and wise prince, had a mighty inclination to oppress the richest of his subjects; and, by a piece of ill-timed policy, had, since the beginning of his reign, neglected the natural born Turks, and placed his chief confidence in Moors and renegadoes; upon whom likewise he bestowed the greatest honours and preferments. On the other hand, Aly Bashaw, while he acted under him as aga of the Janizaries, behaved himself with such courtesy, generosity and justice, that he gained the affections of that body, and the good will of the whole kingdom. Aly Bashaw therefore, being upon some misunderstanding with his uncle, fled to the mountains of Uselett. He had there the hardiness to proclaim himself bey; and to publish, at the same time, the great injustice and oppression that Hassan ben Aly had always exercised over his subjects. He further exclaimed against the unjust contempt and disregard that had all along been paid to the Turks, the natural safeguards of the kingdom; adding further, that he himself would immediately apply proper methods for the ease and satisfaction of them all. Taking, I say, all these circumstances together, there was probability enough, without the concurrence of a prophecy, that such a revolution might then have been brought about. Yet, notwithstanding all these unfavourable circumstances; notwithstanding the very day and hour were confidently prefixed for Hassan ben Aly's destruction, he proved too strong for their Jaffareah; and, provided the Algerines had not a few years years afterwards interposed, he would, in all probability, have left a peaceable possession of that kingdom to his son.-See above, p. 136. It would be too tedious to recount any more of their pretended prophecies; some of which, the event very obviously shewed to be false; whilst others were, at the best, uncertain guesses only, or probable conjectures. We are to wait therefore till time and futurity determine the truth of that very remarkable one, which promises to the Christians a restoration of all those kingdoms, which they formerly lost to the Turks and Saracens. Thus much may be observed of it already, that there is no part of the Mahometan dominions, extensive as they are, where it is not universally received; and that, in consequence thereof, the gates of their cities are carefully shut up every Friday, the day of their congregation, from ten till twelve o'clock in the morning, that being, as they say, the day and the time prefixed for this notable catastrophe. CHAP 444 CHAPTER IV. SECTION I. Of the Government of these Kingdoms; As the Arabs have had no small share in the foregoing observations, it may be expected that something should be said of the form of government that subsists among them. Now, though the greatest part of these tribes have been under the Turkish yoke for many ages, yet they are rarely interrupted, either in what may concern the course of justice, or in the succession to those few offices and dignities that belong properly to themselves. For, provided they live peaceably, pay regularly the eighth part of the produce of their lands, together with a small poll-tax that is annually demanded by the Turks, they are left in full possession of all their private laws, privileges and customs. Every dou-war therefore may be looked upon as a little principality; where the family that is of the greatest name, substance and reputation, usually presides. However this honour honour does not always lineally descend from father to son; but, as it was among their predecessors, the Numidians, when the heir is too young, or subject to any infirmity, then they make choice of the uncle, or some other relation, who, for prudence and wisdom, is judged to be the best qualified. Yet, notwithstanding a despotic power is lodged in this person, all grievances and disputes are accommodated by calling in to his assistance one or two persons out of cach tent. And as the offender is considered as a brother, the sentence is always given on the favourable side; and, even in the most enormous crimes, rarely any other punishment is inflicted than banishment. When this person has the superintendence over a single dou-war, he is commonly called the Shekh †; but when his authority reaches over several, then he has the title either of Shekh el Kibeer, great Lord or Elder, or se of the Emeer ‡, Prince. As few or none either of these Shekhs, or of the Turkish and Eastern kings, princes or bashaws, know to write their own names, all their letters and decrees are tamped with their proper rings, seals, or signets, Kings xx. 2. Est. iii. 12. Dan. vi. 7. &c.) which I. 3 м are Militante Masinissa pro Carthaginiensibus in Hispania, pater ejus moritur: Galæ nomen erat. Regnum ad fratrem reis Desalcem, pergrandem natu (mos ita apud Numidas est) perverfi Liv. 1. xxix. § 29. 4 Sheikh, senex, senior, doctor: aut authoritate, principatu, pietate, et arte conspicuus. Vid. Gol. in voce. Ameer from Amara, he commanded, mandavit, jussit, præce pit. Idem. are usually of silver or cornelian, with their respective names engraved upon them on one side, and the name of their kingdom or principality, or else some sentence of their Koran, on the other. The government of the Algerines, which differs little from that of Tunis, consists of the Dey, who is to be considered as the Stadtholder, and of a dou-wanne, or common council. The douwanne, (the same with Divan, as it is erroneously though commonly written) is principally composed of the thirty Yiah Bashees; though the Mufti, the Kaddy, and the whole army, of what degree soever, are sometimes called in to assist. All affairs of moment ought to be agreed upon by this assembly, before they pass into laws, and before the Dey is entrusted with putting them in execution. But for some years past, there has been little account made of this venerable body; which continues indeed to be very formally convened, but then it is only with the same formality to consent to such propositions, as have been before hand concerted betwixt the Dey and his favourites; so that, in effect, the whole power is lodged in one person. This person who, at Algiers, is called the Dey, and at Tunis the Bey, is chosen out of the army; each order, even the most inferior, having an equal right and title to that dignity with the highest. Every bold and aspiring soldier, though taken yesterday from the plough, may be considered (particularly at Algiers) as the heir appa rent |