The present state of Algeir being a faithful and true account of the most considerable occurences that happened in that place during the lying of the French fleet before it / in a letter from a gentleman in Algier to his friend in London.

The Present State OF ALGEIR: BEING A Faithful and True Account Of the most Considerable OCCURRENCES That happened in that Place, during the lying of the FRENCH FLEET before it.

In a Letter from a Gentleman in Algier, to his Friend in London.

Worthy Sir,

I Hope mine of the 6th, 11th, and 13th of Iuly are safe Arrived to your hands; in Answer of your several then Received, to which please to refer your self, since none of yours appear; Having some extraordinary Advice of News to im∣part to you, is the Occasion of this Trouble, which I shall be glad may prove grateful unto you.

On the 2d. past Arrived the Bristol and Saphire Friggots, from Leghorn, (at the same time lying here about 50 Sayl of French Frigats, Gallies and Atten∣dants) one of our Boats being sent ashore, was not Admitted, but a Boat from hence sent to tell them that they should not come ashore because the French Fleet lay before the Port, and withall, Orders given that the Consul should not be Admitted to go out of the Gates; but before the Order Arriv'd the Mould-gate, he hapned to Run down, and coming to the head of the Mould beckned to the Boat which was then Rowing off again, but knowing him, Re∣turn'd, and when was within call he told them they should be gon and stand upon their Guard, for he was a Prisoner; the Lieutenant of one of the Ships being in one of the Boats, asked him whether he had any thing more to say, he Answered, No; whereupon he went a board, and the Ships stood off to Sea, the next day stood in again and sent both their boats in, but the Governour prevented their coming a shore by ordering three Guns to be fired at them, which was accordingly done, though at a distance, upon which they Return'd aboard and the Ships went to Sea. The boat being the first day Refused coming a shore, the Consul, went to the Kings House Re∣questing that if they would not suffer him to go a board alone, that they would send two or three Renegadoes with him, that could understand what he said, to avoid the suspicion of his giving any Advice to the French, but was denied; and after being de∣manded the Reason of his calling so to the Boat, he, answered them briskly, and being threatned what damage hapned thereon should fall on his head, told them he would rather die then one poor English man should be brought in a Slave here, through his holding his Peace. The Reason of the above Di∣sturbance (we know) was occasioned by our Go∣vernour Rabba Hassan his coming out of the Camp disgusted that the Peace with the English should have been made in his absence, and that he had not the Honour of doing it himself; though his pretence to the People was onely that if he had been here he would have done it much more to their Advantage, adding withal, that the Doors of the Kings house were shut, and that it was done without the Advice and Consent of the Souldiery, the meanest whereof ought to have had his Vote in the doing of it, insinuating himself thereby into their Favour (which is his Safeguard) and at once under the Pretence of pro∣pogating and promoting the Publick Interest, and maintaining their Priviledges, brings his designs about, by such indirect means promoting many times his own private Intrest, and at the same time establishing himself in the Favour, and good Opinion of the People.

On the 3d. past the French Gallies rowed the Ships in towards the Mould, the Admiral having two Gallies a head we were in great Expectation of some Action, but came all in the Evening to an Anchor again.

On the 5th. the Gallies went away; on the 7th the Ships made all Sayl, some within shot of the Mould, were Saluted by these People with a great many Shot.

On the 11th Ditto a Ketch played some Bombs upon the Mould, all of them falling short. On the 20th about nine a Clock at Night, the Ketches came near into the Mould, and continued firing Bombs till it was almost day, these People Returning Guns without ceasing, which I suppose were near 1000. The Bombs the French fir'd were above 100. which broke down 44 houses, and kill'd many People: Please by the way to Note, that the French have five Ketches with Bombs.

