Narrative of Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the Seventeenth Century, Vol. II

by Evliya Çelebi

JOURNEY TO ERIVAN IN THE YEAR, 1057, (1647).

From Erzerúm twelve hours to the east, is the castle of Hassan Kala’a which has already been described; and further on to the east, through the plain of Pássin, the village Bádil Jovánlí, an Armenian village. We passed it, and reached in nine hours the station of Meidánjik; the inhabitants are all Armenians. Ten hours further is the castle of Mishingerd in the province of Erzerúm, a square castle on a chalk cliff; which has a Dizdár and a hundred and fifty men, two hundred houses, but no market; a mosque of Sultán Súleimán Khán, without a garden. We passed to the east, through the valley of Khándere, by the ruined convent called the seven churches, through a narrow straight, and then to the west by a flowery meadow for six hours to the castle Bardúz, in the territory of Karss, built by Lady Kerím-ud-din, the daughter of King Azz-ud-din of the dynasty of the Auk-koyúnlí. The chronograph is written on the gate; there is a Dizdár and a hundred and fifty men in garrison, a small bath, but no garden. From hence we went southward to the castle of Gejkerán built by Núshirván; this is the old town of Dúdemán Gejkerán which is mentioned in the ancient histories of the wars of Pízen and Efrasiáb. It was ruined by Holagú at the same time as Baghdád, but flourished again under the government of Kara Yússúf Sháh of the family of the Kara Koyúnlí. Timúr again destroyed it. It was conquered by Lala Kara Mustafa Páshá, and now belongs to the government of Karss, it is a square castle. The karss of the Beg amounts to fifteen thousand three hundred and fifty aspers. According to the canon of Sultán Súleimán there are two thousand two hundred men including the troops of the Beg; a Dizdár, an Aghá of the Azábs and Gonullí, with three hundred men in garrison, a judge of a hundred and fifty aspers, twelve hundred houses covered with earth, three small mosques, and from forty to fifty shops. Eight hours further to the east we reached the frontier fortress of the Ottomans, the castle of Karss. There are three towns of that name; one is in Silefka, the Karss of Karatáshlik; the second, the Karss of Mera’ash, and the last that of Dúdemán, which is the present one. In the time of Murad III. it was conquered by Lala Kara Mustafa Páshá. The repairing this town after it was ruined by the Persians, was undertaken by the Ottoman generals, and on this occasion a large square marble stone was found, which they placed on the gate looking to the south-east, and which had the following inscription:—“This Castle was built under Vezír Fírúz Akaí in the time of Sultán Azz-ud-dín; and repaired by his daughter Sultana Karím-ud-dín. May God illuminate her tomb!” Lala Páshá who is the last builder of Karss, placed this stone on the wall, however, out of reverence for its ancient builders. Lala Páshá repaired it in seventy days, within which time he completed its munition. A soldier came to relate to him a dream which he had, and which was as follows. An old man appeared to him, saying, his name was Abúl Hassan Kharkaní, that he was buried here, and that if a well at his feet was to be dug, marvellous things would be seen. Some hundred workmen were instantly set to dig the well, when they found a red granite tomb, on which was written “I am the martyr, Saíd Kharkání.” He was found quite fresh, and the blood yet flowing from his right arm. The tomb was re-covered amidst prayers, and Lala Páshá raised a convent upon it. The government of Karss has been given at different times to Vezírs of three tails as barley-money (Arpalik); the karss is sixty thousand aspers. It belonged formerly to the government of Erzerúm, but is now a distinct province with the addition of Pássin. There are seven sanjaks, a Kiaya, and Emín of the Defter, a Defterdár of the treasury and of the timárs, but no Kiatib Kiaya and Emín of the Chaúshes, Its sanjaks are; Little Erdehán; Khojúján; Zárshád; Gejewán; Kaghzmán; Werishán, and Karss the seat of the Páshá, there are seven ziámets and a hundred and two timárs, with the Jebellis and troops of the Páshá, three thousand exquisite troops; a Colonel, a Captain, a judge with three hundred aspers, a Dizdár, an Aghá of seven companies of Azábs, and an Aghá of the Janissaries, armourers, and gunners; the Colonels reside for the most part at Erzerúm: the garrison consists of fifteen hundred excellent men; the garrisons of Wán, Karss, and Akhachka are decidedly brave men. Their pay is collected from the produce of the ferry-boats at Bírejik on the Euphrates, and from the villages Súrúj and Bombúj at Haleb, amounting annually to seventy thousand aspers. The government of Karss is divided into ten jurisdictions, and eight districts; there is a Sheikh-ul-Islám (Muftí); Nakíb-ul-ishráf (head of the Emírs), and other distinguished men.

