A canvas tent was erected on the deck into which I was taken, still gagged, by a dark-skinned Italian girl who assured me I would come to no harm unless I continued to struggle. "There is no way off this ship for you for we are rapidly approaching the straits. Now we are going to change you into something more suitable for sea."
Saying that she began to undress me while telling me about herself. "I am Fatma, the daughter of an Italian woman. I am a slave who is assigned to serve and care for you. You will be protected on board this ship as you are worth everything to the Captain." Fatma took a plain gown of dark green from her bag and put it over me where it fit loosely. She chattered incessantly as she redressed me and put a cloth around my hair then led me from the tent by a rope around my hands crossed in front of me. She took off the gag and as she did so I could see we were a sea with no land in sight ahead.
I asked why I was there. She pointed to ship ahead. "The Turk who had you kidnapped is on that ship."
Another rope was tied from my waist to a mast that was just long enough for me to stand against the ship's rail. I looked at the ship ahead of us and saw nothing unusual about it. Why was there someone there who wanted me to be kidnapped? I had no answer and Fatma wouldn't tell me.
Over the course of the day the kidnapper's ship steadily pulled ahead of us as we sailed south. During the trip I know not where I was treated fine and left alone by the men entirely although they all looked at me strangely and some crossed themselves as I had seen so many Italians do when they were worried.
That night I slept in fits as may be expected. We were sailing east then and I could not see the other boat any longer. A few days later a sailor shouted there was land and soon I could see hills. Fatma told me the port ahead was called Adana.
A sailor took a large square flag and hung it over the rail of the ship as we passed through the harbour entrance. The flag was red with a gold cross in the center and a golden border and fringe. A similar flag was put on the opposite rail
Nearby ships shouted at us happily. Fatma explained, "Those flags have not been used for a longtime. They mean that Christian captives are on board."
That captive was me and to prove it my hands were tied and I was wrapped in a black cloak, my hair and face covered with a black cloth and veil, then lowered into a boat and rowed to shore where a crowd was forming on the dock and soldiers were needed to hold them from surging forward to look at me. I was frightened. When the boat arrived by the dock one of the sailors lifted me up to the arms of a splendidly dressed man on the dock who pulled me up and stood me upon my feet. Fatma had to climb up by herself.
The man was younger than my father and much stronger. He was shorter than I; broad shouldered and had a full-face beard of deep black and sparkling dark eyes. He wore a short-sleeved outdoors coat made of light summer silk of medium blue with modest, simple round neck holes and slits over both hips. Under it could be seen an ankle length green vest that buttons down the front with a high round neckline and was left unbuttoned from sternum up and from waist down. It was somewhat fitted in the body with straight seaming. Beneath this were trousers that are narrow at the ankles and widen as they go up and beneath the trousers were black boots.
He led me into a small hut near the dock's end where I was relieved that there was less sound from the men. Fatma undressed me in front of him and spoke to him as she did so but I never learned what they said as I could not understand what I now know is Turkish. I turned red in embarrassment from being seen naked by this man. The man touched me in several places and I moved away from his touch. He smiled at my modesty but I do not know if any man has seen be undressed before.
He then told Fatma to dress me. She explained to me that he was my new master, a Pasha, a General of an Army. He looked young to me to be a General though. When I was dressed he brought in three men. Fatma said I was being displayed to Government officials and after some discussion and filling out of papers the Pasha gave them money and signed the papers.
The Pasha took me out front unveiled in front of the crowd. A soldier gave him a gold chain with links as wide as his thumb. He draped it around my neck with the ends dangling in front. A man handed him a long pincer and the pasha took a gold link from another that was lager and rounder than those on the chain. The Pasha linked the chain together with this link and used the pincer to squeeze it together. I could feel his great strength as that link was bent closed.
Next he tied a rope to the large link and with this in his hand he led me away. We walked down narrow streets with buildings that were in disrepair but it wasn't far before we came to an area of open-air shops. First we stopped at a shoemaker who removed my shoes and drew the outline of my feet on a piece of leather and we left to an area selling cloth. There, Fatma picked out bolts for my approval and told me to select some.
"Your Ustad, (that means 'Master' in Turkish) wants you to have four dresses. We will need two dozen bolts for you to make these plus have some cloth to make more later."
Then the Pasha took us to buy sweets. Fatma had me sample many of the sweets that were offered. There were no chocolates but there were good candied fruit. As we went along the shops the sellers would offer us very sweet lemonade to sip that as we shopped.
At another shop she bought a white shift for me that the seller's wife helped me put on in a tent in back after removing my dress. I was glad to not have my dress on, as it was very hot under the black robe. Fatma bought a bag to hold my dress although I thought it was thoroughly ruined. At another shop we bought a dozen pair of socks for me in different colors and patterns.
Finally we went to the shoemaker's stand where he had made me six pairs of shoes that were fastened over the instep while we shopped. I insisted on trying them all on and the shoemaker seemed hurt. They were all of yellow and they fit perfectly with my socks.