On the 24th Ditto about eight a Clock at night appeared a blazing Star in the N. W. Ditto, a little after the French began to play with their Bombs upon the Town, when these People sent out a Gally to take one of the Ketches, but was Shamefully beaten off and forced to return with the loss of some Christians and Turks. This night were beaten down about six houses, and killed about 35 or 40 Persons; These People extreamly cast down, seem to be in∣clin'd to a Mutiny against their Governour, where∣upon he ordered Padre Vacher to go aboard the Admiral (with a Dutch man of Wars Boat, who now lies here to clear some of their Captives and is imployed as an Embassador between the Turk and Devil) to know their demands, though they pre∣tended only to send the Admiral Word that if he fired one Gun more against the place he would send their cheif Cavallero's, (that are Captives here) a board out of the Muzzles of their Guns. Mul∣titudes of People dayly Flocking out to the Gar∣dens, for fear of the Bombs crying out with a Gene∣ral Voice, that the World must needs be now at an end, that never such things as these were seen, that they certainly were not of mans Invention, but sent by the Devil from Hell, and that Algiers is now Ruined with many such like Exclamations. Padre Vacher Returning a shore and to the Kings House, gave them the Admirals Answer, that if they would send a boat off to morrow with a Flag of Truce he would treat with them, and that he was sent hither about his Masters Business and would Prosecute it to the Destruction of the place: Padre Vacher also begs of the Admiral that he would not fire any Bombs that night for his sake, for fear they should take fantasie against him, impute the ill Consequence to his Advice, and so take Occasion to cut him off; to which the Admiral would not consent, saying, he would Willingly do any thing that lay in his Pow∣er for him, but that he could not promise.

These People as formerly, are ready to mutiny, to see their houses broken down, and Friends and Relations killed before their eyes: impute all to the bad Government. The Governour to avoid the ill effects of these surmises, and secure His Person, was willing to do any thing to satisfie them, which I sup∣pose was the occasion of sending Padre Vacher; alias the French Consul aboard, which the Captains of the Ships and Chief Turks extreamly blame him for, and are inwardly exceedingly incenst and in∣raged against him, saying, it was a thing contrary to all reason, giving the French the greatest encou∣ragement against them, which had it been done be∣fore they had acted any thing, might have been the more excusable, but now they had fir'd their Bombs, shewed abundance of weakness and timerousness in them, and animated the Enemy to prosecute his de∣signs with the greatest Severity, unless complied with on dishonourable and disadvantagious Terms.

The 25th at Night, the French having fir'd a great many Bombs, but not with that success as for∣merly, aiming chiefly at the Mould, which occasi∣on'd most of them to fall into the water: One took place in a Tuniscan loaden with Wooll, and sent her to the bottom; another fell into one of their Ships, broke through both her Decks, and burst in the Hold, shaking her severely, and two or three Hou∣ses broke down it the Town. It is most certain, these People never met with such a Chastisement as this, nothing they dread more. But what I thought almost impossible is▪ That after their high Looks▪ and seeming to slight the French so much, they should with so small a force be brought to send a Boat aboard the Admiral, which argues their desire to comply almost on any terms, which if the French prosecute as they have begun, I am apt to believe they will obtain.

I am also credibly informed, that the Admiral sent word by Padre Vacher, That having receiv'd Advice of a Son born to the Dauphine of France, if the Governour would fire Three Guns in honour thereof, he would esteem it; and that the Gover∣nour next day ordered the said Guns to be fired, but the Order was immediately recalled by his Father-in-law, who is really the Governour, but that his Son takes it upon him by reason of his Fathers Age, and Incapacity of Ruling so Rebellious and Head∣strong a People, who are no longer satisfi'd with their Governours, than things go before the Wind, and succeed well, or that he serve for their turn; but upon the least adversity of Affairs, cut him off, as they have done others, not past one of fourteen having onely died his natural Death.

The first instant the Ketches which used to diver∣tise us with their Fire-works, sailed with two Rere-Admirals, and several other Ships, so that I believe the French are breaking up their Rendezvouz in this Place, and that they do think the Winter too near at hand to continue longer here; of which more by the next, God willing. I am in all things,

SIR,

Your Faithful Humble Servant.