THE FEMALE CAPTIVE – PART 15 – Corsairs & Captives

This week, we conclude the narrative of Elizabeth Marsh. In last week’s post, Ms. Marsh and her companions were still stuck in Safi, on the Atlantic coast of Morocco.

We take up the story from there.

Not long after the British warship had anchored in the Safi road, my friend received a very obliging letter from the ship’s Captain, who advised us to be in readiness to depart, though we could not embark until the Jew the Sultan had sent as an emissary had gone and returned from Morocco. The Captain entreated us to make ourselves easy, for he would do everything in his power to facilitate our enlargement.

The Jew, who was a principal person at the Palace, talked with my friend and asked him what kind of present my friend intended to make him for the trouble he should have on our account.

My friend answered that the neither the other passengers nor ship’s crew could spare him anything, and therefore the whole of his demand must fall on myself and him, who had but little cash, but he might depend on having as much as we could possibly spare. This pacified him for the present, and he then set out for Morocco.

Five days after this, our negotiator returned to Safi with joyful tidings: we were to embark the following day.

However, bad weather prevented any boats from going off, and no gratuity could tempt the Moors into rowing us out while the sea ran so high as it did.

Indeed, I cannot say that I really believed that I should ever be permitted to quit the country.

Providence, however, was pleased to change the situation in my favor.

The very next morning, I was asked to get myself ready, for the weather would now admit of our going, and the people were ready to take my baggage. The sudden joy of this agreeable news so excited my spirits that it was with difficulty that my friend returned me to a state of tranquility.

The gentlemen of the house accompanied me to the strand, where I returned them my most grateful acknowledgments for the friendship they had showed me, and I assured them that no opportunity would be neglected wherein I might be capable of making the least return

After we had taken our leave of these gentlemen, my friend was put into a boat in order to receive me. As soon as the other people had got into it, we set off for the warship.

A Moor of consequence accompanied the Jew, who was with us in the boat. This man took great pains to persuade me that I was no Christian. He really seemed mortified at my leaving Barbary. I was in extreme dread until we reached the warship, fearing a signal from shore to order our return.

I was hoisted aboard the warship in a chair and received by the Captain and all the gentlemen aboard the warship with the greatest politeness imaginable and general expressions of joy at seeing me safe from the power of those who wished to detain me.

Those who had rowed us out received a handsome present and were discharged in order to return to their own detested shore. After this, the Captain led me to his State room, which he very obligingly resigned to me. I cannot express the enormous comfort I felt at having an apartment allotted to me after the cruel restraints I had been under in Barbary and the uneasiness I had suffered on account of passing for what I really was not.

The agreeable things I was now surrounded by, together with the hopes of my being soon returned to my afflicted family, made me entirely happy. I had, besides, an additional satisfaction: that of having it in my power to acquaint my relations to whom they were indebted (next to Providence) for my preservation—for my friend had, in every respect, fulfilled the promise he had made to my father.

After several days sailing, we arrived at the garrison of Gibraltar, to the unspeakable joy of my distressed parents. It is easy to imagine how happy I was on such an occasion.

Not long after my return, my friend confessed to me that his affinity for me had proceeded from a stronger attachment than that of mere friendship—by a declaration he made to myself and my family of his love for me and the unhappiness he was under at the thought of parting from me.

He confessed that he hoped the confidence my parents had already reposed in him by trusting me to his care, along with the esteem I had always possessed for him, would be the means of removing any obstacles which might prevent his future happiness.

I was not much surprised at this declaration, but I had many difficulties to surmount on account of my engagement to Captain Tremont.

Captain Tremont’ behavior during my absence, however, had occasioned my father’s taking the resolution of never consenting to this alliance.

My friend’s good character, the gratitude I owed him, and my father’s desire overbalanced every other consideration, and after adjusting some family affairs—which are not necessary to explain in this narrative—my friend and I were married and embarked upon a merchant ship bound for Bristol.

And so my adventure in Barbary finally ended happily.

For those who may be interested, the above excerpt comes from pages 133 – 155 of Volume 2 of the 1766 edition of Elisabeth Marsh’s The Female Captive: A Narrative of Facts Which Happened in Barbary in the Year 1756, Written by Herself.

As with previous weeks’ excerpts, I have taken some editorial license and revised (and in this extract abridged) Marsh’s original text to make it more accessible for modern casual readers.