lice officer of him. 211 VOL. 6.] Dumont's Account of his Captivity in Mount Felix and Algiers. the reader is referred to that curious old dynasty; all these things seemed 30 It is stated that Ali Manet, incredible, that I thought the English their liberator, received the promised merely wished to amuse themselves at appointment for his important services, my expense, and had in consequence the Dey of Algiers having made a po- got up this magic lantern to trifle with As the morals of my credulity. Nor was I entirely unthe capital, like those of most others, deceived at Naples. But when matwere not quite so rigid as amongst the ters were repeated at Marseilles in the adowars of Mount Felix, Manet fre- same manner as I heard them on board quently visited his friends to enjoy the the ship of war, I could no longer dissatisfaction of drinking their healths, and believe their veracity. talking over old times. On these occasions he seldom omitted reminding them, that, had it not been for his peeping through the lattices of Osman's seraglio, and activity in getting safe to Gigeri, they would have been still eating Indian corn at Mount Felix ! When Lord Exmouth made his gallant attack on the piratical city, the slaves were removed to a distance, and it seems that orders were not only given for putting them all to death, but that many suffered. This horrible decree was, however, countermanded; and as the sequel is sufficiently well known to our readers, it need not be repeated in this place. Having embarked on board an English frigate, in company with several hundred other ransomed captives, Dumont was conveyed to Naples and given up to M. Bourcet, the French consul. But as he has probably excited some share of the reader's sympathy, and there are a few curious particulars connected with his subsequent history, we shall make no apology for giving them to the public. 66 "Who can describe my astonishment," says M. Dumont, on hearing from the officers and crew of the frigate an account of the French revolution, the rapid succession of so many governments, such as the constituent assembly, the legislative body, national convention, reign of terror, directory and consulate, the elevation of Napoleon Bonaparte to the throne, his prodigious conquests and fall, the restoration of Louis XVIII., Bonaparte's return from Elba, flight of the king, second departure of Napoleon, and re-establishment of the + Narrative of a Residence in Algiers. By Signor Ponanti. 4to plates, 1813. As I spoke the language of all the different slaves that had been embarked in the same ship, I was appointed to act as interpreter during the passage. On our arrival at Naples I was sent to the French consul, M. Bourcet, who immediately supplied me with money and clothes. It is with sincere pleasure that I take this opportunity of acknowledging the benevolence and kindness of this gentleman, which made me almost forget the horrors of captivity. what greater pleasure can there be, than to think of those who have consoled us in the hour of adversity! But When my beard was taken off I found that my chin bad contracted a thick layer of dirt, so identified with the flesh that it required constant spunging for three months before I could remove it. I had also a large indurated swelling on the left ancle, caused by the iron clasp, which, together with the bolt, weighed three pounds. M. Bourcet having given me a passport and route, I embarked on board a merchant vessel for Marseilles, where our quarantine only lasted seven days. While there, I met a native of Lyons, who had been one of my companions in misfortune at Algiers. He was taken in a vessel under Sardinian colours, and remained in slavery eighteen years. This man, whose name was Etienne, was now slowly recovering from a severe fit of illness, which followed his liberation. Previous to quitting Marseilles, M. Felix Antoine, a, rich merchant, offered me five francs per day, if I would consent to serve him in the capacity of interpreter; but the desire of seeing my relatives, and re-visiting the capital after thirty-seven years absence, made me decline the offer a very thoughtless action on my part, which I had good reason to repent in the following year. When sufficiently well to travel, Etienne and myself left Marseilles together for Lyons. Soon after quitting the town I threw away the skull that had served as a goblet during the last fourteen years of my detention in the prison of Sheik Osman. It had, from continued use, now become as polished and white as ivory; but although I drank my ration of rum out of it on board the frigate, I knew that the using such a vessel' where plenty of others were to be had, would excite the remarks of my friends, and I therefore thought it most prudent to part with it in this way. I was dressed in the suit of clothes given me by M. Bourcet, and had three hundred francs in my pocket. Etienne was also very well provided. I wished to walk barefooted, as I had been in the habit of doing in Africa, but the cold frosty weather soon obliged me to put on my shoes again. We had scarcely proceeded four leagues when a party of eight or nine men appeared crossing a field and coming towards us. On ap proaching somewhat nearer, we perceived they were armed with bludgeons and knives. In a few minutes more the banditti attacked us and demanded our money. It was in vain that I showed my numerous scars, and told them I was only a poor slave who had just escaped from the hands of barbarians; they were deaf to my cries, and, more inhuman than the Koubals, who were not at least my countrymen, they stripped both Etienne and myself, not only of our money, but the two parcels containing our wearing apparel. Fortunately, on proceeding to the next village, the inhabitants took a little pity on us, and what with the assistance we received there, as well as in one or two other towns along the road, we managed to arrive at Lyons in tolerably good spirits. Having passed a part of the day in looking at the principal streets and buildings in the above city, Etienne conducted me towards dark to the house of his parents, who kept an inn. He entered without making himself known, and ordered supper for two persons. On serving the soup and boullie Etienne called for a roast fowl; upon this his mother examining us more attentively, observed, "You are travellers, I perceive, and perhaps, not aware that provisions are dear." My companion, with his hat slouched, and turning his back to the old lady, replied, “ that's of no consequence to you, madam, give what is ordered and we'll pay for it.""I beg your pardon, sir," rejoined his mother, "I am wrong, but I did'nt exactly know the state of your purse.' This short dialogue was followed by the fowl's being brought in. 66 We continued to eat very slowly, in order to wait for the night's closing in, when Etienne asked, whether we could have beds?