The flags of the different European nations at peace with this regency, were hoisted, on our arriv al, upon the consular houses; and this afternoon was consumed in the formality of receiving visits.

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Major Magre, the English Consul, spent the evening with us. He cautioned me against any confidence in M. Famin said he was a dangerous man ; and added that my situation was peculiarly critical here; that snares were set for me on many sides, and that the utmost vigilance might not save me from falling into some of them. Advised us to move with caution but firmness in the business of our negociation; and said the Bey was a man of acute discernment, and generally.of fair dealing; but that he was vain and avaricious.

15th. Eight in the morning, M. Famin conducted us to the palace, and introduced us to the Bey. After delivering our letters of credence and full powers, passing the ceremony of kissing his hand, sitting a few minutes and taking coffee; he began to interrogate us.

"Is your vessel a vessel of war ?"

'Yes.'

66 Why was I not duly informed of it, that you might have been saluted, as is customary."

We were unacquainted with the customs'. (True cause, we did not choose to demand a salute which would cost the United States eight hundred dollars.)

"Had not you an agent here who could have informed you; and have not I ministers who could have introduced your concerns to me, without the agency of a Jew?"

'True we had an agent here, but we were uninformed of the mode of making communications.' (The fact is, we had been advised at Algiers, not to employ M. Famin, and had made our arrangements accordingly.)

"It is now more than a year since I expected the regalia of maritime and military stores, stipulated by

treaty what impedes the fulfilment of the stipulation ?"

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 extraordinary means are turned into the channel of defence against the depredations of that rapacious nation. Besides, when the treaty was laid before the government for ratification, it was found exceptionable. We are come forward empowered to agree on the necessary alterations. When these shall be effectuated, the Government of the United States will cause every exertion to be made for the fulfilment of the obligation on their part.'-We pointed out the articles and amendments; and assured the Bey that, when these should be agreed to, we were authorized as a proof of the good faith of our government, and of the sincerity of their desire to cultivate friendship, to stipulate for the payment of an equivalent in cash'. "I am not a pauper," said he; I have cash to spare. The stores are at this moment more than ever peculiarly necessary in consequence of the war with France. You have found no difficulty in fulfiling your engagements with Algiers and Tripoli ; and to the former, have very liberally made presents of frigates and other armed vessels."

We told him these facts had been misrepresented to him. Our government had, indeed, agreed to furnish to the Dey of Algiers, certain armed vessels for which he was to pay cash; that we found no great difficulty in fulfiling this contract, because the vessels carried with them their own defence; and because it had been several years in its accomplishment. We had therefore fulfiled it, and received the stipulated consideration. We were as ready to

fulfil our engagements with him, if, by any arrange ments which could now be made, it could be rendered as feasible.

“You may inform me," said the Bashaw, "that the Dey of Algiers paid you cash for your vessels. I am at liberty to believe otherwise." Turning to M. Famin, he said, "If the treaty were not ratified by the government of the United States in its original form, why did you hoist their colors ?"

"I had orders from the government to hoist them," said M. Famin.

We assured the Bashaw that no such orders had been given by our government, nor would be until the ratification of the treaty. The exceptions to it were but few, and with these exceptions, our gov ernment would find no difficulty in agreeing to it. If M. Famin imagined that our government wished to hoist the flag at all events, he must have mistaken the idea from the communication of some governmental agents, and not immediately. We should, however, when our affairs were accommodated, send direct dispatches to our government, when the obligations of our agent here, would be acknowledged and paid.

Said the Bey," It cost you but little to have your flag hoisted. It will cost you less to have it taken down:" and insisted on the Regalia as a condition of the preservation of the peace.

We repeated the hazard of sending out the stores. The articles were contraband of war: if they should fall into the hands of the French, they could on no principles be reclaimed. This would occasion to us positive loss; to him delay and disappointment. This event was almost certain. The streights of the Mediterranean were covered with French and Spanish war boats, and there was no way of passing them but by fighting through. To prevent, therefore, the disappointment which might, and most probably would be eventual, of sending out the stores unprotected, we proposed furnishing an equivalent cruis

er, provided he acceded to the alterations we demanded in the treaty.

Said he "I shall expect an armed vessel from you gratuitously, after the business is settled, as you have given Algiers."

We answered him he might not expect any thing of the kind; it was utterly impossible. We had business enough for our naval force, in defending our commerce against the depredations of our common enemy; and it was only to prevent sacrificing our property in such a manner as to strengthen their hands, and to convince him of the integrity of our government, that we proposed substituting an armed vessel in lieu of the stores.

He observed that the present opportunity was not favorable to this subject, and proposed postponing it. Said he would send for us at a convenient season; but enjoined upon us to make our communications di rectly, or through his ministers, and not through the medium of a Jew.

This conversation was in presence of Mr. Famin, and it was believed on this account the Bey propos ed postponing the discussion.

We retired into the area of the palace and remained a few minutes, when the Sapitapa asked several questions of a commercial nature, and said the Bey would send for us on Monday.

We returned to M. Famin's. During this interview we desired permission to take a house; and was answered that business of greater importance must first be arranged, after which accommodations of this sort would be attended to; besides this was the American house.

March 16th. Last evening, Mr. Cathcart went off to go on board, but was detained all night at the Goulette; accepted the hospitality of a respectable, intelligent old man, who had formerly been a Colonel in the army of the Stadtholder, now an engineer in the Bey's service, with whom he tarried all night, and from whom he obtained and noted in his diary

the following advice. "Trust no person with your affairs. Be aware of Famin. He is an insidious character, despised by all the Consuls is considered as a spy upon their actions; is supposed to have coined pretexts for the government of Tunis to make demands upon the tributary nations; and he is generally believed to receive brokerage for all the fish he brings to their net.

The Bey is susceptible of flattery, and not absolutely unchangeable in his resolutions." This corresponded with the advice of the British Consul.

The plenipotentiary of Algiers, resident at Tunis, sent for us: we waited on him. After making us a tender of his friendship, he advised us to entertain no doubts of a favorable issue to our negociation; but to move with caution and perseverance: said the Barbary princes sometimes wore unmeaning frowns, and did not always execute their menaces.

We informed him of the position our government had taken to repel and punish the aggressions of France told him the Bey of Tunis, since this position was taken, must adopt a policy to us wholly unaccountable, if, by rejecting our terms of accommodation, he should oblige us to turn those arms against his cruisers which were now pointed only against his enemy. But if he preferred this measure it was at his option we should not accede to any extraordinary sacrifice to evade it. Situated as the United States are, they would not throw any property within his grasp on these seas unprotected. Whatever, therefore, he should chance to capture would first be disputed.

He seemed pleased with our hostility with France. Said, patience and perseverance were only necessary to the attainment of our object; and engaged to see the Bey. He advised that Mr. Cathcart should remain with me till the business should be concluded, on account of his speaking the language; and, in terms of great apparent sincerity, again made a ten