Amy's Algerian Anal Adventure Pt. 03

CHAPTER 7

In which our heroines set sail on the Cerulea and encounter the Barbary pirates

A few days later our time at Oakleigh Hall was at an end and we returned home accompanied once again by Lady Oakleigh and Miss Burnley. The summer passed and still no word came from my father. We amused ourselves by trying to spy on our guardian and our governess but few opportunities presented themselves for our entertainment. Instead we fell back on our former amusements in the bedroom.

At last as summer turned to September a letter from my dear father arrived. In it he announced that his mission in Italy was over and that we were all invited to join him there for the winter. He told us that he had booked a passage for us on a ship leaving Southampton in three weeks time and we were to pack and prepare to depart. What excitement there was in the house. Maids and valets scurried around with trunks and boxes supervised by Lady Oakleigh and the housekeeper. Even Miss Burnley's normally dour spirits revived a little, though she refused to spare us from lessons right up until the day of departure.

At last the day of our leaving came. Lucy, Lady Oakleigh, Miss Burnley and I climbed aboard while the two maids were seated outside. The ever present Johnson was also to accompany us but was left to oversee the conveyance of the baggage on a wagon. By nightfall we had reached the fair city of Southampton where we were to be accommodated overnight in an hotel. The next day we were conveyed to the harbour and for the first time laid our eyes on the vessel which was to transport us to Italy.

The Cerulea was a fine looking vessel with clean trim lines. We were welcomed on board by the Captain and pleased to observe the scrupulously scrubbed decks and neatly coiled ropes which seemed to betoken a well run ship. The Cerulea was to take a cargo to the port of Naples but the Captain had graciously accepted my father's request that her also take on board our party as passengers. The Captain escorted us to our cabin which proved to be rather small and cramped with two bunks arranged on each side and a small porthole looking out on the harbour.

Lady Oakleigh immediately announced that she could not possible share such cramped accommodation with three others and demanded her own cabin. The Captain appeared somewhat perturbed and asked if we would wait for one moment. After disappearing briefly he returned and announced that his first officer had agreed to give up his cabin to Lady Oakleigh and that he would share his own cabin with that gentleman in order to facilitate this. Far from showing any gratitude Lady Oakleigh demanded to be shown the cabin in question and continued to grumble at its inadequacies.

At last we were settled into our new home on the waves. We were due to sail that afternoon at high tide. We paid a last visit ashore to eat some dinner in a nearby inn before returning to the ship for our departure. We were pleased to be informed that our baggage had arrived safely escorted by the reliable Johnson and had been safely stowed away. Soon after the ship was towed clear of the harbour by a team of small boats and the sails were hoisted. A stiff breeze from the Channel soon filled the sails and we were speeding towards our destination.

Our initial enthusiasm soon subsided. In the confines of the small cabin Miss Burnley, Lucy and I came to resent one another's presence. Miss Burnley was a poor sailor and by the second day was continually seasick. I spent as much time on deck as possible, away from the thick air of the cabin and Miss Burnley's piteous moans and retchings. By the third day we were crossing the Bay of Biscay and a terrible storm broke. I myself became terribly sick and I thought Miss Burnely would die. At last we came through the terrible tempest and some days later arrived at the great rock of Gibralter. We were permitted a day to see the rock by the Captain while he unloaded some cargo and took on stores. That night we set sail once more and were at last entered into the Mediterranean Sea.

Our first day in the Mediterranean proved a fine one; the wind blew strongly from the East and we were obliged to tack against it but the weather was clear and sunny. However, towards evening the sky darkened and the sea roughened, by the time darkness fell it was clear that we were in for a storm. We passed a most uncomfortable night in our cabin. The ship appeared to be tossed in every direction. We could hear sailors pounding on the deck above us and waves seemed to be crashing upon the ship. Miss Burnley was dreadfully sea sick and none of managed much sleep.

As the first light came through the porthole the sea seemed to calm. I decided to go on deck and ascertain how our vessel had weathered the storm. I climbed to the poop deck where the Captain was conversing with the steersman. The Captain told me that we had been blown far off course by the storm and were now close to the shores of North Africa. Indeed looking southward I could discern land in the distance. Also not far off to our stern I noticed a large ship with black sails built in the Arab style. I stood and conversed with the Captain for some minutes as he told me that in consequence of the storm our passage would take longer than anticipated and that we might arrive in Naples a day or so later than expected. While we were conversing the Captain appeared to be distracted. He constantly glanced towards the stern at the large black ship which was closing on us fast.

