While This Man Was Interpreting The
Aga's Message, Which Was Merely Complimentary, My Own Man Came To Us In
Great Consternation, Saying We Were Betrayed, For The Turks And My
People Were By The Ears At The Back Of The House.
The Turk who sat beside us rose up immediately, and desired my man to
shew him where the quarrel was, several of my folks following to see
what was the matter.
I immediately ran after them, calling as loud as I
was able for them to turn back and defend our house; but while
speaking, I was struck on the head by one behind me with such violence,
that I fell down and remained senseless till they had bound my hands
behind me so tightly, that the pain restored my senses. As soon as they
saw me move, they set me on my feet, and led me between two of them to
the house of the aga, where I found several of my people in a similar
situation with myself. On the way the soldiers pillaged me of all the
money I had about me, and took from me three gold rings, one of which
was my seal, another was set with seven diamonds, which were of
considerable value, and the third was a gimmall ring. When all of us
that escaped alive in this treacherous and bloody massacre were brought
together, they began to put us in irons, I and seven more being chained
together by the neck, others by their feet, and others again by the
hands. This being done they all left us, except two soldiers appointed
to keep guard over us. These soldiers had compassion upon us, and eased
us of the bands which tied our hands behind; for most of us were so
tightly bound that the blood was ready to start from our finger-ends.
After my hands were thus eased, being much distressed both for myself
and the rest, and in great anxiety for the ships, which I believed the
faithless Turks would leave no villainy unattempted to get possession
of, we began to converse together as to what could be the reason of this
infamous usage. I demanded if any of them could tell how the affray
began, and if any of our people were slain. I was informed by those of
our company who were in the fray, and had escaped, that Francis Slanny,
John Lanslot, and six more were slain, and that fourteen of those now in
custody along with me were sore wounded. They said that our house was
surrounded by soldiers, who, when I was knocked down, attacked our
company with merciless cruelty, against those who had no weapons to
defend themselves.
Having thus succeeded in the first act of their treachery, they now
aimed to gain possession of our ships and goods. For about ten o'clock
that same night, they manned three large boats with about 150 armed men,
in order to take the Darling, which rode somewhat nearer the shore than
our large ship.
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