A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN THE COURT OF TUNIS
At Malta, whom should I bump into but commodore Barney! His business in
France having been completed, he had taken the notion to see southern
Europe before returning to the United States.
He was amazed to see me in the uniform of the United States, yet
proud, too, that I had taken matters into my own hands and gone to
sea willy-nilly. He told me that the rector had been sent back to his
Baltimore charge by his bishop, and that Alexander had begun business
in Baltimore as a ship chandler. My story of Murad's treachery brought
forth a series of explosions, which, however, were cut short by the
arrival of the commodore's friend Captain William Eaton, a military
officer from the United States, who had stopped in Malta on his way to
take the office of American envoy at the court of Tunis.
The conversation turned towards Captain Eaton's mission to Tunis. "I
understand that I have an abominable ruler to deal with," he said, "I
shall be doing well if I do nothing more than keep Yankee ships and
sailors out of his hands!"
"I wish I were going with you, sir," I said impulsively.
"Can you write? Are you handy at clerical work?" he asked.
"Is he?" burst out the commodore, "why, the boy was brought up to be a
minister. When I knew him a quill or a book was never out of his hands!"
"I have authority from Washington to employ a secretary," said the
captain. "The lad can accompany me in that office."
Delighted, I turned away to make the necessary arrangements. "If you
haven't the knack of fighting as well as of writing, I advise you to
decline the position," Captain Eaton called after me, "for I expect to
battle with the Bey of Tunis from the hour I arrive!"
"That," I returned, "is the reason I said I'd like to go along! You
look like a fighter, sir!"
Captain Eaton was pleased instead of offended at my boldness. The story
of his career, as I heard it later from the commodore, proved that the
captain was a fighter in deeds as well as in looks. He had a broad
forehead, with deep-set eyes and heavy eyebrows. His nose was that of a
fighter, and if ever a chin expressed determination, his did.
[Illustration: IN LOOK AND IN DEED, WILLIAM EATON WAS A FIGHTER.]
His career, as I heard it later from the lips of the commodore, was
fascinating. His father had been a farmer-teacher who raised crops
in the summer and taught school in the winter. William, who was born
in Woodstock, Connecticut, developed into a lad with a studious yet
adventurous spirit. When sixteen he ran away from home and enlisted
in the army where he was employed as a waiter by Major Dennie, of the
Connecticut troops.
A DARTMOUTH LAD
After he had risen to the rank of sergeant, he decided that he
would like to go to college, and secured an honorable discharge. He
was admitted as a freshman to Dartmouth College, at Hanover, New
Hampshire, but was given permission to be absent during the coming
winter, in order that he might by teaching school obtain enough money
to pursue his studies. Due, however, to difficulties at home, he was
forced to prolong his school teaching, and it was not until two years
later that he was able to return to Dartmouth. With his pack suspended
from a staff thrown over his shoulder, he started on foot for Hanover.
In his pack was a change of linen and a few articles which he expected
to sell on his journey. When he reached Northfield, his money gave out,
and he was in despair. He began, however, to offer his pins, needles
and other notions for sale, and with the proceeds he was able to go
on to college. Here he was received with great kindness by President
Wheelock, and here he pursued his studies, handicapped by sickness and
by the necessity of teaching school in town. At last, in August, 1790,
he received his degree. In March, 1792, he was appointed a captain in
the army of the United States, and was assigned to duty at Pittsburgh
and later at Cincinnati.
His prediction as to a troubled career in Tunis came true.
With an embrace and a God-speed from Commodore Barney, I sailed with
Captain Eaton for Tunis. Arriving there, Mr. Cathcart led the captain
to the Bey's palace. I was allowed to follow. We were ushered into the
Bey's Hall of State, and there the captain must approach and bow to a
fat-faced individual who frowned on him as if he were a stray cur that
had wandered in among his satins and velvets. This fellow, from his
safe place among his over-dressed officers, poured out abuse.
"It is now more than a year since your country promised me gifts of
arms and ships! Why have they not been sent to me?"
Captain Eaton replied with dignity: "The treaty was received by our
government about eight months ago; a malady then raged in our capital,
which forced not only the citizens, but all the departments of the
government, to fly into the interior villages of the country. About
the time the plague ceased to rage, and permitted the return of the
government, the winter shut up our harbors with ice. We are also
engaged in a war with France; and all our means were used to defend
ourselves against that country." He then went on to explain that he was
empowered to offer a cash sum instead of the naval stores promised.
