ductions in the naval establishment and to impose new taxes to meet
the very contingency which the peace-loving President declared most
remote. Moreover, the very frigates which he had proposed to lay up
in the eastern branch of the Potomac were manned and dispatched to the
Mediterranean to bring the Corsairs to terms.

CHAPTER III. THE CORSAIRS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN

Shortly after Jefferson's inauguration a visitor presented himself at
the Executive Mansion with disquieting news from the Mediterranean.
Captain William Bainbridge of the frigate George Washington had just
returned from a disagreeable mission. He had been commissioned to carry
to the Dey of Algiers the annual tribute which the United States had
contracted to pay. It appeared that while the frigate lay at anchor
under the shore batteries off Algiers, the Dey attempted to
requisition her to carry his ambassador and some Turkish passengers to
Constantinople. Bainbridge, who felt justly humiliated by his
mission, wrathfully refused. An American frigate do errands for this
insignificant pirate? He thought not! The Dey pointed to his batteries,
however, and remarked, "You pay me tribute, by which you become my
slaves; I have, therefore, a right to order you as I may think proper."
The logic of the situation was undeniably on the side of the master of
the shore batteries. Rather than have his ship blown to bits, Bainbridge
swallowed his wrath and submitted. On the eve of departure, he had
to submit to another indignity. The colors of Algiers must fly at
the masthead. Again Bainbridge remonstrated and again the Dey looked
casually at his guns trained on the frigate. So off the frigate sailed
with the Dey's flag fluttering from her masthead, and her captain
cursing lustily.

The voyage of fifty-nine days to Constantinople, as Bainbridge recounted
it to the President, was not without its amusing incidents. Bainbridge
regaled the President with accounts of his Mohammedan passengers, who
found much difficulty in keeping their faces to the east while the
frigate went about on a new tack. One of the faithful was delegated
finally to watch the compass so that the rest might continue their
prayers undisturbed. And at Constantinople Bainbridge had curious
experiences with the Moslems. He announced his arrival as from the
United States of America he had hauled down the Dey's flag as soon as
he was out of reach of the batteries. The port officials were greatly
puzzled