I became somewhat alarmed myself and said, 'Captain, what is that vessel to our stern. You appear somewhat concerned about it, Sir.'

'It maybe nothing,' the Captain replied, 'but these waters used to be infested with pirates. They are rarely seen these days but I think you had best get below, Miss, just to be on the safe side.'

'But Captain I would like to stay and see what is happening.' I said.

'Please Madam, you will get to your cabin now and lock yourself in with the other ladies,' ordered the Captain.

I had no option but to obey such an order and taking a last look at the mysterious dark ship I took myself to the cabin. As soon as I entered the door I excitedly told Lucy and Miss Burnley what I had seen and heard. Miss Burnley was prostrate upon her bunk and showed little interest but Lucy was thrilled.

'A pirate ship! Oh how romantic. I hope they will not make us walk the plank,' she said excitedly.

'Don't be so silly, Lucy,' I responded. It is probably just an Arab dhow. And just supposing it were a pirate vessel this is a British ship armed with cannon. It would be more than a match for some Barbary pirates.'

At that moment as we peered through the porthole the mysterious ship started to come alongside. It was clearly visible. A large black vessel with huge black triangular sails. To my horror the vessels gun ports were open and her cannon were pointing straight at us. On the decks were visible a large number of men in Arab costume. Suddenly there was a huge explosion and then a splash in the water just outside our porthole. I could not believe it, the black ship had fired upon us. Perhaps they were indeed the dreaded Barbary pirates of which I had read.

I could hear shouting and running feet on deck. The black ship came closer but thankfully did not fire at us again. Why was our crew not returning fire like true Englishmen? I decided to go on deck and find out what was happening and told the others of my intention. Miss Burnley suddenly roused herself.

'If this is indeed a pirate ship you will stay in the cabin until our crew has seen them off. I forbid you to put yourself in danger,' the governess said.

Lucy and I looked at one another and dashed from the cabin up to the deck. The deck and rigging of our vessel were full of sailors looking at the mysterious black ship. I found the Captain and demanded to know what was happening.

'Ladies, I believe I ordered you to your cabin. Why have you disobeyed my orders?'

'Captain we simply need to know what is taking place. Is that really a pirate vessel? Why are we not defending ourselves? Why are you not firing back at them.'

'Madam, that vessel is indeed a Barbary pirate. Do you see those flags on the other ship. They are signals. The message tells us to heave to and we shall not be harmed. The pirates wish to inspect our cargo but promise to leave all on board unharmed and free to go,' the mariner replied.

'But Captain, if these people are indeed pirates they are not to be trusted. Do you not know the reputation of the Barbary pirates. Their prize is human slaves not just the cargo of merchantmen.' I said. 'That may be true,' he replied. 'But we are heavily outgunned and outmanned. If we resist we shall be slaughtered. Maybe they will be true to their word and let us go free once they have plundered our cargo. We have no choice.'

The black ship was now only a few yards away from us. The captain tore himself away from me and barked an order to pull in the sail. Soon the ship slowed almost to a halt. On the black ship a horde of ruffianly looking Arabs stood by the rail brandishing swords, pistols and other weapons. As the pirate ship closed with us several of their number threw grappling irons attached to ropes at our ship. Once secured they used these to draw the ships together. As the pirate vessel came alongside a swarm of the ruffians clambered across the rail and boarded our ship.

Among the pirates was once who stood out. Although dressed in the Arab fashion he was marked by his European appearance with fair skin and blonde hair. He was clearly the leader from the quality of his clothes which were of fine silks, heavily embroidered and from the bejewelled rings which sat on every finger of both hands. The pirate captain ran straight up to our Captain and pointed his sword at him. To my surprise he spoke good English, though with an accent.

'Good day Captain. If I may say so you have made the right decision. In surrendering you have saved the lives of your crew and passengers. Please have all aboard your vessel mustered on the deck now.'

