from the President of the United States, in which it was declared that
the only conditions upon which peace could be made was the full and
final relinquishment by Algiers of all claim to tribute in the future,
and the guarantee that American commerce would not be molested. The
captain, like all Orientals, began to quibble to gain time, asking that
the commissioners should land and conduct the negotiations on shore.
Decatur replied that they must be negotiated on board the _Guerriere_
and nowhere else.

The next day the Moorish captain returned with full powers to negotiate.
Decatur now notified him that, in addition to the terms already named,
every American prisoner must be given up without ransom, and the value,
to the last penny, of their stolen property restored. Other minor
demands were added, all of which were within the province of Decatur,
who had been clothed with full authority to make peace. The captain
asked for a truce that he might lay the terms before the Dey. This was
denied. Then he asked for a delay of three hours.

"Not three minutes," replied Decatur; "if the remaining ships of your
squadron appear before the treaty is signed, or before every American
prisoner is on board this ship, I will capture every one of them."

[Illustration: CAPTAIN BAINBRIDGE AND THE DEY OF ALGIERS.]

The Moor was thoroughly cowed by the aggressive American, and,
promising to do all he could to secure the consent of the Dey, he was
hastily rowed ashore. It was understood that if the Dey agreed to the
terms the captain would return in the boat with a white flag displayed
at the bow.