Size of the castle of Karss.

At a gun-shot distance on the north side is a high mountain, at the foot of which this fortress rises on a separate hill; the lower castle is situated in the plain, and has five strong walls. The gate of the outer or lower castle looks to the east, and that of the inner or upper castle to the west. There is only the house of the commander, and barracks for the garrison of two hundred men; no bath, market, or any remarkable building. The lower town or suburb is surrounded by two strong walls, and has three iron gates which are adorned with all kinds of armour. One of these gates on the west is the water-gate, also called the gate of the troops, looking towards Erzerúm; the second or middle gate opens to Kaghzmún; the third to the east is the gate of Behrám-páshá, opening towards Eriván. Watchmen keep watch the whole night, lighting torches and lamps. The lower castle is surrounded by a lake instead of a ditch, which encircles it from the middle gate to the gate of Behrám-páshá, and hence it is impossible to get possession of the fortress. There are two hundred and twenty strong towers, and two thousand and eighty battlements; the circumference of the whole is five thousand seven hundred paces. The buildings consist of three thousand houses, forty-seven mosques, in eight of which prayer is performed on Fridays; the most remarkable is that of Sheikh Hassan Kharkání, built by Lala Páshá; the mosque of Waíz Efendí at the water-gate; the great mosque of Súleimán Efendí, which was formerly a church; the mosque of Hossein Kiaya called the red church; the mosque of Omar Efendí, which was destroyed when the Persians got possession of the castle, solely on account of being named after Omar, and turned into a stable; the mosque of Káltákjí-zadeh, at the gate of Behrám-páshá; the mosque of Beirám Chelebi-zadeh; and on the south side of the town across the bridge, the mosque of Emír Yússúf Páshá, all covered with terraces. There are eighteen schools for boys, but no colleges for lectures on the sciences, which are all held in the mosques. Within the water-gate is the bath of Emír Yússúf Páshá; within the middle gate is the old bath. There are no houses for reading of the Korán or tradition, or for dining the poor, who are, however, well taken care of by private generosity; there is no stone Bezestán, but two hundred shops in which Indian and Persian wares are found. No gardens and vineyards on account of the cold temperature of the climate. The inhabitants are a lively set of people who gain their living by agriculture and commerce.

