THE TALE OF BET WHITSON – PART 2

This week, we continue the serialization of the tale of Bet Whitson, who was captured by corsairs from Salé and wound up enslaved in Morocco.

(This post is a continuation of The Tale of Bet Whitson – Part 1. If you haven’t done so already, it’s best to read that post before continuing on here.)

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When Bet saw the swarthy, ferocious looking Moors approach her aboard the ship in which she had been captured, she fully expected to be subjected to such brutality as was more terrible than death itself. But her fears were soon dissipated, for she and her unfortunate female companions were treated with peculiar delicacy and attention. Bet was conveyed on board the Moorish ship, where she had the best accommodation. This arose from the kindness of the English captain who, having entertained some tender sentiments for her, told his captors that she was a gentleman’s daughter in Virginia, and begged that she might be well used. Her large and rich ward­robe corroborated the truth of his statement.

On landing in Morocco, Bet was sent as a present to the Emperor’s seraglio. Here she was surrounded by a number of slaves and strangely dressed ladies whose uncouth language and impertinent curiosity were altogether disgusting. She had a fine chamber given her, and two female slaves to attend her, but her situation appeared so comfortless and disagreeable, and her future destiny so alarming and appalling, that she at once resolved to put an end to her existence .

For this purpose,  she tied her garters to the top of the door, and, with a noose around her neck , was standing on a stool, praying before she launched into eternity when a lady entered, ran forwards and, catching her in her arms, cried out for assistance. The adjoining part of the palace was soon alarmed, while the Moorish lady who had first entered wept over the unhappy stranger. She was then put to bed.

In about two hours, Bet was greatly, though agreeably, surprised when an elderly lady entered and saluted her in the Scottish dialect. She seemed much shocked at Bet’s attempt to commit self-murder and made her ashamed of the act by relating her own sufferings during the twenty years she had lived in Morocco , and her present happy situation as wife of the emperor’s head gardener, who was a countryman, and how she had, under the influence of love, become a Mahometan.

After this, Mrs. Maxwell (for such was the woman’s name) never left Bet for any length of time, but labored incessantly to bend Bet’s mind to her lot and to teach her the language of the country.

The day after Bet had made an attempt upon her life, the Emperor had seen her when he was concealed behind a lattice and was pleased with her appearance. She subsequently underwent several curious and whimsical operations in order to qualify her for the intended honor, and which she used to detail with much humor and gaiety. In about ten months, she was pronounced qualified, and conducted to the emperor’s bed.

Bet had seen many large and splendid apartments in the palace, but the magnificence of this bedchamber exceeded all conception. She trembled when the Emperor entered, but the kindness of his manners soon quieted her apprehensions. She said his features were regular and manly, and his air indicated majesty blended with condescension. The fire in his eye was softened by feelings of love and tenderness.

Above his under dress, which was extremely rich, he wore a beautiful velvet robe, lined with ermine, and embroidered with gold. His turban was tastefully disposed, and in the front was a star of diamonds. His whole conduct to the young Englishwoman was characterized by feeling and delicacy.

The next day, Bet received the formal congratulations of the ladies of the seraglio, though some of them could ill conceal their chagrin at her good fortune.

This gratified her vanity, and the flattering words of the Emperor assured her that she stood high in his estimation. Honors flowed upon her, and she was soon invested with a distinguished authority in the harem. She assiduously endeavored to please the Emperor and exercised great influence over him.

She moreover bore him two fine sons, of whom he was excessively fond. Having learned a useful lesson in her former situation, she was attentive, kind, and generous to all the other ladies, and also to the meanest slaves in the palace. She always spoke in high terms of respect of the noble and dignified sentiments displayed by the Emperor, but as he was uncommonly hasty and severe in inflicting punishment, she often and successfully exerted herself to mitigate his wrath and prevent the execution of his most terrible resolutions.

These works of goodness and mercy she soon found had raised her high in popular opinion, as the Emperor’s other women neglected all important concerns and devoted themselves entirely to voluptuous pleasures.

In this elevated situation, Bet continued about five years, enjoying every indulgence that might seem to constitute human happiness.

Then came an occasion when the emperor was obliged to retreat to El Waladia. Bet accompanied him and was often, at her own request, carried out in a palanquin to enjoy the sea breeze, with soldiers preceding and following her at some little distance to keep off all curious intruders. On one of these excursions, she chanced to see an English ship at anchor about two miles from the shore.

The sight of the British flag affected her deeply. She became silent and melancholy and was continually contrasting her secluded and confined situation with the unconstrained freedom and gaiety of her native country.

On the second day, she observed the English ship in the same situation and ventured to ask the attending eunuch what it did there. He answered that it was a trader belonging to England that had been favored with the emperor’s protection . She pursued her enquiries no further, but her resolution was instantly formed .

There was an Irish renegado attached to the court who acted as a jeweler to the emperor. To this man she sent, by a confidential slave, an old  English Gazetteer that she had received from Mrs. Maxwell, requesting him to go on board the English ship and ask the captain whether he could sell her such a book, adding that the price would be no object.

She had previously prised up the leather of the binding, and, after inclosing a note, fixed it neatly down again and wrote the following with a pencil under the title:

“A wise man will look within the boards of a book.”

The captain took the hint, and a slave brought her the book that evening. To her great joy, she found a note stating that her offer was accepted and, on the seventh evening, his boat would wait and carry her from a certain cove, which he described.

A separate, formal message was also received expressing his regret that he could not accommodate the Empress, as he termed her, with a copy of the work wanted .

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See the next post in this blog for the third installment of Bet Whitson’s story.

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For those who may be interested…

This extract of Bet Whitson’s story comes from A New, Improved, and Authentic Life of James Allan, the Celebrated Northumberland Piper, Detailing his Surprising Adventures in Various Parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, Including a Complete Description of the Manners and Customs of the Gipsy Tribes, collected from sources of genuine authority (as the title page has it) by James Thompson, published in 1828, pp. 386-390.