The captain immediately ordered that Lady Okaleigh, Miss Burnley, the servants and the remaining crew be brought on deck and a few moments they appeared guarded by several of the pirates. Miss Burnley was shaking with fear while Lady Oakleigh appeared in a towering rage.

'Unhand me you villains. Do you not realise who I am. My god, you shall hang for this every one of you,' she roared.

Before that lady was able to mouth any more such imprecations one of the pirates seized her arms while another stuffed a ball of material into her mouth effectively silencing her.

Now the pirate captain spoke again. 'Ladies and gentlemen. I must apologise for misleading you. My name is Abu Qadir though I was once called Jean-Francois Leopold. You are of course my prisoners and I shall dispose of you now as I please. Should you wish to enlist in my service you will remain free men but those of you who refuse my offer shall shortly find themselves on sale in the slave market at Algiers. I myself am of French birth and was once taken by a pirate ship. Now I command one myself and I am a wealthy man. Join me and share in our plunder.'

For a few moments there was silence. To their credit not one of the sailors who had been so miserably betrayed by their cowardly captain offered to join the pirate crew. Suddenly to my surprise a voice I recognised came from the other end of the deck.

'I will join you. I am a slave now so if you offer me freedom I will take it.'

At that moment Johnson stepped forward in front of the pirate Captain.

'Welcome to our brotherhood, friend,' said Abu Qadir. 'From this day you are a free man. But who is your mistress?'

Johnson pointed at Lady Oakleigh who was still struggling to free herself and making muffled noises through her gag.

'Ah Madame, enchante,' said Abu Qadir, 'we will deal with you later. Take her and these other ladies to their cabin.'

With that two pirates seized each of us and we were dragged reluctantly back to our cabin. Lady Oakleigh attempted to remonstrate with the pirates as soon as her gag was removed. She demanded to be returned to her own cabin but the pirates signaled that she was to remain with the rest of us.

So we remained with little option but to lie on our bunks in the cabin wondering what fate awaited us and the members of the crew. Lady Oakleigh was more voluble than I had ever known. She insisted that she would have the captain tried for cowardice and that the pirates would certainly be caught and hanged. Miss Burnley alternated between bouts of weeping and loudly lamenting that we would be taken to Africa as slaves. I tried to cheer the company, pointing out that from what I had read the Barbary pirates usually ransomed wealthy prisoners and that once our families heard of our plight and paid a ransom we would surely soon after be free. This only set Miss Burnley wailing again as she bemoaned the fact that her family would assuredly be unable to afford a ransom for her. At this I assured her without much conviction that my father would certainly buy her freedom if it were possible.

CHAPTER 8

Miss Burnley has a dreadful experience at the hands of the pirates

It seemed we had been in the cabin many hours when finally the door opened and two heavily armed pirates ushered us out of the door and along the passageway to the captain's saloon. We entered this chamber, which was the most lavishly furnished on the ship to see Abu Qadir seated in the Captain's chair at the head of his chart table. The pirates signaled for us to stand in a line along one wall.

'Good afternoon ladies,' said the pirate captain. 'I am sorry to inconvenience you but I have to ask you a few questions. First of all I need to know which of you are virgins.' I was shocked at the impudence of this question. Lady Oakleigh began to expostulate once more and was quickly gagged again by one of the pirates.

'Captain, that is a most personal and, if I may say, irrelevant question,' said.Miss Burnley. ] 'Madam, you are now my prisoner. You will follow my orders and answer my questions unless you wish me to have you flogged.' said the pirate leader.

'How dare you speak to me in that way. I am an Englishwoman and I will not be treated in this way.'

'Very well you give me no option' said Abu Qadir and signaled to his henchmen.

Suddenly Lucy and I found ourselves firmly seized and held by four of the fiendish knaves. Meanwhile two others seized Miss Burnley and dragged her in front of the table. They forced her down so she was bent over the foot of the table and held her there. Abu Qadir nodded to one of the pirates who stepped forward. To my horror he was brandishing what I think is termed a cat o' none tails in the British navy, an evil looking whip. The pirate with the whip seized the hem of Miss Burnley's dress and petticoats pulled them up to her shoulders. She struggled to resist but was held fast by two burly pirates. Next the villain seized her drawers and pulled them around her ankles revealing her pale buttocks to the entire pirate company.

