The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-04-28
CHAPTER NJ.
ROGER TRUEMAN: HIS RECORD coNT1NUl

ROGER TRUEMAN: HIS RECORD CONTINUED
November IA. The frigatoOn Orio
Malipietro was noble craft, we'll
found and in all respects fit. l went
with my worthy host to see her while
she lay in the arsenal where three
centuries before the fumes of boiling
pitch had assailed the nostrils Of the
immortal Florentine. a swarm of
workmen were busy about her, and
the arrangements for the comfort Of
her two passengers surpassed any
thing of the kind I had seen or sup
posed possible Two stately cabins
had been specially constructed. one
fore and one aft; they were divided by
a spacious general cabin. and both
richly furnished with all things need
full for comfort The crew consisted
of seventeen men; that is to say, OF
Captain Jacopo Perugia-a fine man
of sixty or thereabouts, who had
served Signor Simona for forty years
and sixteen sailors. The fore cabin
was assigned to me, the after cabin
to Signorina Simona and her maid.
In all there was accommodation for
score of souls. Signor Simona intro
duced Captain Perugia to me as
man of whose fidelity and good sea-
manship he had had frequent proofs,
and assured me that he had voyaged
so many times between Venice and
Constantinople that he could safely
navigate the Grecian archipelago with
out chart; whereat scrutinized mar
rowly the face and head Of the captain
thus appraised, and was satisfied that
he deserved his masters testimonial.
Notwithstanding that its owner
spared no expense the fitting out OF
the Orio Malipietro proceeded slower
than could have wished, and three
weeks passed before she was ready
for sea. And here again l perceived
the hand OF Signorina Anita, who had
divers women at work making clothes
which she desired not to depart with.
out, but could not sooner get COM
pleted. Signor Simona was shrewd
man, we'll versed in the ways of his
kind. yet in dealing with his daughter
he was but as clay in the hands Of the
potter. so great is the blindness of
fond parent.
AT last the day came when Captain
Perugia reported to Signor Simona
that his frigatoon lay ready to sail
with the first favorable wind, that her
cargo of merchandise was well and
safely stored. and all his daughters
baggage aboard. 1t was then that
Signor Simona ordered the ten chests
of sequins to be placed upon the floor
of my cabin. where l should have
them constantly in sight, and gave me
a sealed letter for delivery with the
chests to Signor Mario Battista. Of
Constantinople. He commended his
daughter to my care, and both our
lives and fortunes to the protection of
God in a manner so natural and affect
ing that but few persons could have
witnessed the scene unmoved. AS for
Anita she wept abundantly, and
showed either great filial devotion OF
consummate skill in acting. And the
wind now serving. the Orio Malipietro
stood out to sea.
1t was with strange emotions. not
unmiXed with sadness, that watched
the spires and campanileS of Venice
wax DINNER and yet more dim as the
swelling sails of the Orio Malipietro
bore us southeastward along the Adri-
attic, and could not represS thoughts
of all which had happened to me since
first set foot in that marvellous city,
SO appropriately called the bride of
the sea. Anita noticed my abstrac-
tion, and with the admirable tact
which seems to pertain only to femin-
inc natures sought to dispel it by en-
gaging me in conversation. Poor
had fixed her affections on one who
had determined not to reciprocate
them-on q man who had never so
much as spoken to her Of love. and for
him she had abandoned her aged
father Qor whom am sure She had
real affection), and had embarked OH a
perilous journey under circumstances
the most damaging to her reputation.
Had l never suffered such treatment
as befel me at the hands Of woman
in England l should probably have
been content with this brave young
Venetian lady for wife. for doubt
ed not she was as faithful as she was
persistent, but my English affair still
ranked in my heart, and my oath
never to regard any woman other than
as one in whom no faith should be put
was too recently registered to be light
~ broken.
Our progress was extremely SLOW.
and suffered several interruption. but
| regretted it not. for the month was
June. and the seas on which we sailed
locked by the most beautiful lands in