An Historical and Geographical Account of Algiers; Comprehending a Novel and Interesting Detail of Events Relative to the American Captives.
Philadelphia: Printed by Hogan & M'Elroy, 1797.
Price: $1,500.00
About the item
First edition. Folding engraved frontispiece. 304,[6],[2]pp. including list of subscribers and publisher's advertisements. 12mo. Contemporary sheep, black morocco lettering piece, crude repairs at joints. Provenance: William Frazer (early signature on title); New Castle Library Company (bookplate on pastedown and inked stamp on title); Library Company of Philadelphia (bookplate). Howes S966, "aa"; Evans 32877; Sabin 91354; ESTC W12692.
Item #373315
The first edition of this scarce history of Algiers, focusing particularly on the plight and eventual release of American sailors captured and enslaved by Barbary pirates. This copy contains the often-lacking frontispiece depicting the torture method known as "Bastinading."
"The problem arose soon after the close of the American Revolution. On July 25, 1785, an Algerine xebec captured the schooner 'Maria' of Boston three miles southeast of Cape St. Vincent, off the coast of Portugal, and five days later the 'Dauphin' of Philadelphia was captured. The crews were sold into slavery in Algiers. Congress...sent John Lamb, a sea captain of Norwich, Connecticut, and authorized him to ransom the prisoners at the price of two hundred dollars a head. The mission failed. Jefferson later resumed the negotiation...but with no better success" (Frank E. Ross, "The Mission of Joseph Donaldson, Jr. to Algiers, 1795-97" in The Journal of Modern History (Chicago, 1935), Vol. 7, Number 4). The Treaty of Peace and Amity, signed on September 5, 1795 and ratified the following year, granted United States vessels full rights to trade at Algerian ports and assured that neither party would interfere with the other's business at sea, while also providing religious and legal protections for American citizens and other Christians residing in Algiers.
The book is divided in two main parts. The first is a history of Algiers, including an account of the occupation of Algiers by the Spaniards, wars in the region, depredations committed by the Algerines against American commerce and the enslavement of American seamen, and treaty negotiations. The second part of the work comprises a lengthy description of the country's geography, demographics, and political and religious landscape, along with informative or sometimes humorous anecdotes.
This copy from the library of William C. Frazer (1776-1838), a prominent lawyer and jurist. Rare with the frontispiece.