We travelled from Karss twelve hours to the north, passed the village of Arjúk and the valley of Bághirsak, and the summer quarter (Yaila) of Olghár twelve hours long. It is three journies from hence to the castle of Akhiska (otherwise Akhaska, Akhachka). From Karss to Erdehán is one journey by the way of Korgha-bazár. I arrived at last at the object of my journey, the castle of Gúle, and on the same day I entered it, read the letters of our gracious Lord, the Páshá of Erzerúm, to the Aghás of Gúle, who excused themselves, saying: “that they never had disturbed the Persian caraván, and that it was a calumny of the inhabitants of Kaghzemán.” Next day we mounted our horses, proceeded for a whole day to the south, and arrived at the castle of Kaghzemán. The towns and castles on the Kiblah side of the Aras are all reckoned to be on the frontier of Azerbeiján. The river Aras rises on the west from the mountains of Bíngol (thousand lakes) flows to the east, joins the barley river (Arpachayí), and the Zenghí. The castle of Kaghzemán being situated on the Kiblah side of the Aras is reckoned to be on the frontier of Azerbeiján, but belongs to the Ottoman government of Karss. It is named after its builder, one of the daughters of Núshirván. It was taken out of the hands of Uzún Hassan by Sháh Ismail, and then submitted to Sultán Súleimán. It is the seat of a Sanjak Beg whose khass amounts to two hundred thousand aspers, nine ziámets, a hundred and seventy-eight timárs; nine hundred feudal militia, a judge appointed with a hundred and fifty aspers, and a garrison of three hundred men, who are paid by the impost on salt; the salt mines, and a quarry of mill stones, are on the west side of the castle. The mill-stones of Persia and Rúm come from Kaghzemán; the borax of the goldsmiths, barbers, whetting-stones, and the common whetting-stones are extracted from the mines of Kaghzemán; in two places gold and silver are found, but as the product was exceeded by the expenses, they were abandoned; there are altogether eleven mines. The castle is a square strong building standing on a hill on the bank of the Aras, there are seven hundred small houses; it is not a commercial town (Bender), but a frontier town (Serhadd). Mount Aghrí which appears to the west, is one of the most praiseworthy mountains in the world, it is near the town, and is the summer abode (Yaila) of Turcomans. The air is temperate and allows of the cultivation of gardens on some spots; the inhabitants are mild and some of them fair.

The Levend troops (irregular levies) sing Persian songs with harmonious voices. As soon as I entered the town, the Diván assembled, and notwithstanding the repeated oaths of the members of it, that they had not molested the Persian caravan, but only taken their custom duties, I took seven Aghás of them with me to prove the truth of what they said, by their presence at Erzerúm, whereunto I returned. The Beg and eleven Aghás presented me with a purse of money, two horses (Mahmúdí), and two Georgian slaves; and we travelled towards the east for nine hours, to the castle of Moghazberd, it is a district belonging to Karss, built by Mogház a Persian Khán; it passed into the hands of the Ak-koyúnlí of Sháh Ismail, and then into those of Sultán Súleimán; the garrison consists of a hundred and fifty men; the castle is built of stone in a pentagon form on a rock, not commanded by any neighbouring height; it has six hundred houses with gardens and vineyards; a mosque, khán, bath and ten shops; at the foot of this castle flows the river Arpachaí, which comes from the mountains of Georgia, and mingles with the Aras at the Kend of Tekeltí. The castle of Mogházberd is contiguous to the territory of the Persian castle Shúregil, which alone remained in the power of the Persians, meanwhile all the districts of it belong to the government of Karss; the river Arpachaí forms the limits: the eastern tract of this town is Persian, and the western, Ottoman, belonging to Karss. Opposite to Mogházberd, at a journey’s distance, is the castle of Ana on a hill, a square mud castle, built by Núshirván, the inhabitants are Armenians; between Ana and Karss are two mountains; we passed this castle and after nine hours journey we arrived at Zárshid on the utmost frontier, built by the Persian Sháhs, it is the seat of a Sanjak Beg subordinate to Karss; in the time of war, twelve hundred men bear arms, the judge has a hundred and fifty aspers; there is no Muftí nor Nakíb; but a Dizdár (Commander of the castle) and a hundred and fifty men. The castle is situated on a hill in a plain, at a day’s journey from Karss to the east on the road to Eriván, there are three hundred houses with terraces, a mosque, a convent, a bath, and a khan. Nine hours further eastward is the kent Thálish, on the frontier of Eriván; we passed Kara Taib, and arrived after twelve hours march to the east at Three Churches, a great convent built by the Greek Emperors; the convent is divided into three parts, in one are Greek, in the others Armenian nuns; these Three Churches and the Seven Churches on the road to Nakhshiván are the most famous convents of Persia. It is a convent well worth seeing on account of its monuments and strange talismans.

