EXECUTION OF THE INFIDEL CHIEFS AT ALGIERS.
About this time, when Khair-ad-din’s ships were lying in the harbour, the Admiral Ferdinand from Spain entered it with a fleet of one hundred and ten ships. Khair-ad-din immediately came into the harbour, and after a hot engagement entirely routed the infidels. The admirals ship struck on the sand, when, in despair, he and six hundred infidels jumped overboard, and, with thirty-six captains, in all about three thousand men, were made prisoners. Two prisons underground were filled with them, and the city was crowded with those assigned to the natives. Some of them formed a conspiracy, and had made arrangements for their escape, but were detected. Soon after a messenger arrived from Spain offering 100,000 ducats for the ransom of the thirty-six officers. To this the Ulemas would not give their consent; saying, that the captains being expert in naval matters, and every one of them brave fellows, the sum ought to be doubled: this however was not effected. Khair-ad-din then sought some pretence for having them killed; and when he heard of their attempt to escape, ordered a general execution. For the body of the Admiral Ferdinand seven thousand florins were offered; but the Moslems considering it improper to deal in carcases, threw it into a deep well.