The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-02-01
A FLIGHT.

The time hangs heavily when ships are
waiting for freightS or winds to start them
into active service Pera had become
dreadfully dull to us, and we had done up
COnstantinOple and the surrounding cOun-
try to our hearts content. With the eX-
CeptiOn of an occasional dinner at the
consulate, there was no recreation to be
had-nO theatres or operas. A dozen of
us tried to swim the BOsphorus from the
point from which Byron was said to have
started. He must have accomplished his
feat in the summer, for we siGnGlly failed
in the attempt, owing to the temperature
of the water, and were glad enough to be
taken on board our boats before we got
half way.
Our only resort was a hotel which was
kept by the wife of the captain of the port,
who was in exile for murder. She was a
true type of Grecian beauty, a native of
Athens, just such a person as the bard
who swan so we'll would immOrtaliZe in
verse. Between the hotel and the landing
where we took our boats for the ship was
a distance of about three-quarters of a
mile. Most of the streets were guarded
by gates, which were closed at night, when
no one was allowed to pass-unless sailors,
who, with a few piasters, could bride the
guard to open for them at any time. We
never ventured to be out late unless we
were dozen or so strong; then we would
sally forth, lantern in one hand and pistol
in the other, ready to defend ourselves
against robbers, who did not hesitate to
take life. The Turkish authorities took
no notice of troubles arising among for
eigners. The consulS were supposed to
care for the interests of their own people.
/ saw G. eek stab and rob an Austrian
captain v thin twenty feet of a Turkish
guard, wlO did not interfere, and who
showed les interest than he would have
shown at a fight between two packs of
dogs.
The street which was our regular route
70 the ship had gate and a guard house
at either end. Blank walls about twenty
feet high extended some 500 feet along
both sides of the street. Behind these
wallis were the palaces of two of the grand
pashas. We could only see the windows
of the upper stories; the magnificence
within was left to our imagination. AS
we were walking past one afternoon one
of the windows was suddenly thrown open,
and there appeared at it the most beauti-
ful woman 1 had ever seen. We were
fairly electrified by her beauty. She had
defied well known edict in showing US
her face, as we knew. Instantly as she
appeared we saw her throw something
over the wall, and then she closed the
window. Tt was a note which she had
thrown. We all rushed to pick it up.
The prize was won by Swedish captain,
who Immediately pocketed it.
When we arrived at the landing the
Swedish captain invited me on board his
nip. We had been so intimate during
our stay that the rest of our party could
not take Offense at this preference; but
how anxious they were to know the con
tents of that motel I insisted that no
gentleman could ask, nor would any
CiiV,:lge its contents, which justly be
z)1red to its captOr. Once on board, the
nCtc was opened, when an agitation seized
the captain which made him appear to me
like lunatic.
Captain he said, handing me the
,.ote, ''yOu are married, and circum-
.cances have proved how much you love
your wife. l am unmarried, and have
fallen desperately in love. Help me by
your advice. What shall l do? My ship |
is ready to sail, and the wind is fair | |
do not own the vessel or cargo and there |
fore have no right TO detain her. Read, |
and tell me what to do"
AS my own marriage had been very |
romantic, this affair was doubly exciting |
to me- The note was written in q good |
English hand as follows:
Il know you are Christians, and will |
save me from this life of degradation. !
Entombed in this harem, from which |
there is no other way of escape, 1 appeal |
to you in mercy to save me. God |
know, will open your hearts, give wisdom, |
and guide you tomorrow night to a !
silken thread thrown from this window, !
near where you found my note. To the !
thread attach your answer. Death awaits |
The night was spent in devisiGg means |
OF rescue. The captain Swore upon the |
Bible that he would marry her if rescued,
and if she would consent Jewels are
most priced when most difficult to obtain.
/ was in full sympathy with his feelings,
and when the day broke our plan of ac-
ton had been determined. / saw that he
was untitled to go to sea, his head being
entirely turned, and to ease his conscience
upon the point of his duty | pointed out
that the interest of all parties would be
served best if he should defer his de-
parture until the dark moon, when the
plan devised could be put into opera
ton. This would necessitate delay of
five days.
Among our friends we were to pretend
that no Importance attached to the missive
which the lady had thrown out As a
reason for his delay in not sailing the
swedish captain was to say that he had
discovered a leak in the ships top side
after he had loaded her, which made it
necessary to careen her for repairs 1t re-
quired much tact to avoid the caDtains
WIN liz L4ebA JCCi1 company,
ard to make excuses to stay ashore late
every night We stayed ashore to become
well acquainted with the guards. whom
we thought we could induce, by appearing
to be half drunk and by liberal use of
money, to open the gates for us at any
time. The first night we half staggered
up to the gate, handed the guards 100
piasters and then showed them our empty
pockets, whereupon they allowed Us to
pass through the gate, pointing TO their
hearts to assure that no one should
pass that way to modest us. Each of us
carried the usual paper lantern to illumi-
nate the way, and we were well armed
with pistols and cutlasses. During the
lay we had paced the distance from the
gate to the spot where we might expect to
lind the thread, and we now had but to
oace off the same number of stems in the