"I am not a beggar," said the Bey, "I have cash to spare. The stores
are more than ever needed because of my war with France. You have found
no trouble in fulfilling your promises to Algiers and Tripoli; and to
Algiers have made presents of frigates and other armed vessels."
The captain explained that the Dey of Algiers had agreed to pay for
certain armed vessels built for him by the United States, and that,
moreover, several years' time had been allowed for their delivery.
"You may inform me," said the Bey, "that the Dey of Algiers paid you
cash for your vessels. I do not believe it."
Arguments such as this one went on forever.
Our first pilgrimage, after becoming settled in Tunis, was to visit the
hill which was once the site of Carthage. We passed through fertile
pastures where donkeys, sheep, cattle, and camels were feeding, and
among fields of wheat, barley, and oats where awkward camels were used
for plowing. Captain Eaton's military soul became aroused as we stood
at the place where the great Hannibal was born.
My chief was well acquainted with Carthaginian history and thrilled
me with his description of how Hannibal, commanding an army of paid
mercenaries--Africans, Spaniards, Gauls, and Italians--managed them for
thirteen years through wars and hardships in a foreign country without
experiencing a single mutiny. Captain Eaton little dreamed that, on a
small scale to be sure, fate had designed him to play the part of a
Hannibal for his own country--but this will be told in due time.
When I was not on duty I spent my time taking donkey tours of the
city, with an Arab boy running behind me to make my stubborn steed go.
In this fashion I visited the Maltese, Jewish and Arab quarters, and
explored the bazaars. When I grew hungry, why, here was the stand of an
Arab who sold sweetmeats, and there was the booth of a man who fried
meat and sold it hot from the fire, while always in the streets were
fruit merchants selling fresh dates, oranges, and figs. When I stopped
to buy curios, the swarthy, turbaned dealers usually invited me into
their little shops to sit cross-legged on the floor and sip strong
black coffee while we haggled over prices.
THE HORSE-WHIPPING
Before we arrived in Tunis, the agent there for the United States
was a French merchant, named Joseph Etienne Famin. Upon our arrival
the English consul at Tunis, Major Magre, warned Captain Eaton not
to place confidence in Famin, stating that he was a dangerous man
who would set snares for his successor. Captain Eaton soon learned
that the Frenchman had protested to the Bey against the United States
establishing a consul there "to keep the bread out of his mouth."
The captain, lonely among enemies, rewarded my faithfulness by taking
me into his confidence. He told me that he had found that Famin had
yielded to every outrageous demand made by the Bey against the United
States, which Famin represented. Captain Eaton also told me that he
suspected the Frenchman of reaping a profit from the presents sent by
the United States to the ruler. Famin, we learned, had declared to the
Bey that Eaton was nothing but a vice-consul, subject to Consul-General
O'Brien at Algiers, and only placed at Tunis to spy upon the court.
At last, when the Frenchman told the court that "the Americans were a
feeble sect of Christians" and that their independence from England
"was the gift of France," Captain Eaton, giving him his jacket to hold,
horse-whipped Famin at the marine gate of Tunis, before a crowd of
amazed Moslems.
Famin went whining to the Bey and demanded that Eaton be punished.
"How dare you lift your hand against a subject of mine in my kingdom?"
the Bey demanded of Captain Eaton, who took me with him to the palace.
[Illustration: "HOW DARE YOU LIFT YOUR HAND AGAINST A SUBJECT OF MINE?"
THE BEY OF TUNIS DEMANDED OF EATON.]
The captain replied that Famin had tried to betray him, and had tried
also to betray the Bey. He brought forth a paper, and prepared to read
its contents.
"Hear him call your prime minister and your agents a set of thieves and
robbers!" exclaimed Captain Eaton.
"Mercy! Forbearance!" cried Famin.
"Yes, _thieves_ and _robbers_! This is the man of your confidence!" the
consul went on. Then I heard him tell the Bey that Famin had blabbed
all his secrets to a woman, who had repeated them to others, so that
all the town knew that he was playing a double game with the Americans,
and increasing the misunderstandings that had arisen between the
American envoy and the court.
Famin trembled as if in a fit, and began an address in Arabic.
"Speak French!" said the Bey, frowning.