The balsam, called Mirún-yághí, is made here, of plants boiled in a kettle upon a carpet, to which fire does no harm; the balsam which is skimmed off from the kettle is put into jars, and used through the whole of Frengistán as a panacea or universal remedy. In the neighbourhood of this castle is an iron bar suspended in a cave without being supported up from above below; the Infidels believe it to have been suspended by a miracle of Simeon the Apostle: if a strong wind blows it vibrates, and it is enclosed by iron rails to prevent it being touched by the profane. The explanation of this matter is, that the architect who made the vault of this cave, placed on the top of it a great magnet, and a similar one on the floor, so that the iron bar is kept in equilibrium between them. This is what I, shortsighted Evliyá, found out by my own weak intellect. If it please God, there is no blunder in our guess. The convent is inhabited by about five hundred monks; almost every night five or six hundred horsemen, either from Persia or Turkey arrive here, and are entertained by the monks with milk, honey and dates. From hence we passed to the east through level fields for nine hours, crossed the great rivers Aras and Zenghí, and arrived for the second time at Eriván, where the Khán had just returned from the wedding of his sister at Bakú, and lodged me at his house. The next day I repaired to the Diván with the Aghás of Karss and Kaghzemán, who complained, in the strongest terms, of their having been unjustly accused of molesting the Persian caravan; a long discussion ensued, at the end of which the Aghás appeared to be innocent, and the men of the caraván to be calumniators. Takkí Alí Khán feasted the Aghás three days, gave me five tománs Abássí, and a horse, and for the Páshá a string of camels, laden with rice, also some letters. Charged with these, I set out to return to Erzerúm.

Journeys on our Return.

We set out from Eriván, with a caraván of seven hundred persons toward the west, and reached after five hours the kent Abdallí, a Persian village of a hundred houses, which at the time of the conquest was fixed to be the frontier of Karss. We advanced to the north four hours to kent Ayárán with five hundred houses; the inhabitants of which are Gokdúlak; from hence through mountains of luxuriant vegetation to kent Sheráb-kháneh, situated on a hill, of three hundred Armenian houses with many gardens, it is a ziámet on the frontier of Karss. We continued our journey to the west, passing over fertile steppes, and seeing many castles, which had been ruined by Sultán Murad IV. After four hours we arrived at kent Begum; the daughter of Uzún Hassan Sháh of that name built it; the Persian Princesses are even now styled Beghum: there are three hundred houses of Armenians and Georgians; it was ruined by Timúr, but seven high arches are still extant among the ruins on the border of Arpachaí, where the Princes of the Ak-koyúnlí, Meimendi Khán, Ashár Khán, Otgabai Khán, Gúndúzbai Khán and other Sháhs are buried, some lying, some seated on their thrones, as if they were in life, with their names, and the chronographs of their deaths. The three sides of this old town are a great Yaila. From hence we went to the west through marshy ground, and some meadows, to the old castle of Shúreger; Hossein Bikara, delighted with its situation on the river Arpachaí, built this town according to the advice of Doctor Shúrgerí; it passed into the hands of Kara Yússúf and was destroyed by Timúr; Lala Kara Mustafa Páshá ruined it again; large vaults and masses are yet conspicuous