The Hawaiian gazette., 1879-02-19
The Seven Heroines.

nOurlsnlng cities III Italy. n OF as powerful as
Venice or Genoa, nor as famous for its literary
and artistic culture as Florence, Pisa was noted
for the wealth of its merchants and for the sur
passing beauty of its women.
In fact Psan commerce extended all over the
Old World and some Of its mercantile firms
counted their riches ny millions.
As for the women of Pisa, their beauty was
of peculiar style. Their hair, as rule, was
auburn; their complexion very white, delicate
and transparent and their forms tall slender
and graceful In short, it was then a common
saying throughout Italy, "As pretty as Psan
girl"
For years past considerable mercantile rivalry
had existed between Florence and Pisa. and
when the merchants OF the latter city, in the
aforementioned year, learned that the Floren-
tines were negotiating treaty of commerce
with the Dey OF Tunis. they Immediately re-
solved to enter into an active competition with
them. So they dispatched on the lst OF June,
l479, small galleon to Tunis. The vessel was
freighted with great many valuable presents
for the Dey, and the passengers we're SIX prom
inent citizens OF Pisa, who were, if possible to
persuade the Dey to cut loose from the Floren.
tines and to conclude commercial treaty with
their own city. The galleon reached Tuns
few days later, and the six Pisan ENJOYS landed
soliciting an early interview with the Dey. The
DEFY was Lamar Ben Harueddin, still young
but very bad man. He was pirate, remorse-
lessly taacherous, cruel and greedy in the ex-
IRENE. When he heard of the arrival of the
Psaus, he ordered them to be brought before
him without delay. They were ushered by two
Moorish attendants into q small apartment,
furnished after the gorgeous but semi-barbarous
Saraceu fashion. On low throne sat Harued-
din, who fixed his eyes with an inquistive ex-
preston upon the Psan ENJOYS. They knelt
down before him, for he was proud as the Sultan
himself.
What do you want?' he asked at last.
Z" Most gracious Dey, powerful ruler OF Tunis, !"
replied the spokesman of the ENJOYS, we come
with presents for you from the city of Pisa to
solicit from you the conclusion of o commercial
treaty with u.s."
What is the value of the presents you bring
to ?" demanded the Dey.
They are worth at least 10000 gold ducats."
Fifty thousand gold ducats - echoed the
Dey, scornfully. why. the presents ] received
from the Florentines amounted to more than
double that sum-"
"Graclous Dey."
'Sllence, infdel dogw Numbered the rate
Dey; you have come to insult me? You shall
be punished for your Insolence ! | shall take
your presents. and you, too. One Of you may
60 back to Pisa and inform your citizens that
unless they send me at once 100000 gold du-
cats and the seven most beautiful girls in your
city for my harem, / shall cause you to be In
paled!"
So saying, he ordered them from his presence.
They selected Andre Memoir to go back to Pisa.
The rest of them were loaded with chains aud
thrown in loathsome dungeons. Memoir was
sent on board the gaeon, the valuable cargo of
~
When Memoir reached Pisa, and told his dole
fol story. the people were filled with the ut
most CONSERVATION. One hundred thousand
gold ducats was at that time an almost fabulous
sum. And what girls could be induced to sur.
render themselves to the foul embraces of the
Tunisian tyrant? Yet it was out of the ques-
ton to leave the captive ENJOYS in the clutches
OF the Dey. popular meeting was called.
There, under the presidency of the podesta, the
whole painful.. subject was taken into consdera.
ton, but the meeting Adjourned without com.
ing to any definite understanding In the even.
ing the pOdesta was pacing the room in state
of extreme depression when suddenly beauti.
ful maiden was ushered into his presence.
Margherita Peril !" he exclaimed F." what
brings you here?"
al am ready to go to Tunis" she replied with
flushed cheeks.
To Tuns !" cried the podesta, in surprise
"To become an inmate OF the Dey's harem p
1t may turn out otherwise she said with a
mysterious smile.
But You alone are not enough"
Six Of my fair young friends are ready to
accompany me-"
This is very strsnge-"
Freight a small vessel with 100000 gold
ducats, conceal in the hold twenty well-armed
courageous men, put US on board, and send US
to Tunis."
The podesta shook his head,
1--WE shall all return, STAY Harueddin, and
bring back the captive ENJOYS"
Next day the counsel of Pisa accepted the
proposition, and twenty-four hours later small
galleon freighted in accordance with Margherits
Penis demands, sail ed for TunIs, where they
arrived alter a stormy passage. When the Deg
heard that the gold ducats and the seven fail
maideus had arrived from Pisa he was overjoyed
He caused the girls to be taken to bis room
| Only black eunuch was present He Toasted
his eyes upon the virgin charms of the beautiful
maidens and finally put his arms around the
slender waist of Margherita Pezzi.
| When he tried to kiss her she drew bis sabre
from its scabbard and struck him twice across
the face. The Dey, MORALLY wounded sanl
bowling on the floor. The black eunuch stood
| spell.bouud with terror, but Margherita cut hin
| down too.
| The bloody scene had been enacted SO quickly
and noiselessly that the persons in the ante
room did not suspect what had occurred. The
| eunuch was disarmed. He had yataghan, two
daggers and pistol. -Four other Pisan girl
armed themselves with these weapons and rush
ed into the ante room, where they fell upon th,
attendants with Undesirable fury.
| The Iunisian courtiers were thunderstruck a
the unexpected attack. Before they weraabl
to offer any effectual resistance, they were. eithe
! killed or severely wounded. The vctoriou
| girls had no difficulty in overpowering the pal
ace guards. They thensaiIed out into the street
| shouting:
" Barueddin is dead Long live the Republic
| of Pisa!"
Then they hurried to the galleon, from which
the twenty Pisan soldiers emerged. They wer
| armed with the best firearms then 10 existence
and they easily oyercame the resistance whicl
the few soldiers then in Tunis were able to offe
them. The captive ENJOYS we're liberated, ant
then the sum OF 100000 gold dncats were ex
tracted from the people of the town, while Har
ueddin's well filed treasury was rihed of its val
liable contents. When the strange little expe
dition returned to Pisa. the people received it
| members with the utmost enthusiasm. A pubi
monument was erected in honor Of the affair
and hospital was founded with the contents O
the Deys treasury.
Harueddin's successor swore he would re
venge himself terribly upon Pisa, but he neve
was able to do 80.