The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-09-03
Copyrisht isss By RoBInr B3SAKR's soHs.
CHAPTER XII.
Hankinnoxl

Continued.
II am Sir Thomas Roe, representa-
tive In this country Of King James Of
England. Your passports and your let
ter Of introduction accidentally came
into my hands last night, and you may
thank God that II was SO, for had II
fallen out otherwise 1t is impossible to
say what might have become Of you.
The causes which have produced your
recent experiences are quite clear to
me. You have not been so unfortu-
nate as In the circumstances might
have been expected. But before ex-
plain further. console yourself with
the knowledge that your ten chests Of
seQuins are quite safe. and 80 is your
Eirdle. your passports and your Eng
lish money. and that you are free to
take them when and where you choose.
Know then that we are In the second
week Of September. and that less than
i've months ago Constantinople was
the scene Of a bloody revolution. The
Janissaries. incensed by deferred pay
ments. broke through all restraints OF
authority on learning that Sultan 9th
man contemplated a pilgrimage to
Mecca, the expense Of which they con.
ceived boded iii for the satisfaction Of
their claims. This turbulent and pow
erful military body broke down the
outer gates of the Seraglio. and with
angry demonstrations demanded the
heads Of the Sultan's Ministers who
had advised the sacred journey. For
the moment the discomfort of the jan
issarieS was appeased with fair wordx
but the Government was IN bad way.
with an. incompetent Sultan, dire lack
Of money. and but feeble support Of
any sort, 1t was necessary that some
vigorous measures should be adopted.
The Ulema met secretly and resolved
% depose Sultan Othman.' who was
soon afterward decoyed into one Of
the seven towers which compose this
building. where he was strangied by
an ex-vixier assisted by three pashas.
This step, while It effectually disposed
Of the pilgrimage question. raised
other questions vastly more monen-
tous to the State. Mustapha, who was
Othman's predecessor, and had him
self been deposed. IL again installed
Sultan. though he cannot. think. hold
his high Office for long his conduct
being that Of lunatic. The treasury
being almost empty, and money ur.
gently needed. the Admiral Pasha was
instructed to make reprisals on Ve1e-
tian vessels for indignities inflicted on
the faithful by Venetian traders at
Rhodes and Cyprus. There have been
no complaints to the Porte Of any
such indignlties-for the reason, as
suppose. that no such indignities have
been committed, but the Admiral
Pasha understood his orders in the
spirit In which they were issued. and
hence the capture Of the Venetian fri
gatoon In which you came hither. 1t
was seen that you were not Of the
Italian race. and you and your effects
were set aside for special considera-
tion-a consideration delayed by the
turbulence of the times, which en-
crosses the attention Of all the officers
of State. 1t was last night when the
Grand Vizier put your English papers
into my hands for Interpretation. !
perceived within little what had oc-
Cured. and exercised such power as
have for your benefit. Your property.
uninjured and complete. Is at my
house. and there II Is that ! would ad-
wise. you to come and stay for the pres
ent. With regard to the captain who
has your ring could by my word
cause bis heao to be brought to you at
once on q dish, but you have not been
in Turkey long enough to be indiffer-
ent to the sight, and indeed his fault
scarce merits the penalty"
No words can adequately express the
transports Of joy with which I drank
In the generous declaration Of Sir
Thomas Roe. When l was a school
boy at st. Edmund's Bury ! saw a
thief standing on a gallows, his arms
bound and his neck in a moose. with
the hangman at his side ready to turn
him OF, but the kings pardon at that
moment arriving. the halter was re-
moved from his neck. his arms un-
bound and he was led back to prison.
Nothing can efface from my memory
the expression OF that mans face
while the kings pardon was being
read out to him. and I think ! must
have felt somewhat as the Suffolk rob-
ber felt on that occasion. My thanks.
however briefly exp:sssed. were very
fervent, and I felt faint with pleasur.
able excitement when Sir Thomas rose
to leave and bade me accompany him.
The two young Turks who had guard.
ed me threw wide the door to allow Of
our departure. and bowed to my pro-
tector so humbly that their foreheads
touched the carpet. I would have re-
warded them for the kindly treatment
I had received at their hands, but
had nothing wherewith to do SO. and
the opportunity passed.
After descending q great number Of
steps and threading our way through
some paved courts not much unlike the
eourtya-ds Of m English castle. ny
protector and mt last reached a pub
lie street. where awaited US six ne
groes with two fine horses. Sir Thomas
and having mounted the horses they
were led by two negroes. with q negro
Svalkinv nm other side of eac cl, rider
And in this manner We proceeded TO
Pera. where Sir Thomas Roe's house
HaS sltuate. Opr nrogress through