THE FEMALE CAPTIVE – PART 4 – Corsairs & Captives

This week, we continue with the narrative of Elizabeth Marsh, who was captured by corsairs from Salé in the summer of 1756. In last week’s post, Ms. Marsh was trying to survive captivity in Salé as best she could. She and her companion had been allowed visitors for a time—a pair of gentlemen merchants—but her captors stopped that. This is where we pick up the story.

Being deprived of the satisfaction of the company of the gentlemen who had shown as so many civilities grieved me much, so I tried what a further gratuity might do. This fortunately had the desired effect, and we were so happy is to see Mr. Moore and Mr. Razzily again that same evening. They gave their opinion that the Admiral of the corsair ship had no authority for taking us and advised that we should be as cheerful as possible, for they were certain our detention would be of short duration. We therefore flattered ourselves that it would prove so, and I tried to keep my spirits up.

The next morning, a Spanish renegado came in great haste to tell my friend that he had heard there was an hourly expectation of a person of consequence from Morocco who was to conduct us safely onboard our ship and protect us from the mob. This intelligence in no way elevated my spirit, as I was possessed of the notion that the news wanted further confirmation to be believed. Soon after this, my friend received a letter from Mr. Razzily informing him of a messenger who had arrived from Morocco whose mission was to convey us there.

We had just got this information when his approach was announced to us. Entering with the Governor of the place and many others, he told us that we must prepare in five days for a journey to Morocco and that he was one of those delegated to escort us on our journey. His orders, which were from his Imperial Highness, were to travel gently on my account, resting in the day and proceeding during the night, so that I might not be too fatigued.

This was some little comfort for my afflicted heart, but I was terrified beyond expression. The messenger, perceiving this, flattered me with hopes that as soon as the Moorish Sovereign had seen me, which I was made to believe was all that he wanted, I should be sent back immediately to Salé with liberty to leave Barbary.

They then left us, and the Almighty ordained that I should receive consolation from the fallacy of this barbarian. But such is the human mind that where there is the least glimmer of hope, we love to cherish it, and it is happy that we do so, for otherwise souls endowed with a superior share of sensibility instead of surmounting difficulties or bearing distress with fortitude would be plunged into despair in the hours of the affliction—a calamity which those of less elevated sentiments would be exempt from.

We were now favored with the company of Don Pedro, a slave from Minorca, who was at Salé trading on behalf of his Imperial Highness. This man was uncommonly affected by my unhappy situation and was of infinite service to us, both as an interpreter and a friend. He prevented our baggage from being plundered and our receiving many insults which undoubtedly would have been offered us but for his protection.

It may appear strange to those unacquainted with Christian slaves in that country, but the Mahometans hold them as sacred as the tombs of their Saints and protect them from the ill usage of any but their master, the Prince.

Don Pedro told my friend that I should be in less danger of injury in Morocco if he said he was my husband rather than my brother. My friend replied that he imagined I should be entirely safe by his appearing in the character he did now, and that as he had been examined by the principal people at Salé concerning the truth of it, it was too late now to alter that scheme.

The conversation then lagged, and Don Pedro left us. But his advice, and the manner in which he had given it, greatly alarmed me, and I earnestly wished to be removed from a world where I have no reason to expect any felicity.

Tears gave me some relief, but I remained in a very melancholy condition till the dawning of the day and a severe shock of the earth gave a turn to my thoughts and roused me from the state of despondence I had indulged in the preceding night and occasioned some religious reflections which in great measure resigned me to my state.

We received a very kind invitation from Mr. Moore and Mr. Razzily of new Salé to visit them before our departure, and we solicited the Moorish Admiral for permission, which he readily agreed to. We then asked if he would allow us to take our baggage, to which he likewise consented. However, when we applied to his nephew, offering him a handsome present, he refused to deliver.

Mr. Razzily came to convey me and my friend to their house, but I first was made to attend the Moorish Admiral’s ladies again. Mr. Razzily accompanied me there, and I made this mortifying visit as short as possible.

We had then a burning sand to walk over, and I was almost scorched to death with the sun before we reached the beach. Unfortunately, the boat we were to take was aground when we arrived, which obliged us to sit there nearly an hour till the tide changed. After that, though, we soon landed on the opposite shore, where I was received with the greatest respect by a number of merchants of all nations. I thought myself happy, not only on being delivered from my detested prison but also by the satisfaction of being with Christians.

Many gentlemen of the place were invited to supper with Mr. Moore and Mr. Razzily, and we were entertained with as much elegance as such a place could allow. After this, I retired.

Mr. Razzily passed much time in contriving to have a man’s saddle altered into a woman’s, after the Spanish fashion, for me to ride on. The governor of Salé, a good old gentleman, waited on us with a letter that he had received from Morocco ordering that the greatest care to be taken of the captives, and especially of me. He was a very solicitous companion and stayed and drank coffee and assured us he would do everything in his power to contribute to our peace.

We had many invitations from the gentleman of that place to dine with them before we left the down, and I was sorry I could not have that pleasure, but my time was very short and a great deal of preparation had to be made for the long journey ahead.

We were told that the ship we had been captured on was brought over the bar that she had stuck several times and was plundered of every valuable thing on board. A large quantity of excellent wines of different sorts the Moors had sold by the dozen to some Dutch ships that lay in the harbor, but we could not prevail on them to let us have any part of it. We found great difficulty in getting our baggage from the admiral’s nephew and, as no arguments had the least weight with him, my friend made him a considerable gratuity, money being the one thing that motivated him in all his actions.

On the 30^th of that month, we left the town of Salé.

For those who may be interested, the above excerpt comes from pages 49 – 67 of Volume 1 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 the previous weeks’ excerpts, I have taken some editorial license and lightly revised Marsh’s original text to make it more accessible for modern casual readers.