The ruler was at last convinced of the Frenchman's guilt. As we quitted
the place we heard the Bey say to his court:
"The American consul has been heated, but truly he has had reason.
I have found him a very plain, candid man; and his concern for his
fellow-citizens is not a crime."
On one occasion, while Captain Eaton was in the palace, I paid a visit
to the executioner, who occupied a lodge at the entrance to the palace.
I went with an interpreter, a friend of the executioner, but even under
the circumstances I felt timid when the official took down from its
place on the wall a long curved scimitar and began to feel its edge as
a reaper feels the blade of his scythe.
"It is a good blade--it has never failed me," he said, "even though I
have had to slice off as many as twenty heads in a day."
If one is disposed to think that the ancient cruelty of these Turkish
rulers has been decreased, let him think of these cruelties which we
saw enacted in spite of our attempts to stop them.
Five corsairs from Tunis, manned by nine hundred and ninety men, sailed
forth and landed upon the island of St. Peters, belonging to Sardinia.
They captured and brought back with them as prisoners to Tunis two
hundred and twenty men and seven hundred women and children. In the
raid upon the island, old men and women, and mothers with infants were
pulled from their beds, driven down stairs or hurled from windows,
driven almost naked through the streets, crowded into the filthy holds
of the cruisers, and then, when landed at Tunis, bound with thongs and
driven through the streets to the auction square, where they were sold
into slavery. The old, the infirm and the infants, being unfit to work,
were left to shift for themselves. If it had not been for contributions
made by Captain Eaton and European ambassadors, they would have died of
starvation.
The sum of $640,000 was demanded by the Bey for the ransom of the
slaves, but at last he agreed to accept $270,000 from the king of
Sardinia for their redemption.
WAR BREAKS OUT WITH TRIPOLI
A fire broke out in the palace and destroyed fifty thousand stands of
arms. The Bey called upon Captain Eaton to request the United States to
forward him ten thousand stands of arms. "I have divided my loss," he
said, "among my friends; this quota falls to you to furnish; tell your
government to send them without delay."
Captain Eaton refused to forward the demand. "You will never receive a
single musket from the United States!" he declared.
Meanwhile, Captain Eaton's neighbor consul, Mr. Cathcart, was
having similar troubles at the court of Tripoli. We learned from
correspondence that in April, 1800, Tripoli's greedy Bashaw had bidden
Cathcart, the American consul, to tell the President of the United
States that while "he was pleased with his proffers of friendship, had
they been accompanied by a present of a frigate or brig-of-war, he
would be still more inclined to believe them genuine."
In May the Bashaw asked: "Why do not the United States send me a
present? I am an independent prince as well as the Bey of Tunis, and I
can hurt the commerce of any nation as much as the ruler of Tunis."
The President paid no heed to these threats. Thereupon, on May 18,
1801, the Bashaw cut down the flagstaff of the American consulate at
Tripoli. Consul Cathcart quitted the city, and a state of war was
declared.
Matters came to a head with us in Tunis in March, 1803. Commodore
Morris had been detained in port by the Bey because the American
squadron had seized a Tunisian vessel bound for Tripoli, with which
country the United States was at war. Consul Eaton had protested with
more than usual vigor against this outrage. The Bey ordered him to quit
the court at once.
"It is well," replied Captain Eaton, "I am glad to quit a court where I
have known such violence and indignity!"
On the 10th of March, we left Tunis on board of one of the ships of the
American squadron. Doctor George Davis, of New York, was left in charge
of American affairs. On the 30th of the same month, Captain Eaton
sailed from Gibraltar in the merchant ship _Perseverance_, bound for
Boston, at which port he arrived May 5th. He then went to Washington
to urge that a land campaign be waged against the ruling Bashaw of
Tripoli, of which project more will appear in this story. He was
appointed navy agent for the United States and instructed to aid in the
campaign of our squadron against the Bashaw of Tripoli.
I hoped while in Tunis to obtain a leave of absence that I might join a
caravan that would pass by Tokra, the treasure city of my dreams. But
no opportunity came. I remained with the fleet while Captain Eaton was
at home and rejoined him when he returned. He brought with him a plan
of campaign that, in operation, was to bring me well within reach of
the treasure spot.
[Illustration: I HOPED THAT I MIGHT JOIN A CARAVAN THAT WOULD PASS BY
TOKRA--THE TREASURE CITY OF MY DREAMS.]