generally applicable to a
Barbary galleot, except that the latter was generally smaller and
lighter, and had commonly but one mast, and no castle on the prow.[60]
The Algerines preferred fighting on galleots of eighteen to
twenty-four banks of oars, as more manageable than larger ships. The
crew of about two hundred men was very densely packed, and about one
hundred soldiers armed with muskets, bows, and scimitars occupied the
poop. Haedo has described the general system of the Corsairs as he
knew it at the close of the sixteenth century, and his account, here
summarized, holds good for earlier and somewhat later periods:--

These vessels are perpetually building or repairing at Algiers; the
builders are all Christians, who have a monthly pay from the Treasury
of six, eight, or ten quarter-dollars, with a daily allowance of three
loaves of the same bread with the Turkish soldiery, who have four.
Some of the upper rank of these masters have six and even eight of
these loaves; nor has any of their workmen, as carpenters, caulkers,
coopers, oar-makers, smiths, &c., fewer than three. The _Beylik_, or
common magazine, never wants slaves of all useful callings, "nor is it
probable that they should ever have a scarcity of such while they are
continually bringing in incredible numbers of Christians of all
nations." The captains, too, have their private artificer slaves, whom
they buy for high prices and take with them on the cruise, and hire
them out to help the Beylik workmen when ashore.

The number of vessels possessed at any one time by the Algerines
appears to have never been large. Barbarossa and Dragut were content
with small squadrons. Ochiali had but fifteen Algerine galleys at
Lepanto. Haedo says that at the close of the sixteenth century (1581)
the Algerines possessed 36 galleots or galleys, made up of 3 of 24
banks, 1 of 23, 11 of 22, 8 of 20, 1 of 19, 10 of 18, and 2 of 15, and
these were, all but 14, commanded by renegades. They had besides a
certain number of brigantines of 14 banks, chiefly belonging to Moors
at Shersh[=e]l. This agrees substantially with Father Dan's account
(1634), who says that there were in 1588 thirty-five galleys or
brigantines (he means galleots) of which all but eleven were commanded
by renegades. Haedo gives the list[61] of the 35 captains, from which
the following names are selected: Ja'far the Pasha (Hungarian), Memi
(Albanian), Mur[=a]d (French), Deli Memi (Greek), Mur[=a]d Reis
(