s of our city, and
in our families? Must we not then be our own slaves? And is there
not more compassion and more favor due to us as Mussulmen, than
to these Christian dogs? We have now above fifty thousand slaves
in and near Algiers. This number, if not kept up by fresh
supplies, will soon diminish, and be gradually annihilated. If we
then cease taking and plundering the infidel ships, and making
slaves of the seamen and passengers, our lands will become of no
value for want of cultivation; the rents of houses in the city
will sink one half; and the revenue of government arising from
its share of prizes be totally destroyed! And for what? To
gratify the whims of a whimsical sect, who would have us, not
only forbear making more slaves, but even manumit those we
have.[2]

"But who is to indemnify their masters for the loss! Will the
state do it? Is our treasury sufficient? Will the Erika do it?
Can they do it? Or would they, to do what they think justice to
the slaves, do a greater injustice to the owners? And if we set
our slaves free, what is to be done with them? Few of them will
return to their countries; they know too well the greater
hardships they must there be subject to; they will not embrace
our holy religion; they will not adopt our manners; our people
will not pollute themselves by intermarrying with them. Must we
maintain them as beggars in our streets, or suffer our properties
to be the prey of their pillage? For men accustomed to slavery
will not work for a livelihood when not compelled. And what is
there so pitiable in their present condition? Were they not
slaves in their own countries?

"Are not Spain, Portugal, France, and the Italian states governed
by despots, who hold all their subjects in slavery, without
exception? Even England treats its sailors as slaves; for they
are, whenever the government pleases, seized, and confined in
ships of war, condemned not only to work, but to fight, for small
wages, or a mere subsistence, not better than our slaves are
allowed by us. Is their condition then made worse by their
falling into our hands? No; they have only exchanged one slavery
for another and I may say a better; for here they are brought
into a land where the sun of Islamism gives forth its light, and
shines in