390 TRANSLATIONS OF As to Tangier, our Master kept it twenty-one years ; and the world is sensible, that in spite of all your force, he could, if he had pleased, have continued to keep it to the world's end ; for, he levelled your walls, filled up your harbour, and demolished your houses, in the face of your Alkaid and his army; and when he had done, he left your " barren country (without the loss of a man) for your own people to starve in : but our departure from thence, long before this, we doubt not, but you have repented of. When you tell us of those mighty ships Your Majesty intends to build and send to our coast, you must excuse us if we think ourselves the better judges ; for we know, as to shipping, what you are able to do.

If you think fit to redeem those slaves at 100 dollars a-piece, they are at Your Majesty's service, and the rest shall be sent to you ; or, if you think fit to give us so many English in exchange, we shall be well satisfied ; but we think you will hardly comply with that, for the poorest slave that ever our Master redeemed out of i/our country, cost him 200 dollars ; and some of these ve times that sum, for he freely extended his charity to all, and never forgets his people because they are poor, The gallant and magnanimous captain was better acquainted with the coast than with the country, which is any thing but barren.