Algiers. Letter from Captain Olivier to the... - Lot 202 - Conan Belleville Hôtel d'Ainay

Algiers. Letter from Captain Olivier to the Roux shipowners in Marseille. Algiers, 20 March 1741. 2 pp. in-4. The plague in Algiers. "Fortunately I arrived in this port on the 25th of last month, I found the païs attacked by the plague, this disease was almost on its decline at the beginning, but today it is wreaking new havoc. Unfortunately, I find myself engaged with about 40 passengers that the dey d'icy [Ali-Pasha] almost forced me to take for Alexandria. I had to set sail today but he detained me until the day after tomorrow: I am not without fear, gentlemen, God save me from this terrible scourge. He explains that he had his ship refitted and that he was finally paid the 33 chequins that Sidi Mahmoud owed him: "I had almost lost hope of recovering this debt as these gentlemen are so poorly drilled; their situation is to be pitied, the dey d'icy gives them nothing but empty words; it is true that the luy plague has harvested a large part of his troops". He evokes the goods available on the markets of Algiers and concludes: "make moy pass your orders in Syria". A small note attached, dated 29 March, indicates that Captain Olivier left Algiers for Alexandria with 300 barbarian chequins.