—"No," answered his mother, "all my beds are occupied ;""and this young lady," replied the sou pointing to his sister, who served at table, "Has she got a bed?"—“ How! if my children have not beds, who is to have them?"" Then I am not your son?" exclaimed Etienne, raising his voice, and discovering his countenance. At these words and this movement of the stranger, the poor woman seemed to feel a violent oppression, turned pale, and fell senseless on the floor; the daughter instantly ran to inform her father, who was in the next coffee-house. Etienne flew to the assistance of his poor mother, the servants cried aloud, and I could not help weeping with them. The father came in soon after; but Madame Etienne was no more! Her daughter took the event so much to heart, that she immediately retired to bed, and never left it again, having died after an illness of two days. The father, distracted by this double loss, sustained by the recovery of his son, could not support it, and only survived eight days! Finally, Etienne, the cause of this sad tragedy, was seized with a raging fever, for his health had never been properly restored, and followed the fate of his parents in a week after the death of his father. I saw them all perish, and never left the bed of my comrade, VOL. 6.] Dumont's Account of his Captivity of thirty-four Years. 213 bestow, and even died in my arms. This was one of the most dreadful trials that had overtaken me in life. What a picture for one who was on the point of looking after his own family after an absence of more than thirty-seven years! I had also formed the plan of taking them by surprise, before this catastrophe occurred, and sending a letter, in which my adventures were to be given under a feigned name; but I was soca cured of that whim by the frightful calamity that befel the unfortunate family of Etienne. who received all the attentions I could d'Anjou was within a few hundred yards of the spot. Flying to the paternal roof, I knocked at the door, and on its being opened, explained who I was; but the servant would not understand me, for my father was no longer known there, and the house belonged to a new master! I remained a few moments undecided as to what part I should take; then fearing that the patrole might arrest me, if found wandering through the city at that unreasonable hour, I formed the resolution of going to the guard-house on the boulevard de la Madeleine, at which the national guard generally do duty. I left Lyons quite stupified with what had happened, and taking the road to Paris, I experienced fresh proofs of benevolence in the towns through which I had to pass. At length, I arrived in the capital about ten o'clock at night,* by the Auxerre passage boat, in which I was advised to remain till the morning, lest I should lose my way in the new streets; but I felt too much anxiety to see my friends, and therefore determined to land at once. I was not a little surprised to see so many shops lighted up at that late hour, military posts on every side, national guards parading about the streets, a truly strange sight to one who had never seen any thing but watchmen and beadles in former days. Passing by the boulevard St. Martin, my astonishment redoubled on seeing the fine fountain that ornaments that quarter. I now thought I had lost my way, and on enquiring of the foot passengers, I was told to continue strait along the boulevards. It was very late when I arrived before the new church of the Madeleine, which is precisely in the same state it was when I quitted Paris in 1780. Continuing my route from this point, I vainly endeavoured to find out the old church of Madeleine, now replaced by a timber yard, or the convent of nuns which has also disappeared. At a loss how to turn, I addressed myself to another person whom I saw in the street, and found, with pleasure, that the Rue This was on the 24th of January, 1817. Dumont never recollects dates; I have discovered this by a certificate that was delivered to him on the day after his arrival.-Fr. Ed. After a short examination of my person, and asking a few questions, the officer affected by the story of my long sufferings, of which he had abundant proofs before him, in the number and length of my scars, generously made a collection of 56 francs for me amongst his guard; a person was next dispatched to the restaurateur's, who sent a fowl, some vermicelli soup, and a bottle of wine. But the unexpected reception at the house of my father left me very little inclination to eat.* vided me with a mattress, I fell asleep, and was not awakened till the arrival of the commissary of police, who put several new questions to me. As he recollected that the public papers had mentioned my return to France, he was very minute in his enquiries, which concluded by the present of a 20 franc piece. Having pro -When he went away, I examined the coin, and not knowing the head of Napoleon, I took it for a counterfeit, an error that did not fail greatly to amuse the national guards on duty. Having gone to a neighbouring lodging house at day-light, with the intention of waiting till I could prosecute my search, I met an old woman there, who told me she was a native of Neuilly; on hearing this village named, I recollected that an aunt of mine had formerly lived there, and that I frequently found an Owing to his former mode of living, a little soup is sufficient to serve Dumont for twenty-four hours, even without drinking; and yet, he can walk twelve leagues a day with the greatest ease. He is very thin, and from his never having known a day's sickness, he