amongst its ruins. The musical tune Shureh is said to have been invented by Shúreger at the time he was building this town, whose inhabitants all delight in music, and are famous singers. The castle is in ruins, and no more than three hundred houses with terraces are now existing. The half of its districts being situated on the other bank of Arpachaí belong to the government of Eriván; those on this side to Karss. It is a mountainous fertile tract of Georgia which extends northward to the Aras and Zenghí, and along Mount Caucasus to the Caspian Sea; and on the west to Erzerúm. From Shúreger we advanced to the west, crossing five small rivers, some of which come from Georgia, some from the mountains of Azghúr, and flow into the Aras; some of the ground is marshy. We then arrived at the ferry of a river, the name of which I am ignorant of. Sultán Murad crossed this river on his expedition to Eriván, and the spot is yet marked, where his tent was fixed; the inhabitants planted trees round it, and made it a prayer-place. Five hours further to the west through fertile ground is the village of Búlánik, a free ziámet of Sefer Aghá, of three hundred houses. Seven hours further is the castle of Karss; we remained a night as guests with Alí Aghá, and continued our journey next day to the village of Dushen Kia (the falling rock), on the frontier of Karss, with two hundred houses; then five hours, ascending and descending through high fir-woods and meadows to Wernishán on the frontier of Karss, formerly a sanjak. The opposite shore of the Aras belongs to the castle of Bayazíd, and the Alaï Beg of Wernishán resides here; it is an Armenian village of three hundred houses. Akhiska is two journeys from hence to the north; six hours further to the west through fields to Zeinkhán on the territory of Karss, of two hundred houses, a Dizdár, a garrison, a khán, a mosque, a bath, and forty shops; it is the seat of a Súbáshí subordinate to Karss; the castle is square and built of stone, the inhabitants are an obstinate people. We continued our journey through fir woods for seven hours to Soghánlí Belí, a strait famous all over Persia and Turkey for the difficulty in crossing it; three hours beyond this straight we reached the kent Kúmadámí, of a hundred and fifty houses, on the frontier of sanjak Pássín, an Armenian village on the banks of the Aras. Eight hours further is the village of Pássín, of three hundred Armenian houses, in a plain, it is the ziámet of Ja’afer Efendí the land registrar (Moharerí Wiláyet) at Erzerúm; five hours further along the Aras is the station of Goz; we passed in sight of the bridge of Chobán, built by the dynasty of that name, through level fields, and arrived at Hassan Kala’a, which has been already described. Four hours from hence we arrived safe at Erzerúm, where we found our gracious Lord the Páshá, on the walk of Abd-ur-rahman Ghází; I presented the camels, letters and caraván of the khán of Eriván, and reassumed my functions as Clerk of the Custom-house, assisting every night at the assemblies of the Páshá. At this time the Capijí Alí Aghá arrived from Constantinople, with a Khattí-sheríf of Sultán Ibrahím, by which the Páshá received the Imperial command to repair with all the troops of his government to Karss, to be ready for the war against the Infidel Persians. The Páshá paid obeisance to the noble túghra and instantly dispatched commissaries to Erzerúm, Mera’ash and Sívás, in order to raise and collect troops. I, poor Evliyá, received a commission to go to Sídí Ahmed Páshá, the governor of the sanjaks of Sánja and Tortúm.

