The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-05-12
WALTER BLOOMFIELD
copyrish. 1926 by ROBERT B,SNER's Sons.

narrow streets filed with a motley
crowd of petty chapmen strangely ap-
pareled. all pressing closely to get a
view Of me. was very slow. but l
would not. if could have FASTENED it..
for the sense of liberty, the curious
scene, and the conversation of Sir
Roe were delightful TO me.
Of Anita and her maid Sir Thomas
could unfortunately tell me nothing.
The usual course, he said. with female
captives was to submit them to the
Mistress of the Harem for eXamina-
ton. and if. in the Judgment Of that
lady they were sufficiently young and
beautiful they We're received into His
Majesty's harem, while such as failed
to present the necessary youthfulnesS
and beauty were sent to the slave mar
ket and sold. He promised to institute
an inquiry concerning them that same
day, but warned me that he was I'M
able to afford them any protection in
whatever circumstances they might
be placed. as they were neither OF
them English subjects.
The house of Sir Thomas Roe was
large, square and low. with wide rer-
andas on every side. 1t was in the
middle of q garden on the side of a
hill. and overlooked the sea. The de-
mesne was surrounded by thick wall
so high that the house could scarce be
seen from the outside. We were no
sooner entered within the gates than
a swarm of slaves crowded about Us,
and our jaded horses were half led,
half pulled. toward the house. was
about to diSmount when stalwart
negro threw himself upon the ground
right in my way. his legs and arms
doubled under him in curious fashion.
and the surface of his back presented
upward. Hesitating for moment. in
doubt what this might mean. I no.
ticed another slave behave in similar
manner in front of my companion,
who proceeded ut once to diSmount.
using his slave as we in England use a
stepping stone. 1 copied his example.
but with an i'll grace for Sir Thomas
smifingly observed, Il perceive by
many signs that you are newly az
rived in Turkey"
As soon as we had refreshed our
selves with sherbet and fruits. Sir
Thomas Roe himself conducted me to
a room. where I saw, standing one
upon other on the floor. the ten black
chests. each bearing my name, appar-
emily in the same state as when l last
saw them in my cabin aboard the Orio
Malipietro. and there also was my
girdlc full of money, my papers. and
the pistols which Signor Simona had
given me-
Mr.. Trueman." said my host. "if
the contents of your chests had been
known to your captors. l fear nothing
l could have done would have saved
them from confiscation. AS it was,
my knowledge of you was acquired
barely in time to help you. for the
public disturbances having now sub
sided, your effects would soon have
been examined. with what result you
may guess On learning that your
usage was the best which the Porte
allows to any prisoner thought it pru-
dent to make your property my first
care, and accordingly obtained laS
night an order from the Grand Fizier
that it should be placed in my charge,
and behold it before you as received
it. Examine it all carefully at your
leisure, for l must now to Seraglio.
where l will inquire concerning the
two Venetian ladies. your fellow pas
sengers. and of the Venetian merchant
whose sequis you say these are. Mean
while you must consider my house
and servants as your own" At these
words my noble benefactor left me.
and 1 proceeded to carefully scruti-
niZe each chest. None Of them had
been tanpered with in any way; they
were all uf the proper weight. and the
resinous black paint with which each
was covered had scarce received a
scratch. My money, too. was equally
safe and correct. nine hundred and
forty-four pounds. all told. showing
that my expenditure since l left Eng
land had amounted to no more than
fifty-siX pounds.
After an absence Of several hours
Sir Thomas Roe returned, and l per-
ccived at once from his countenance
that he bore no good news. "The two
Venetian ladies'" said he, you are not
likely to see again. I have spoken
with the chief eunuch, who has con-
ferred with the Mistress Of the Ha-
rem. and learn that both ladies were
rejected as unworthy of the Sultan,
and sent to the slave market for sale.
l have been to the slave market, and
talked with the merchants there. and
am told by them that the younger OF
the two ladies was bought by an old
merchant from Aleppo for two hun
SreI seuninS but that she protested in