From there we walked through town until we came to a camp where the largest tent was the Pasha's. Fatma explained this was the gathering of travelers who were waiting for weeks to travel under the protection of the Pasha. At the tent Pasha pushed the entrance open so I could enter. The tent was divided in half inside by a canvas from front to rear. Fatwa told me to take off my shoes and just wear my socks inside. The inside was covered with carpets and there were cushions all around the perimeter along with some low tables. Fatwa opened the slit and I went into the other side. It was furnished similarly.
I stayed in that tent for the next three days, eating, sleeping and sewing for I was to help Fatma make dresses for me. We were able to make one and a half a day as Fatma was very fast sewing and I am slower but do finer stitching. Fatma was proud of my sewing and showed it to the Pasha. I only went outside to use a hole surrounded by a curtain when I needed, always attended by Fatma and a soldier.
The Pasha's soldiers were young and well built like the Pasha and they were in wondrous uniforms. They wore black boots, baggy trousers striped in red and blue, wore fitted red jackets with yellow trim and a bright red scarf wrapped around their heads.
We awoke every morning before dawn as the Pasha prayed at dawn. During the day he had men in his half of the tent but they were quiet. Every afternoon the Pasha joined us for dinner and stayed to talk for an hour. After that we put on our black robes and left the tent to walk through the camp. There were dozens of little camps with tents, wagons, fires and animals such as sheep, goats, horses and camels. At some tents there was dancing and singing. There were also gambling, fortune telling and impromptu wrestling matches.
After prayers the third day the tent was taken down and loaded into a wagon while the pasha mounted a magnificent black horse and Fatma and I started our walk behind him to his fortress.
And now I was here. Fatma, my slave, is behind me telling me of the things I must remember. "Put your right palm flay on your left shoulder and you left over it. Do you remember my telling you this signifies you are a slave as it displays you have no weapon in your hand and your right hand is immobilized by the other."
"You remember to walk slowly to the center of the carpet. It is a large carpet but it has a large medallion so walk until you are in its center.
"Do not look at the Pasha at all. Keep your eyes modestly down. Do you remember where you should look?"
"Look halfway to my Ustad's feet and as I walk to move my eyes closer to me so they look half way to his feet. I suppose at the start that is to the medallion."
"Yes, and what do you do there at the medallion?"
"I will fall on my knees, push my arms forward until my arms are flat and my face is buried on my arms. I will Kowtow to him and wait for him to speak."
"Yes. And I will be right behind you translating."
It was hard waiting but easier when Fatma spoke for I didn't listen to the men then. Now in the silence I began to shiver again. Then I heard scratching on the outside of the canvas. That was the signal. Fatma gave me some encouraging words, asked if I was ready and when I nodded she pulled the flap open and I could see the carpet and the mass of men around it. They all fell silent and I stepped forward and walked slowly to the medallion wearing the blue dress I was kidnapped in. The silence calmed me and I walked steadily to the center then fell prostrate in a Kowtow to my Master. Then I waited for what would happen next.
He spoke. "Men of the Sanjak, we have fought well and lived well together so I want to show you you're Pasha remembers the glory of Turkey. Sometimes it appears the world has forgotten the might and power of the Turks. We have been and still are a mighty nation even as we are badly treated by the European nations. Now I've brought to you a young English girl I captured with my Strong Right Arm and brought her here to the Sanjak where she shall enter my hareem. You notice her beauty, her European features, eyes, hair and skin. She is an English treasure and I have captured it, denying her to Englishmen and keeping her under the foot of a Turk! It is not usual to have a public showing of enslavement but there was no auction.
"In a year the Europeans will be celebrating a new century but the moslems began the new century a dozen years ago. This century will be the return of Turkey as powerful nation while the Europeans squabble among them. While the West falls due to death and despair Turkey will climb to once more rule the world.
"This English woman, this slave woman . . . " He paused until the cheers quieted an d went on, "This slave will represent the loss of the West. See how she bawls. She sobs as an English woman for her fallen state but starting now she will learn happiness as a Turkish possession.
"Now you will see the humbling of England as one of her finest treasures becomes the Slave of your Pasha. Behold!"
The men cheered and I began to tremble. I couldn't imagine feeling more lonely than I did then. My tears began to fall to the carpet making a sound, plemp, plemp, plemp. I began to tremble and soon my whole body was shaking from my violent sobbing.
Then he addressed me, "Well should you tremble before your Master. Grovel, you trembling English woman. Creep to me Slave. With your prostrate body creep to my feet in token of your subservience and abasement! Crawl to your master. Abase yourself to me, your Pasha and your Master. Kiss your Master's boots!"
I crawled the remaining distance on my stomach and kissed the toe of his boots. They were black, bright and brilliant in the rising sunlight. The Pasha spoke and Fatwa ordered me, "Lick them. Lick them both all over."
I licked his boots.
"Do you accept that you are a slave, captured by me with my strong, right arm?"
"Yes," I said with a quavering voice. What else could I do? There was no one to help me here and no one knew I was here. Without escape or aid how could I say no to this man. The entire trip thus far he was determined I would accept slavery and now I had to in front of all these men.
"He wants you to answer in Turkish. I've taught you that Evett means ‘yes' and Ustad means, ‘Master.' Answer him by saying yes, Master or Evett, Ustad."