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[JOURNEY TO BAIBURD, JANJA, ISPER, TORTUM AND AKCHEKALA’A.]

I left Erzerúm with nine servants, proceeding to the north in the plain of Erzerum, two hours to the village of Kán, of two hundred Armenian houses; five hours more to the north we came to the village of Sheikh Umúdúm, which has been described in our journey to Georgia. Six hours further to the north, through vallies and hills, to the bridge of the Georgian straight, a bridge built over the Euphrates by Shah Uzún Hassan. It is on this spot that the rebel Abáza Páshá cut to pieces forty regiments of janissaries sent against him; their bones are piled up near the bridge: the village of Gúrgí-boghází (Georgian straight), has two hundred houses, in the district of Erzerúm. We passed to the north over flowery meadows nine hours to Rúmlí Sultán, a great saint buried underneath a cupola. Here is the cave whence springs the Euphrates, which is above all praise, since it is mentioned with praise in the Korán. At Keifí, one of the sanjaks of Erzerúm, are the iron mines, where iron shot are cast; several hundred little rivulets run from these iron mines into the Euphrates, and somewhat spoil the sweetness of the water; but from its source in the rock of Rumlí Sultán unto Keifí it is the most delicious and most healthy water in the world. Rumlí Sultán was a Saint, who appreciating the good qualities of this river, took up his residence at its source; it is a village of two hundred houses. We advanced three hours to the north to Akchekala’a in the territory of the sanjak of Tortúm, built by Ulama Páshá in order to control Georgia; in course of time the castle has been dismantled of its walls and garrison. It lies north of Tortúm, and has six hundred houses, a khán, and a mosque; it was destroyed by Bayazíd II. when governor of Trebisonde in his youth. We proceeded six hours to the west, to the village of Saúlú of a hundred houses in the territory of Jánja, on the top of a high mountain without gardens; and seven hours further to the west, to the castle of Jánja, otherwise Gumish Kháneh (silver house). I went straight to the Court of Justice, and read the firman, which all the inhabitants were ready to obey. I remained as guest in the house of the inspector of the silver mines and began to visit the town. It was built by Alexander, one of whose philosophers discovered the silver mines. Mohammed II. conquered it by the sword after the defeat of Uzún Hassan in the field of Terján. Silver is here found in such abundance, that every child has a silver plate. The inspectorship is let for seven million aspers; the inhabitants are exempted from all taxes, because they are obliged to labour in the silver mines, seventy of which are worked. These are the richest silver mines in Turkey, the others are those of Kághzemán, Hakkárí, Bingol, Sanjar, Akár, Aswán, Libanon, and Merzifún. These are the Asiatic and African silver mines of the Ottoman Empire; the European ones are the following: on the frontier of Bosnia, Sira, Berinjesse near Uskúb at Karatova, Novaborda near Pereshtina, Sidr Kaissi near Salonia; but their veins are thin; those of Jánja are as big as an arm, perfectly pure silver: There was also a mint here, but it is now abandoned, I however, got some aspers with the inscription, coined at Jánja. After taking a good view of the town I was presented by the principal men with three hundred piastres, a vase for rosewater (gulábdán), and a censer (bokhúrdán) of silver, and after two days march through mountains and straights I arrived at the old fortress of Baibúrd. The Princes of the family of Akkoyúnlí, who came with the Dánishmend family, and with the ancestors of the Ottomans from Mahán to Rúm, first settled here, and having found a rich treasure of silver in the mines, by which they became rich (Bai), the place was called Baiyúrd, which was changed into Baibúrd. Mahmúd Pasha the Vezír of Mohammed II. conquered it from Uzún Hassan. According to the description of Sultán Súleímán, it is the seat of a Súbashí separated from the khass of the Vezír of Erzerúm, a jurisdiction of a hundred and fifty aspers, the revenues of the judge amount annually to six purses. There is a Muftí, a Nakíb, Sipáh-kiayayerí, and Yenicherí-serdárí.

Form and size of the Castle.

It is a pentagon, and stands on a high hill, the height of the wall is forty royal cubits, it has no ditch, on account of its position; there are three hundred old houses, but no market, khán, or bath; two gates, one to the east, opening towards the gardens, and one to the west, by which you descend to the lower town, consisting of more than a thousand houses with terraces; there are nineteen quarters of Moslims, and nine of Armenians; no Jews nor gipsies, but a great number of Greeks, because it is not far from the seashore. A great number of its inhabitants are Turks and Turcomans. Mohammed II. transplanted hither a colony of three thousand men of the inhabitants of Tíre, whose descendants are very orderly, good men. Its mosques are pleasant, the most frequented of them is that of the conqueror, in the Castle; in the market that of Záhid Efendí, a mosque covered with a terrace in the olden style; its minareh is a slender building of bricks; at its left are the Court of Justice, the Imperial dyeing-house and the Flour-hall. Near to the women’s bath is the mosque of Kázizádeh Mohammed Chelebi, an old but sweet mosque; near the river Jorúgh, is the mosque of Shengel-baí; the part of the town beyond the river Jorúgh is called Yoris Mahallessí; there is a dining establishment and college, with three baths, the first is the bath at the bridge; the second, that of Alí Shengáh; the third, the red bath; the temperature of these baths is most excellent: there are three convents of Dervishes, and a great khán close to the mosque of Kázizádeh; before this khán there is a market every Sunday attended by from five hundred to a thousand persons; three hundred shops, an elegant Bezestán, and some coffee-houses. Of its provisions, fresh butter, white pies, and a kind of wheat called camel’s teeth are much renowned; so are also the carpets and felts of Baibúrd, light, well-coloured, fanciful carpets, which are exported into all countries. The air being rather cold, it is not very favourable to flowers and fruits, but it is amply provided with fruit from the neighbouring places. There are some pretty faces, and seventy schools for boys, who are quick and clever; the old men live to the age of a hundred and fifty, who losing their teeth pronounce with difficulty the letter S, but the women are very eloquent. Erzerúm is two journeys direct north from hence. A man may go from here to Erzerúm, by footpaths, in two days, and on horseback in four days.

