The marine provinces twixt Tunneis and Algier.The province of Constantine, lyeth twixt Tunneis and Bugia; the Towne Constantine, now Abirouh, being Capitall, and was surnamed Cortes and Julia: It is begirded with Rockes, and auncient walles contayning eight hundred fire-houses, wherein are the relicts of an Arke triumphant, formerly built by the Romanes; and in this Province sixteene leagues within land, was the Towne of Hippo, now Bosen, whereof St. Augustine was Bishop.
The Territory of Tunneis, lyeth betweene the borders of Abirouh Westward, and the limits of Tripoly Eastward, being of length foure score miles: and on this Sea-coast lyeth the Towne Biserta, adorned with a commodious Haven, and sixe Gallies, the most scelerate of condition, and celerious in flying or following of all the cursares in Turky: Tripoly in Barbary, (commonly called so) was once drowned by the Sea, but now its situation was transported safely a little more Southward; which sometimes was beautified with Merchants of Genoa, Ragusa, and Venice, but now become a den of theeves, and Sea-Pirats, and so are all the marine Townes, twixt Ægypt and Morocco.
The last Province of the kingdom of Numidia, is [VIII. 358.]Ezzebba lying East from Tripoly, and confining with Cyreno a pendicle of Ægipt: The chiefest part whereof is Messaicke being twenty foure Leagues from Tripoly, contayning many Villages, and Townes on the playnes and Mountaynes, abounding in Silkes, Cornes, and diverse Fruites.
All these five Maritine Provinces, have but narrow Inlands, not advancing South-ward from the Sea coast above forty miles. Here in Tunneis I met with our An English Pyrat Captaine Waird.English Captayne, generall Waird, once a great Pyrat, and Commaunder at Sea; who in despight of his denied acceptance in England, had turned Turke, and built there a faire Palace, beautified with rich Marble and Alabaster stones: With whom I found Domesticke, some fifteene circumcised English Runagates, whose lives and Countenances were both alike, even as desperate as disdainfull. Yet old Waird their maister was placable, and joyned me safely with a passing Land conduct to Algiere; yea, and diverse times in my ten dayes staying there, I dyned and supped with him, but lay aboord in the French shippe.
At last having obtayned my pasport from the Bassaw there, and surety taken for my life and moneyes, I imbraced the Land way with this Conduct, consisting of forty Moores, and a hundred Camels loaden with Silkes, Dimmeteis, and other Commodities, traversing the aforesayd Regions of Abirouh, and Arradetz. In all which way (lying nightly in a Tent) I found a pleasant and fruitfull Country, abounding in Wines, Rye, Barly, Wheate, and all kinde of fruites, with innumerable villages, and so infinitely peopled, that it made me wish there had beene none at all; otherwise that they had beene Christians, and so more civill.
[VIII. 359.]The greatest enemy this journey designed mee, was the Sunne, whose exceeding heate was intollerable to indure, being in September Anno 1615. But for provision of Water, Wine, and Victuals wee had abundance. Upon the seaventh day of our course, wee entred in the Tremizen in Barbary.Countrey of Tremizen, formerly Mauritanea Cæsarea: This Kingdome hath to the West Mauritanea Tingitana, contayning the Empire of Morocco and Fez. On the South Gotulia or Desartuous Numidia. On the East with the Rivers of Muluia and Amphlaga, the Marches of Arradetz. And on the North the Sea Mediterren, opposite to Sardinia. The Countrey is in length from the East to the West, some twenty five of their courses, and of our miles about three hundred; and of breadth betweene the Sea and Gotulia, no more than thirty English miles.
This copious Kingdome in all things, hath beene oft and ever molested with the Numidian Sarazens, or bastard Arabs, who falling downe from the Mountaines, do runne their carriere at random upon the ground-toyled Moores, to satisfie their needy and greedy desires. Tremizen or Telensim, had of old foure Provinces, but now onely two The Towne of Tremizen decayed with Warres.its owne Territory, and that of Algier: Whose capitall Towne being too cognominated Tremizen, contayned once eighteene thousand fire houses. But in regard of Josephus King or Fez, who besieged it seaven yeares, over-mastering it and then subdued by Charles the fifth, and likewise the Turkes investion of it, and finally because of the long warres, twixt the Seriff or King there, and the Turke; it is become a great deale lesser and almost disinhabited, and the most part of that Countrey subject to the authority of the Bassaw of Algier.
[VIII. 360.]At last upon the twelfth day of our leaving Tunneis, having arrived at Algier, and abandoning my Conduct with a good respect, I stayed in a Spaniards house, turned Runagate, who kept a roguish Taverne, and a ground planked Hospitality. In all this way of twelve score miles, I payed no Tribute, neyther had I any eminent perrill, the Country being peaceable, though the people uncivill.
The theevish Towne of Algier.This Towne of Algier, was formerly under subjection to the Kingdome of Tremizen, but because of insupportable charges it revolted, and rendered to the King of Arradetz or Bugia: Afterwards it was under the King of Spaine, from whom Barbarossa did take it Anno 1515. being now under the Turke, and is situate upon the pendicles of a flat devalling height, and standeth triangular. The Marine side whereof is strongly fortified, with earth-back’d walles, Bulwarkes, and Artillery, but the semi-squared land-walles, are of small importance, and easily to be surprised; and three miles in circuite, contayning some thirty thousand persons.
There is a Turkish Bashaw here, and a strong Garrison of sixe thousand Janizaries, with two hundred Cursary ships or Pyrats who ever preying upon Christian Commercers, by their continuall spoyles and prises, have made the divelish Towne wonderfull rich; and become the inveterate enemy of Christendome; being now a Kingdome of it selfe, and in length from East to West betweene the Townes Terracot and Guargola, some sixe score miles. It hath a long reaching mould in the Sea, that maketh a safe harbor for their ships agaynst Northerly windes, which on that Coast are deadly dangerous. At this time, the greatest part of the Towne were fled to the mountaynes to [VIII. 361.]shun the parching heate that beateth violently on the Plaines, and Sea-shore; so doe all the maritine Townes of Barbary the like every Sommer, for the moneths July, August, and September: which then being left halfe naked of defence, it were the onely time for Christianes to invade or surprise their Townes.