tity to
market and trade with their charms. Here the young males sell their
nights, and for this end congregate in certain dwellings, before which
signs are hung out. When these males get to be too troublesome, they are
punished as prostitutes are, elsewhere. Females stroll about the
streets, beckon to the men, stare at them, whistle and cry psh! to
them; chuckle them under the chin and do all manner of tricks, without
the least sense of shame. These females boast of their victories, as
dandies, with us, plume themselves on their intimacy with ladies, whose
only favor may have been a sharp box on the ear. None are here blamed
for besieging a young male with love letters and presents. But a young
fellow would be looked upon as having outraged all decency, should he
stammer out a faint yes, to the first entreaty of a young female.

At the time I was in the country a terrible commotion arose on account
of the violation of a senator's son by a young virgin. She was generally
condemned for this high-handed and abominable action. The friends of the
youth insisted that she should be prosecuted, and if the crime were
proved, sentenced to mend the young fellow's honor by marrying him,
especially as it could be sworn to that he had lived a pure and virtuous
life till this libertiness had seduced him.

Blessed Europe! I exclaimed on this occasion; thrice blessed France and
England! where the names--weaker sex--frail vessels--are no idle
names:--where the wives are so entirely subjected to their husbands that
they seem to be rather machines or automatons than creatures endowed
with free will and noble aspirations!

The most splendid building in Kokleku is the Queen's harem, in which
three hundred beautiful young fellows are shut up for life. So jealous
is the queen, that no female is allowed to approach the walls within one
hundred yards. Never beholding any of their race but the queen and a few
dried-up and ugly spinsters, the poor creatures vegetate, mindless and
joyless.

Having heard, accidentally, that my form had been praised in the
presence of the queen, I hastily escaped from this unnatural and
execrable land:

--Fear to my feet gave wings.

Continuing my course still to the east, I came to the
philosophical-land, as its inhabitants, who are principally engaged in
the study of philosophy and the sciences, vain-gloriously call it. I had
long and earnestly wished to see this land, which I enthusiastically
ascribed