Description of the River Jorúgh.

It rises in the mountains of Erzerúm, supplies water to a great number of fields, and flows straight to the lower town of Baibúrd; the two banks are adorned with many elegant palaces and koshks and gardens, where the inhabitants delight to fish; its name is corrupted from Júírúh (river of spirit) a name it well deserves by its most excellent qualities. The inhabitants of the town cut their wood on the mountain, and putting on it a private mark throw it into the river, which it floats down until it is stopped in the middle of the town by a great rake, where each person comes to fetch out his wood. This river comes to Baibúrd from the east, washes the rocks of the castle, passes through many well-cultivated villages, and flows at the bottom of the Castle of Conia, a large river, into the Black Sea. Some hundred boats of the Lázes, which are called Sarpúna and Mengesila, navigate this river to Georgia and Mingrelia, and exchange their merchandize for slaves.

Pilgrimages.

The mountain facing the mosque in the quarter on the opposite bank of the Jorúgh, is called the parrot’s mountain, it is the burying-place of Abd-ul wahháb A’ari, and is a general walk. This high mountain commands the town, but cannon shot cannot reach it from hence, the distance being too great, and the river Jorúgh flowing between. The hill which rises in the town, opposite the mosque, is ascended in half an hour. The Pilgrimage of Osmán Ghází, who is here buried underneath a cupola of bricks. The Pilgrimage of Jághir Kánlidedeh has the greatest credit with the inhabitants of this town, as he is a recent Saint; people yet alive having witnessed his miracles. Near this place, an able architect built a bridge of fir-tree across the river Jorúgh, in the shape of a swallow’s wing, to which the fir bridge over the Duina at Fúja Shehrí in Herzgovina can alone be compared; but this bridge of Baibúrd having only a single arch, is higher and finer than that of Fúja. In the cemetery to the Kiblah of the town, are buried many thousand great men, but I have mentioned only those I visited. After taking a good view of the town, and having collected the number of troops fixed by the firmán, I received from the Súbashí a present of three hundred piastres, and continued my journey accompanied by fifty armed men.

Description of the Castle of Tortúm.

It was built by the old King of Georgia Mamerúl, was conquered by Uzún Hassan, and by Mohammed II., and then fell again into the hands of the Georgians. Selím I. first retook it when Governor of Trebisonde, and Sultán Súleimán lost it again. He despatched his second Vezír Ahmed Páshá to reconquer it, who took it after a siege of seven days and an assault of seven hours, cutting all the Infidels to pieces; and providing it with stores and men. He then advanced further into Georgia, and the two castles of Nejákh and Mírakhor surrendered. From hence he proceeded to Akchekala’a, which being a stronghold was not taken till the seventh day. The Begs of the castles of Penkerd, Asherd, and the little Akchekala’a paid obeisance. The district of Bevána with three hundred villages did the same, and the inhabitants remain Ottoman subjects even to the present time. The castles Isper and Pertekrek yielded to the Ottoman power; so did also the district of Dadánlí with seventy-six villages, and fifteen castles, large and small; the castles of Tekkhíss and the valley of Bersássa were conquered, and Tortúm was put down in the register as the seat of a sanjak Beg belonging to Erzerúm; it furnishes sixty thousand men, and the Páshá’s revenues amount annually to twelve thousand piastres in a fair way: Its judge is appointed with a hundred and fifty aspers, and there are nine well cultivated districts, the principal of which are those of Bervána, Dadánlí and Isper, their annual revenue amounts to three thousand piastres.

Size and Shape of the Castle.

