ile
the galleys, being unfit for the high seas, were confined to the
Mediterranean and the coast, the sailing vessels ranged into the Atlantic
as far as the Canaries or even to Iceland. In 1631 a Flemish renegade,
known as Murad Reis, sacked Baltimore in Ireland, and carried away a number
of captives who were seen in the slave-market of Algiers by the French
historian Pierre Dan.

The first half of the 17th century may be described as the flowering time
of the Barbary pirates. More than 20,000 captives were said to be
imprisoned in Algiers alone. The rich were allowed to redeem themselves,
but the poor were condemned to slavery. Their masters would not in many
cases allow them to secure freedom by professing Mahommedanism. A long list
might be given of people of good social position, not only Italians or
Spaniards, but German or English travellers in the south, who were captives
for a time. The chief sufferers were the inhabitants of the coasts of
Sicily, Naples and Spain. But all traders belonging to nations which did
not pay blackmail in order to secure immunity were liable to be taken at
sea. The payment of blackmail, disguised as presents or ransoms, did not
always secure safety with these faithless barbarians. The most powerful
states in Europe condescended to make payments to them and to tolerate
their insults. Religious orders--the Redemptionists and Lazarites--were
engaged in working for the redemption of captives and large legacies were
left for that purpose in many countries. The continued existence of this
African piracy was indeed a disgrace to Europe, for it was due to the
jealousies of the powers themselves. France encouraged them during her
rivalry with Spain; and when she had no further need of them they were
supported against her by Great Britain and Holland. In the 18th century
British public men were not ashamed to say that Barbary piracy was a useful
check on the competition of the weaker Mediterranean nations in the
carrying trade. When Lord Exmouth sailed to coerce Algiers in 1816, he
expressed doubts in a private letter whether the suppression of piracy
would be acceptable to the trading community. Every power was, indeed,
desirous to secure immunity for itself and more or less ready to compel
Tripoli, Tunis, Algiers, Salli and [v.03 p.0384] the rest to respect its
trade and its subjects. In 1655 the British admiral, Robert Blake, was sent
to teach them a lesson, and he gave the Tunisians a severe