'Please Captain Abu Qadir, this is not necessary.' I said. 'I can assure you that my friend and I are unmarried ladies and are of course virgins. As for Lady Oakleigh she is a married lady and has had two sons.'

At this I noticed Lucy blush slightly.

'And you lady,' said Abu Qadir. 'What is your state?'

'None of your business, you cur,' shouted Miss Burnley bravely. 'Very well,' said the pirate and nodded to the man with the whip.

To my horror the blackguard immediately brought down the whip hard across Miss Burnley's bare backside with a loud crack. My sympathy for Miss Burnley was somewhat tempered by the thought that in one sense she was only getting her just desserts. I had only had time to briefly reflect on this when the whip came crashing down again, this time leaving a red line of blood where it had pierced the poor lady's skin. Miss Burnley's buttock's were now crimson with the lacerations of the many tails of the whip. However, the villain had no mercy and brought the lash down for a third time on the poor woman's posterior. This time the governess squealed with pain.

'Now Madam, I ask you once more are you a virgin or not?' said Abu Qadir.

'I am not married and have never been,' said Miss Burnley.

'Answer the question unless you wish to feel the lash once more,' the villainous Frenchman retorted.

'Very well, I am indeed a virgin,' gasped Miss Burnley.

At this the pirates released her and she collapsed apparently in a swoon upon the floor. I felt sure that our governess was not telling the whole truth. I knew that she had yielded her rear portal to Mr Woodford when I had spied them in the cabin in the woods and felt sure that he had a some point also conquered the front entry. I wondered what the pirates might do if they found out she had deceived them.

'Ladies, it will be necessary to verify the truth of your statements,' said Abu Qadir. 'You must know that white skinned virgins fetch a high price in the slave market at Algiers. Indeed the most beautiful are destined for the harem of the Bey himself. However, my life would not be worth a sou if I were to send a woman to the Bey claiming she were a virgin when this was not true.'

Suddenly the captain nodded to the two pirates who were holding me fast. Before I could resist they quickly propelled me towards the table and forced me to lie down upon it on my back. I was held fast by four of the swarthy knaves gripping each of my arms and legs tightly. Abu Quadir stood and walked to the other end of the table facing my feet. Without pausing he swiftly pulled up my dress. The pirates holding my feet suddenly seized my drawers and pulled them straight off me and before I could resist pinioned my legs once more. I was now entirely naked from the waist down with my legs spread wide apart my privy parts exposed to the icy stare of the blue eyed French Berber.

Abu Qadir stepped forward and without pausing thrust his hand between my legs. I struggled to free myself but I was held fast. Slowly his finger invaded my secret place. I could feel the invading digit thrusting upward inside me until suddenly he met resistance.

'Ah, une vierge veritable!' exclaimed the pirate triumphantly. 'I think you Mademoiselle may be exactly what the Bey is looking for.'

I quailed at this statement. If I was to be sold as a slave to the Bey, what prospect was there that I might be ransomed. I began to wonder whether it might have been better to rid myself of the encumbrance of my virginity.

As I was musing on this I was rudely dragged from the table and taken to stand back where I was before. Now it seemed it was Lucy's turn to undergo the same humiliation. She too was dragged to the table and forced to lie down. Her drawers were ripped from her without ceremony and like me she was laid out naked from the waist down for the pirate captain's inspection. Abu Qadir thrust his finger mercilessly into my poor cousin's womanhood. A look of surprise came upon his face. He thrust the finger in deeper. He wriggled his hand around. It was clear he could find no trace of Lucy's maidenhead. I myself was puzzled. Lucy had been ravished in the rear by Lord Oakleigh but as far as I knew she had never surrendered her maidenhead to any man. Suddenly I remembered the games we had played with the hairbrush. Therein lay the answer. In one of these games too vigorous an action with the hairbrush must have deprived poor Lucy of her maidenhead. And now the pirates would not believe her a virgin. What would they make of this? Would they be angry and take revenge upon her?

Abu Qadir certainly seemed angry. 'Petite putain!' he cried. 'Why did you not tell me you were no longer a virgin. You will pay for your lies.'