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domestic circle, with few exceptions. Whatever I wished for was procured for me in abundance. I had no other unpleasantness than that which arose from frequent tedium, and had nothing to fear, except the being separated from my dear Guly, whom I loved as if she were my sister. This is all that I am able to relate of the period of my youth, until I was seventeen years of age. On entering it, it pleased my brother, whom I was obliged to obey as if he had been my father, to betroth me to one of his friends, a Turkish Commissary at war and paymaster of the Janizaries. I did not know him, nor was my consent asked, and resistance would have been unavailing: I was therefore obliged to be content. That which troubled me most in the matter, was the apprehension that I should be in future deprived of the company of my dear Guly, to which I had so much habituated myself. But how different was the result! My brother had resolved, that before the celebration of the nuptials, he would undertake a long journey on business to Teflis and Ispahan, and accordingly set out upon it in June, 1688. I took leave of

him, without ever supposing that we should see each other no more. But it was soon reported that Belgrade would be besieged; and in the beginning of August, the Germans, under the command of the valiant Maximilian Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria, marched against the city. At first the Turks showed very little fear, and regarded it as almost impossible that the city could be taken; hence no one was permitted to leave the place. But on the tenth of August, it was observed from the preparations which the Germans. were making, that they were in earnest with the siege, and the inhabitants then obtained permission to consult their own safety.

Many individuals now sent their most valuable effects on board of the vessels that were lying in the river, and sailed in them down the Danube. People hastened to the port from every street, anxious to save their lives from the sword of the Christians, and secure their effects from the hands of the plunderers. But scarcely had the half of the fugitives taken shipping, when an uncommonly violent storm arose, which drove the rest away from the river into their houses,

in order to wait till the following day; for it was impossible during the storm to load and dispatch the vessels.

Amongst these fugitives who were thus obliged to return into the city, I was included. I had left my paternal abode with two female slaves and a servant-man, and had taken nothing with me but a little purse of gold, and my casket of jewels. But I arrived at the harbour too late to be able to sail with the two first vessels; and after I had agreed with another captain, for myself and my people, which my servant arranged for me, the storm above mentioned came, and drove us back into the town.

I passed the night in a state of painful anxiety, and never closed my eyes. The storm continued violent, and if it did not cease the next day, it was to be feared that our only way of escape would be cut off. At length, about midnight, all was quiet; the storm had subsided, and I regained my courage and my confidence. Moments seemed hours to me, until the day broke, and I was able to leave the house, in order to hasten on board the vessel.

I went first to the house of my friend Guly, whose family, as I was informed only late in the evening, had at length resolved also to flee. But there I heard the apalling news, enough to strike terror into the most courageous fugitive-that the city was now completely invested and blockaded by the Germans; that there was no longer any way of escape; and that every one must now resign himself to the fate that awaited the inhabitants of a besieged and conquered city. -Deplorable intelligence! There I stood, divested of all my hopes, and plunged into the mournful necessity of falling into the hands of Christian conquerors, who had to avenge so much ill-treatment and cruelty which they had suffered from the Turks. I fell upon Guly's neck and wept, and she wept with me. O poor short-sighted creatures, who cause themselves so much fruitless sorrow! O the still poorer mortals, who know no living God, on whom they can place their confidence, and hence fall into despair, as soon as it becomes dark about them! Such was I at that time. The compassionating love of God, which had provided some

thing better for me, rendered it impossible for me to escape, and I was highly dissatisfied at it and deeply grieved. He intended to procure me true liberty, and I was only terrified at the chains and fetters of the body. O, even then he held me fast with the cords of love! Bless the Lord, O my soul!

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