will, most probably, live to a great age. Fr. Ed. asylum at her house during the time I happened to be in disgrace with my father. I therefore asked the good woman whether she knew a person by the name of Dumont, and on her answering in the affirmative, not a moment was lost in hastening to my relative, who shed tears of joy the instant she recognized me. She gave me the address of a sister from whom I separated when she was only three years old, an age by far too young to enable her to remember the features of a brother. I found her in a miserable situation, with four children to provide for, and who wanted bread, for their father had died but a short time before, owing to an accident that befel him. When the first surprise attending such an extraordinary meeting had subsided, I gave her all the money I had received; upon which she went and bought some necessaries, for her room was quite stripped of all the furniture, even to the bed of her infants, which had been sold to pay the expenses incurred during her husband's long malady. Neither my aunt or sister could give me any clue by which my parents were to be found; they merely informed me that both my father and mother had quitted Paris many years ago.. One part of the large house in which my sister lodged, was occupied by an English officer, Colonel Jackson. Having heard me express myself with considerable facility in his native tongue, this gentle nan asked in what part of England I had lived; upon which I told him the whole story of my captivi ty, adding, to his great surprise, that I had never seen his country. The colonel who seemed to listen with great interest to all I related, immediately gave me a letter to Vice Admiral Sir Sidney Smith, who, as I afterwards heard, made various attempts to find me it, on seeing the circumstance of my return to France published in the journals of the day. The admiral received me very kindly, and on being informed that I had no situation, he employed me as a messenger to the anti-piratical institution, of which he was the founder. I was al ; lowed two francs per day, for carrying letters and attending the president when he went out. In addition to his giving me the above place, Sir Sidney recommended me to the notice of several other personages of rank, and amongst the rest to MONSIEUR, the King's brother in consequence of whose benevolence, I was enabled to procure another bed and some furniture for my sister, who also received half of my wages. Circumstances having obliged the admiral to quit Paris* he gave me two certificates, one in English, and the other in French, together with some money.+ No sooner had my humane protector left me, than I began to see the impossibility of replacing the loss I had sustained by his departure; and many weeks did not elapse before I felt the return of my former distress. It was impossible to lay by any thing out of twenty sous per day, since I was forced to pay for my board, lodging, and clothes, out of the above sum. But my sister suffered more from this unfortunate event than myself. If her children cried for bread, she would answer, "Wait for your uncle; when he comes you will have some." On going to see them, their cries redoubled, and went to my heart, for I had nothing to give, and was dying with hunger myself. My sister, too, had the weakness, or rather foolish shame, not to get her name inscribed on the list of paupers belonging * The English Editor has every reason to believe that Sir Sidney Smith left Paris to visit Italy for the good of his health, but to the honour of this gallant and distinguished officer be it spoken, not till he had expended large sums of his own fortune, in forwarding the beneficent objects of the institution,and most like Dumont, had suffered from the effects of Christian slavery, and appealed to his generous nature. liberally ministered to the wants of all those who, + The following is a copy of these two documents: I hereby certify that P. G. Dumont, who has been thirty-four years a slave in Barbary, served with me in the capacity of messenger to the institution, and that from the first day of his service, January 1st, till the date hereof, he has always behaved with zeal, fidelity, and correctness. His diligene and good conduct induce me warmly to recommend him to all those who feel a pleasure in serving the unfortunate, and encouraging honest industry. Signed WILLIAM SIDNEY SMITH, President of the Anti-Piratical Institution, Paris, Aug. 26, 1818. VOL. 6.] Sketches of Modern Manners-Tales of To-Day. to the parish. For my own part, I It was in vain that I presented my certificates at the doors of various hou* At this part of the narrative Dumont could not restrain his tears.-Fr. Ed. 215 ses, and offered my services, or that I told the proprietors I had been accustomed to labour all my life, and, alage, though fifty years of still felt my self capable of undergoing the greatest fatigue. My cruel destiny seemed to to conspire against me in every quarter; and nine months had thus passed away since the vice-admiral's departure. I was, in fact, on the point of sinking, through languor and despair, when all of a sudden, fortune seemed to take a more favourable turn, by inspiring me with a project, to the execution of which I am indebted for my present tranquillity: this was to petition his Royal Highness Monsieur, to whose bounty I had already been indebted for relief. The Duke de Maillé and M. Polignac having kindly joined their voices to mine, the appeal to his Highness produced the desired effect; and I soon obtained the means of assisting my unhappy sister.-The last efforts of my benefactors have ended in procuring me an asylum, and the means of existence, in the Royal Hospital of Incurables. It is here, therefore, that I hope to find that happiness, of which I have hitherto only known the name. May the example of such long suffering soften the pangs of others, and teach them to bear up against the ills of life! and if there be still left any condition more hard than what is exhibited in my story, those who are exposed to it ought to reflect, that it would be a folly to sacrifice the hope of emancipation by a voluntadeath! ry Dumont was received at the Incurables on the 7th of May.-Fr. Ed. |