Chapter 13 :Inspection

After they had been at sea for twenty-four hours, Henry perused the logs for the past few months and established that they sailed about once a month for a couple of days at a time, usually for what were termed Military Conferences. He could see that this would be a good place to hold conferences concerned with top secret military matters, but he had a shrewd idea that most of them were just an opportunity for the most senior officers to relax with the women in the lap of luxury. That was not his problem; if the Emir allowed it, then for his crew it was useful practice in their normal duties. If such trips did not happen, he would want to take the ship out that often anyway.

He decided to take a tour of inspection, so he handed control to the Second Officer and had the Purser take him over the ship again. They went through every guest suite and all were in perfect order, each with at least one concubine in residence. Some he stroked idly, but none tempted him to go further, though all seemed willing, even eager to impress the Admiral.

It was in the tenth suite that the concubine was introduced as Salma. Suddenly, Henry remembered that this was the name he had seen frequently on charge sheets where sailors had been caught with one or other of the concubines. It seemed she had a penchant for misbehaving with sailors, and the Purser quickly confirmed that this was so.

"Would you like me to stop that?" asked Henry.

The Purser wondered what the Admiral's punishment might be, so he said, "I would be most grateful, Admiral."

Henry nodded and ordered Salma taken on deck and a whipping bench to be placed there, about six feet from the starboard rail. He also ordered four other concubines who had been caught recently with sailors to be taken on deck and chained to the rail where they had a good view of proceedings. A single eunuch was to escort them. Word of a public whipping of a concubine spread like wildfire through the ship and there was a good crowd watching when the Admiral, the Purser and the Master-At-Arms came on deck.

Henry addressed the assembled crew, "This is a punishment ordered by me for repeatedly consorting with sailors. The sailors concerned have all been flogged, and my purpose is to make it clear that the woman is at just as much risk as the man when she allows him into her bed. A simple scream would alert the eunuch to prevent her rape; failing to scream means she was not raped, but a willing partner in this crime. Accordingly Salma will now be flogged here, naked. Then she will be left here for twenty-four hours, to be used by any sailor who wants her, in any way he pleases. Until sunset, the four concubines on the rail will watch her punishment, as a warning to them. Those four will not be touched, and there is a guard eunuch to prevent it."