s master had died, and that he was sold
in consequence. He was smoking a pipe, and looked very disconsolate. A
little after nine o'clock, the chief of the market arrived, and the
sale began. Two or three black girls were first put up. A crier went
round the square, followed by the slave for sale, passing through the
passage before mentioned. When any person bids, the crier goes on,
calling the sum bid, until some one bids higher, and continues calling
till no more is bid, when the slave becomes the property of the
highest bidder. There were three or four criers, with each a slave
following them, going round the bazaar at the same time. At last a
very pretty-looking white girl about sixteen years of age was put up
for sale. Several bids had been made before I discovered her; and when
I came up to the place where she was standing, Lambrino, the admiral's
interpreter, asked the crier what sum was bid for her. He answered
1200 piastres; upon which the girl turned round in a rage, and said to
Lambrino, "You dog-faced fellow, what is that to you?" and the
interpreter being a little man, with high shoulders and a face very
much shaped like a dog's, the girl's remark excited a general laugh.
The crier, however, was by no means pleased at the young lady for
making such a display of her temper, as it was likely to hurt her
sale, and he therefore reprimanded her. They then passed on along the
passage and came to one of the divans, where a man about forty was
sitting smoking his pipe. He stopped the crier, and took the girl by
the hand, felt all up her arm to the shoulder, then drew her a little
nearer and opened her waistcoat, which exposed a beautiful white
bosom, and the effect seemed electric, for he immediately bid 1300
piastres, and after pulling down the lower part of her veil so as to
show the whole of her face, and looking at her teeth, he allowed the
crier to proceed. The girl had been angry at Lambrino, and seemed a
good deal distressed when the Turk was examining and handling her. I
saw a blush of either modesty or indignation cross her countenance;
but the instant the additional piastres were bid (whether from
gratified vanity or what other cause I cannot say, for these poor
creatures are very proud of bringing a high price) a smile of
satisfaction beamed over her face, and she marched off in apparent
good humour. I had seen enough of this horrid scene, and was tired of
seeing a fellow-creature paraded about and handled