In a few days after there arrived at the mouth of the creek a fine large steam-brig, which dropped anchor and sent a boat ashore with the captain, who delivered me a letter from my banker, stating who and what the officers and crew were and upon what terms they had been engaged.
I immediately walked down to the creek and going into the boat with the captain, we pulled on board. I examined her decks, masts, etc., and then descended to the cabin, which extended my most sanguine expectations, so magnificently was it fitted up. The cabin contained six staterooms, very large and splendidly fitted up, equalling in style and ornament the most elegant boudoir I had ever seen in Paris.
I questioned the captain, who was English, as well as the whole crew, in regard to the men on board.
He said that he and his men had been employed to serve me in any way I might think proper, so long as I did not command him to commit piracy. That he and the crew were paid enormous wages, and that they were bound and felt ready and willing to follow me to "heaven or hell," if I but showed them the way.
On questioning the stewards, I found the brig to be well stored with all the luxuries that could be procured.
I ascended to the deck with the captain, and passing the word forward for all hands to come aft, I had a crew of most hardy and devil-may-care looking fellows around me in a trice, standing respectfully hats in hand.
I made them a short address, laying open to them my intentions, and stating the service I required of them.
I gave the captain his orders to be in readiness to sail in two days and I returned to the chateau.
Summoning the steward I directed him to prepare everything for our voyage, as I determined to start in two days for Constantinople.
I then directed a page to send the women to me.
On their entering, I made them all strip to the skin and examined the cunts and several charms of each of them with a critical eye, endeavouring when all were most lusciously beautiful to select one as my compagnon de voyage; but not being able to choose among so many loves I left it to chance.
Taking up a dice-box, I made each throw in her turn. La Rose D'Amour and my fair Russian, Caroline, made the highest throws and I determined to take both.
After they had cast their dies, I informed them what my object was. Whereupon, Laura, my last love, who bye-the-bye, was a great libertine, fell on her knees before me weeping, and begged me to take her with me.
It was impossible for me to take more than two, I told her; it was no use to grieve about the matter as she could not go, but that I would pass all my remaining time with her.
Leaving the chateau in the care of my trusty stewards and followers, I embarked, taking with me over one million in francs in gold, for the purpose of purchasing slaves in Constantinople.
chapter V.
After a pleasant voyage of about two weeks, I arrived at the capital of the Turkish Empire.
At the earliest opportunity I presented my letters to some of the most wealthy and influential foreigners under a fictitious name.
I soon became acquainted with many wealthy Turks and among them three or four slave-merchants.
I then hired an interpreter, and paying a visit to one of the merchants, engaged him as an agent to find out and procure me a lot of the handsomest females to be found in the market. And knowing that the poor class of the inhabitants were in the daily habit of selling their daughters, such as were handsome enough to grace the harems of the rich and lustful Turks, I directed him to send out some of his emissaries to search out all the families among the poor quarters who had beautiful girls and who would be apt to exchange them for gold.
In the course of a few days my agent called on me, stating that he was about to go on a three days' trip from the city to the house of an old broker-merchant of his who was continually in receipt of girls from the interior of the kingdom, and occasionally of a few from Circassia. That for certain reasons he never came to the city, but on receipt of any new beauties he always wrote, and he, my agent, went to his place of residence and either bargained for or took the females to Constantinople and sold them on commission.
He said that when I first called on him he wrote to his correspondent in the country, who replied that he had several very fine girls, one in particular whom he named Ibzaidu, who, he said, was fit to adorn the harem of the Grand Sultan.
I told my agent, Ali Hassan, to start immediately and to bring the lot, if they were beautiful, to the city.
In the interim of his absence, attended by my interpreter, I sauntered day and night through the streets and bazaars, endeavouring to spy out some of the beauties of the place; but all in vain. I could not catch even a glimpse of a female face.
On the evening of the ninth day from his leaving me, Ali called on me, saying that he had brought with him seven slaves, who were safe in his harem, and invited me to call at his house in the morning and examine them.
He ran perfectly wild in his praises of Ibzaidu, whom he pronounced to be more beautiful than a houri, the nee plus ultra of Circassian beauty.
About eleven o'clock the following day, I went to Ali's house, and immediately entered on business.
He retired for a few minutes to give orders for the slaves to prepare for my visit.
In the course of half-an-hour a eunuch entered, made a salaam to his master, and retired.
Ali arose, and inviting me to follow, led the way into a large and elegantly furnished apartment in his harem.
On entering, I beheld six girls seated on the cushions at one side of the room, dressed in loose Turkish pants of white satin and vested of rich embroidered stuff.
In the centre of the room was a couch and at one end of it stood two eunuchs. After surveying them as they sat, and noting their different styles of beauty – knowing it to be customary – I told Ali that I wished to examine them in a perfectly naked state to ascertain if they were still virgins, as he represented them to be. And also that I wished to see if the several parts of their bodies corresponded in beauty with their faces.
He immediately led one of them out on the floor beside me, and spoke a few words to her and the others in Turkish. I then made a sign for him and the eunuchs to go out and leave me alone with the females.
They retired, and taking hold of the girl's hand, I signed her to strip, which she refused to do. I entreated and urged her as well as I could by signs to do so; but she crossed her hands over her breast, refusing to do it. I clapped my hands and Ali and his eunuchs entered. I merely nodded my head to him when he pointed his finger at the girl and the eunuchs caught hold of her and in a trice stripped her naked. I then went up to her, laid my hand on her firm round bubbies, pressed and moulded them, felt her waist, rubbed my hand lower down, onto the mossy covering of her cunt, she sprang from me and catching up some of her clothes, wrapped them round her body, and sat down in one corner.
Ali stamped his foot on the floor, and the eunuchs took her and carrying her threw her on her back on the couch.
One held her down by the shoulders, while the other caught hold of one leg and Ali of the other, stretching them wide apart, I fell on my knees between them, and with my fingers opened the lips of her cunt. On attempting to insert one of them into it, and finding that I could barely force the tips in, which caused her to wince and cry out, and to twist her backside about, I desisted, firmly persuaded that she had her maidenhead inviolate.
Whilst they held her on the couch, I examined, felt, and kissed every part of her; and having provided myself with such things on purpose, I placed on her wrist, neck, and finger, a bracelet, necklace, and ring. Making a sign they let her rise, and giving her her clothes, she dressed and sat down much pleased with and examining her jewels.