June xvii.
About midday I saw the ceremonies of the dervíse convent of the order called Meuleví at Pera, consisting of their namáz, somewhat longer than is ordinary at other times and places. After which followed a sermon, that is, a gallimaufry of dreams and nonsense, pronounced by the prior of the convent, as he sat cross-leg’d on the seat of a two elbowed wooden chair. This was succeeded by their music in a gallery over the door; during which about fourteen dervíses led up a religious dance in the area of their theatre (for such is the figure and contrivance of it) in which they turn round almost in the same place with incredible swiftness, without either weariness or giddiness, for the space of half an hour. By this exercise their brain is so habitually fortified against dizziness, that one of them was able to hand upon the half moon of a minarée belonging to the Solymanjá, and from thence to salute the Grand Signior at his palace of Cushcui, at the same time firing off a pistol, and drinking a dish of coffee.
About five this evening I took leave of Mr. Goodfellow, and embarked upon a boat manned with seven hands, which I had hired for ten dollars to transport my self, my horse, and two servants from Galata to Montagnia, being the space of two leagues. When having a fair wind, which by degrees increased, and exposed me to the fatigue of a nauseous sea sickness, after midnight I entered the two capes, which form the Sinus Cianus. In this bay is that famous fountain mentioned by Virgil:
Hylan nautae quo fonte relictum
Clamassent; cum littus, Hyla, Hyla, omne sonaret[89].