie — voila ma cotton — cet un prize." I endeavoured to console her for her loss, which I discovered she did not feel with much acuteness, as she left us to put on a smart cap trimmed with cocliquot ribbons, to make herself agreeable to " Monsieur le Captain Anglaise ;" presuming that his gallantry would at least be manifested by restoring to her the small commercial venture. A boat from the frigate reached us, with a lieutenant, midshipman, and several men, who requested the captain to go on board, and informed us that the frigate was called the Briton, commanded by Sir Thomas Staines. After some time had elapsed, and we had made the necessary preparations, the boat returned for all the passengers and their baggage.

By this time it was far advanced in the evening, and the moon shed a soft and silver light on the waves. The frigate was standing off and on under easy sail, and our little schooner appeared by contrast like a jolly-boat. We rowed some time without reaching her, as the breeze freshened, which wafted her at a considerable distance : we finally got along side, and clambered on deck by the assistance of her guns. " And so, sir," said a loud and harsh voice as we reached the deck, " you say you made her out first" — " yes, I did, sir, replied some person, with an apparent humility of tone. " You lie, sir, you know you lie" — " No, indeed, captain," said the other, I really dont." The officer invited us to go down into the ward-room, telling us by the way, that the captain ofthe frigate was disputing with the captain ofthe cutter, which was a privateer fitted out of Liverpool, and by the maritime laws, all vessels of war which are in sight, or give chase at the time of capture, have a claim to a proportion of the prize ; but such had been the frauds committed by these privateers in the declarations of their commanders, that it was deemed necessary to guard them with vigilance.

There was also an unwillingness, on the part of the naval officers, to countenance the efforts of privateers, deeming them intruders on their vocation, and feeling satisfied that the British navy was sufficiently extensive to blockade the coast of France effectually. The officers in the ward-room received us with much politeness, and set before us such refreshments as the ship afforded, premising that as they had been for three months from port, their stores were nearly ex hausted. Our Maitresse de Hotel cast her eyes around the ward-room with symptoms of approbation at its space and accommodation, i and which appeared doubly ample, aster being released from the confinement of a little trunk cabin, where we were cooped together like poultry, and living upon short allowance, a tremendous sea having drowned our live stock a few days aster leaving port.

The officers informed us, that their ship was attached to the blockading squadron off Rochefort, under the command of Admiral Durham ; that they had been cruising in the Bay several days without having met with any thing ; but that the number of American captures on the coast had been very considerable. Accommodations were made for the females, and a cot was slung for me, in which I soon found myself, and at leisure to meditate upon my new situation. Nothing can be more trying to the temper, as well as to the interest, than to be captured almost within sight of the port of destination. Here were obstacles which, though capable of being surmounted, still de ranged my plans, and checked the progress of my operations. My motive in reaching my place of destination by way of France, was to avail myself of the advantages in purchasing the articles intended for a consular present, which I was instructed to make.

I could have avoided capture by the British, by taking passage in a licensed vessel for Spain : but then I should have augmented the risk in being in the way of capture from the Algerines, who had declared war against us, and whose squadron had been seen off the Rock of Lisbon. It was all important to me, and of some consequence to the government, that I should be exempt from Algerine captivity ; and of the evils of capture, it most fortunately happened that I experienced the least ofthe two. To philosophize on the fortune of war, and the hazards of commerce, would be vain and nugatory; to lament my hard fate, or curse my dull stars, would have been a want of philosophy. — So I went to sleep with the consolation of knowing, " 'tis not in mortals to command success." The next morning I awoke refreshed with an agreeable night's rest, the first I had experienced for some time, and an invitation was sent to us to take breakfast with the captain, which was accepted.

Sir Thomas Staines received us with much politeness and civility. He offered us, it is true, no consolation on our capture, nor dealt out unmeaning expressions of regret, which I was satisfied he could not feel. He appeared to be about the age of forty, with a frank manly countenance, the interest of which was somewhat heightened by his having lost an arm in an engagement with a French frigate, in the Bay of Naples, which he fought with a sloop of war. He informed us that we were near land, and in fact pointed out the island of Oleron, which was in sight. " Had you continued the chase long," said he, " you would have run ashore ;" another mo tive for being reconciled to our fate. After breakfast was concluded, he took us into his front cabin, where a choice selection of books was neatly arranged, and while he apologized for his absence, recommended them to our notice.

We approached the land near enough to distinguish the small cottages and the green banks, a sight extremely refreshing after a long voyage. The captain invited us to see the ship, which was in fine order, and was one of the largest of her class — the men healthy, and ap parently with a full complement. I could see no disparity of force between this frigate and any of ours, and took occasion to make the observation to the captain. He admitted that the Briton was a large frigate, but contended that our Constitution and United States were heavier ships, mounted more guns, and had in general the best and most select crews. We now approached the squadron at anchor in Basque roads, consisting of four sail of the line and some smaller vessels. When preparing to anchor, the flag ship of the admiral com menced signals, which were answered by our vessel.