The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-04-28
CHAPTER x.
Continued.


was frequent with HIM. Signor Simo-
ma had Informed me that he was own
er of only half the vast business he
conducted. his equal partner being one
Mario Battista, Venetian merchant
who had been for many years located
at Constantinople. where he was bus
led with affairs such as he was him
self engaged with at Venice. 1t was
the wish Of Signor SimOna to transmit
a great treasure of money to his part
ner. and he was in doubt how to do so
with assurance Of its safety. On two
previous occasions when he had es-
sayed to send much smaller sums to
mis- partner his captains and sailors
had treacherouSly betrayed their trust.
and gone off with the money to some
small island in the Mediterranean, or
to the northwest coast of Africa. and
there become pirates. but goods. how
ever valuable. he had never lost in this
way The occasion. l though. afford
cd an excellent opportunity for me to
serve the interests of my host, and in
so doing to reach Constantinople with
out expense to myself, and l was be-
sides anxious to be gone from Venice
that might be rid of the amorous at
tentionS Of Anita, which l found much
difficulty in resisting. Nevertheless.
reason. I spared her. 1t was in these
circumstances that 1 acquainted Sig
nor Simona with my intention to visit
ConStantinople, at the same time show
ing him my passports and my letter
of introduction TO Sir Thomas Roe,
English Ambassador to the Porte.
signed by King JameS's own hand. If
Ie would fit out and man i frigatoon
for CoDSyantinople | would, l said,
gladly make the voyage therein. the
money being packed and treated as
nv baggage. but none the less faith
fully delivered by me to Signor Mario
iBattista Immediately or my arrival in
that city My host was delighted with
my offer. and that same day gave or
derS fO- frigatoon to be made ready
for sea, as l had suggested. He also
caused ten chests to be made OF stout
ebony. lined with sheet lead and
bound on the outside with bands Of
copper. Each chest was Of about one
cubic foot content. and into each Sig
nor Simona packed with his own hands
25,0O0 gold sequins. When all the
chests were filled they were fastened
with screws, the copper bands made
fast with metal studs. and the whole
coated with resinous black paint, to
which later was added my name, in
white characters, upon each.
When the design of my journey to
Constantinople became known to Ami
ia, she opposed it with all her wit.
and exhibited a great wealth of art
ifice in her efforts to prevent it. She
represented to her father how essen
tial was n change of scene to one who.
like himself, had lived long and
worked hard in one place. and who
was besides suffering from recent be-
reavement, from which she argued
that he would do well in going to Con-
stantinople, more especially as she was
capable. with my protection, of taking
charge of his house and affairs. But
finding that the old man could not be
persuaded to undertake so perilous a
voyage. she changed her tactics, and
after some honeyed compliments con-
cerning my honor and probity endeav-
ored to show that it was unfair to Sig
nor Battista to entruSt great treasure
in which he had a half interest to the
custody of one who was entirely un-
known 10 him. and whom he (Simona)
himself had known but little more
than q hundred days. and that his
merchant wisdom would be more ap-
parent in devising some other and
more regular means of getting the
money 10 Constantinople. This advice
being also rejected. she feigned illness.
kept to her bed and inflicted upon her
aged father such fears for her life that
ne dispatched a special courier to Pa
dua to fetch a learned leech of that
city. Several days passed before the
leech reached Venice, and when he
came he made but a hasty and superb
cial examination of the patient. Your
daughter" said the leech to Signor ST.
mona, "is suffering from an indetermi-
nate languishment and may die at any
time; the best thing for her is pro-
longed cruise in the Mediterranean;
by such means her life may be spared
for many years" When SignOr 81.
mona acquainted me with what the
leech had prescribed for his daughter
l perceived at once what had hap
pened. Clearly Signor Anita's courier
had sped faster than her fathers, and
this was prescription which had
been first dictated by the patient to
the prescriber. Matters fell out as l
expected they would. A week before
the frigatoon was ready to put to sea
Signor Simona took me aside, and af-
ter profuse expressions Of his affection
for me. said he had resolved 10 entruSt
-. L. H., III