"Evett, Ustad."
"Do you accept that I am your only Master?"
"Evett, Ustad."
"Will you obey me?"
"Evett, Ustad."
"Will you give me any delight?"
I didn't know exactly what this meant but I guessed it was what I feared. Oh, why did I go to the park by myself? Maybe I wouldn't be here now and be so helpless. "Evett, Ustad."
"Will you take your pleasure only from me?"
Again I didn't understand but guessed it wasn't much different than delight. "Evett, Ustad."
The Pasha reached down and slipped his arm under my waist, lifting me to stand. He loudly said, "Walk to the block."
There were two men at a tree stump on the left side of the carpet. On the stump there were tools the top was a piece of steel cube embedded in the stump.
The Pasha pushed me gently but surely to kneel in front of the stump and once there he grasped my right arm and forced my hand to lie on top of the stump.
One of the men behind the stump put five bangles on my forearm; gold, ivory, red-bronze and silver, and pushed them up to my elbow. He wrapped a bronze bracelet over my wrist that covered a quarter of my forearm. On it was a pattern of lapis lazuli of a very deep blue that is embedded into the bronze. The ends of the bracelet are curled so one end will fit into the other. My master squeezed it together with his hand. The other man slipped a bronze rod into the aligned sleeves until fully through with a half inch to spare. The second man held my wrist so the other end of the rod is against the steel square and the first man took up a hammer and pounds the one end so as the flatten the other end.
This process was repeated on my other wrist.
A band of gold was similarly attached to my upper arms. This band had loops attached all around it that tinkle as I moved my arm. The loops are large enough to hold a rope.
Then the Pasha lifted me to stand me on the stump and a chain of gold with smaller links than the chain at my throat was fastened to each ankle. It was loose but not loose enough to slip over my heel so it would remain and also could hold a rope but on every other link there was a small rod attached to the top of the loop so it tinkled as it swung against the loop's bottom half.
The Pasha picked me up and put me down in the center of the medallion. Holding my wrist in front of me he loudly said, "There are five bonds on your wrist and they symbolize your acceptance that you are a slave, that I am your only Master, that you will obey me, that you will you give me any delight and that you will take your pleasure only from me! Remember these promises Slave, for not to do so will surely be punished."
He stepped back and ordered me, "Hold you arms above your head to show these men your bonds. Turn and show them all."
I raised my arms high to show them but hesitated to turn until the look on his face showed impatience.
I remembered a dance as a child at home during a festival. I put my right foot to one side a quarter turn, pulled it back half way and moved my left foot next to it. At the same time I clinked the two bracelets together at the wrist as I twirled my hands overhead, swung them to in front of my shoulders to clink them at the outside of my wrist and repeated the steps to turn further to the right. The audience of men began to clap a quiet rhythm I danced to. As they got more excited the louder and faster they clapped, some of them shouting to the rhythm so I danced faster and faster and when I turned to face the Pasha he began to clap so I kept dancing until he signaled for me to stop.
"Men of the Sanjak," said my Master, "You have seen the submission of this English girl to your Pasha. As she was captured by my strong right hand you know she will be ruled by my strong right hand and her continued submission to my wishes will be matched by the submission of the west to Turkey as it regains it's former glories. The Koran teaches men not to display their women to the gaze of other so now this beauty will be covered forever from your eyes so remember this girl, remember this day, and remember her beauty and know she has fully submitted to me, to this Sanjak and to my Master, the Sultan."
While he was speaking, Fatma set on my head a smart four-cornered cap called a 'hotoz,' that is embroidered with metal thread, and lightly stiffened to prevent wrinkles. It was buttoned under the chin, and a square scarf called a 'yemine' was placed over it without it covering the front. Around the forehead a crown-like broad band of braid was tied. Over this all was thrown a metal thread embroidered silk scarf that went around the neck several times and finely covered the lower half of my face. To the ends of the headband was fixed in front a thin, a fine mesh, white silk net about a hands span in width, which covered my face, but did not prevent me from seeing because of its transparency. Finally a cape of black was placed over my shoulders and wrapped around my body. Now no one could see any of me except my tiny feet peeking out from beneath the black cloak.
When I was covered in this blackness I could barely see from the veil but I couldn't miss the Pasha approaching with a rope and pulling my hands from the cloak and bind them by tying it through the loops on my bracelet. He mounted his horse with the rope in his hand and spoke again to the men. "Now you see this abased slave properly dressed. She has promised to obey me but there is no reason not to remind her that she cannot escape. Soon she will be so used to bondage she will not need rope or chain to know her place as the slave of the greatest Sanjak's Pasha!
"There are some of you who think I tempt the fates and a visitation of the evil eye by flaunting this beauty in front of you. I am the Pasha of this Sanjac that is filled with brave men who gladly follow me into battle for they know I do not flinch from terror but face it head on. There will be nothing that can stop us if I share all that is proper with my men."
The men shouted. I had not noticed he had looped the slack of the rope and as the cheers were still going on he prodded his horse forward and the sudden pull on my wrists almost pulled me over but I caught myself and skipped quickly to catch up. The cheers rose in volume and could be heard until we went out of sight over the hill just above.