Collar of Silver riveted round my Neck, and Silver Shackles round my
Ancles, and Silver Manacles round my Wrists; and was still a Slave.

The rest of the Musicians were either Black Negroes or Cophtic
Christians, and they used me with Decent Civility; nor did the Master of
the Musicians--otherwise a most cruel Moor--go out of his way to flout,
much less smite me with his Rattan. If he had dared but to lay one
Stripe upon me, I would have sprang upon the Wretch and dashed out his
Brains with my Cymbals, even if I had been put upon the Pale for it half
an hour afterwards.

Lodged in the Guard-house at the Dey's Palace, with pretty abundant
Rations, and some few Piastres daily to buy Wine (I being a Frank) and
Tobacco, and pretty well treated by the Colologlies, or Moorish
Soldiers, I did not pass such a very bad time of it; and when off Duty,
had liberty to go about the City and Suburbs pretty much as I chose. And
I was a hundred times better off than the Moslem Slaves are at Malta.

These Algerines are an Uncouth, Savage People; and the Turkish Despotism
has quite destroyed that security and Liberty which of old gave birth
and encouragement to Learning: hence the knowledge of Medicine,
Philosophy, and the Mathematics, which once so flourished among the
Arabs, is now almost entirely lost. The Children of the Moors and Turks
are sent to School at about Six years old, where they are taught to Read
and Write for the value of about a Penny a week of our Money. Instead of
Paper or a Slate, each boy has a piece of thin square Board, slightly
daubed over with Whiting; on this he makes his Letters, which may be
wiped off or renewed at pleasure. Having made some progress in the
Koran, he is initiated into the Ceremonies and Mysteries of the
Mahometan Religion; and when he has distinguished himself in any of
these branches of Learning, he is Richly Dressed, mounted on a Horse
finely Caparisoned, and paraded, amidst the Huzzas of his
School-fellows, through the Streets; while his Friends and Relations
assemble to congratulate his Parents, and load him with Toys and
Sweetmeats. And this Observance answers to our Western Rite of
Confirmation. But after being three or four years at School, the Boys
are put 'Prentice to Trades or enrolled in the Army, where they very
speedily forget all they have learnt.

Though such bold Sailors, the Algerines are very despicable as
Navigators. Their chief Astronomer, Muley Hamet Ben Daoud, when I