First Sentence

"HOLONJAH, the nephew of Tahi-Kia, who was prime wazir to Tongluck, King of Gannan, was sent by his uncle into Circassia, to buy up the most beautiful damsels he could meet with in that country, designing them for a present to the Sultan of China ; and the young man discharged his commission with so much exactness that never was there a seraglio stored with such variety of beauties as was the vessel wherein he embarked these Circassian women from Bassorah."