It is built in a square form, on a high rock; an iron gate opens to the east; in the castle is a mosque of Sultán Súleimán’s time, and in the lower town is seven hundred houses and seven mosques, two baths, two kháns, twelve schools and seventy shops, but no stone bezestán, imáret or medresseh. The pears, grapes and peaches are much praised; as it is only two journeys from Erzerúm, the merchants send chests full of fruit to that place; the inhabitants are righteous, hospitable men; the river which flows through it goes into the Black Sea; in the town of Tortúm saltpetre is produced for Government. While I was collecting troops here, and visiting the town, news arrived to Ghází Sídí Ahmed, the Páshá of the place, that the Cossacks had assailed the castle of Gonia; he instantly put on his armour, mounted on horseback, summoned all the Zaims and Timariots who wished to volunteer in this expedition, assembled about a thousand men, and started with his troop under the triple shout of Allah. We marched a whole day and night, reinforcing our number on the road, and halted next morning in a valley. We continued our course to the north for the whole of the second day, passed on to the frontier of Trebisonde and entered that of Gonia: here we met the Mingrelian troops, which came to join the Páshá, and were honourably received, they consisted of three hundred well armed horsemen with lances, and about a thousand riflemen with flying hair, between forty and fifty years of age, with strange figures and ugly faces, whom the Páshá flattered with good words. This night we passed along the river Jorúgh, and arrived next morning at the castle of Gonia on the Black Sea, which we saw filled with Infidel Cossacks, who at the moment they saw us roared out, Jasus! Jasus! (Jesus); seventy Chaikas were moored behind the castle. The Páshá with a hundred and fifty Aghás, and all the troops which had joined him on the way, with loud cries of Allah, attacked the ships lying in the river, cut the cables, and let the boats float out into the Black Sea, cutting down or making prisoners, those who were left to guard the boats, and towing the Chaikas into a bay at a gunshot’s distance from the castle; the Infidels, seeing they could not escape in their boats, acted like swine that are laid hold of, and began to fire. The Moslim troops on their side prepared every thing for an assault; and made ladders of the masts and rigging of the captured ships. The Mingrelian and Georgian troops entered the trenches in broad daylight, the walls were fired upon, and the assault was made from all sides. The Páshá led the assault himself with such courage and spirit, that the Infidels had not time to recollect themselves, but fled to some ships, which were left on the Jorúgh. Some of these boats being overloaded went to the bottom, those who by swimming reached the opposite shore were received by the muskets of the Moslims and went to Hell: seventeen of the ships on the Jorúgh were burnt, and two hundred Infidels, who could not re-enter the castle, were taken prisoners; seventy Moslims fell martyrs in this triple assault. The Páshá now pressed the arrival of the troops from the district of Sanjak Batúm. Finally there arrived some thousand Lázes armed with lances, casques, muskets, and sounding their war fifes, called Zígúla, with white banners waving; they joined the Páshá, halting on the bank of the river. The Páshá left them not a moment’s rest, but encouraged them by addressing them in the Circassian language. Thus a crowd was collected who threw up earth and faggots in mounds before the castle, on which the storming ladders were fixed. The neighbouring mountains re-echoed the shouts of Allah! the Moslims heaped bundles on bundles of twigs, and began to climb the ladders like spiders and goats of Isper; the bundles heaped up before the gate were set on fire. Ghází Ahmed Páshá himself mounted on the tower at the eastern corner, and by his example encouraged the general assault. From early dawn till the afternoon, neither the Páshá nor his troops had tasted a bit of bread; in the afternoon the castle was conquered, and I, poor Evliya, had the advantage of first proclaiming on its walls the sound of Ottoman prayer. The castle being now filed with victors, seven hundred Infidels were taken prisoners, and eight hundred heads cut off, and planted on the walls; the seventy-seven boats were towed back to the castle, and moored ready with all provisions and munition. The rejoicings lasted three days and three nights, during which the castle was illuminated. God be praised that I witnessed such a conquest. At the moment when prayer was first proclaimed on the wall, there appeared, on the eastern side of the Jorúgh, some thousand standards and banners, who answered the report of the salutes fired with the shouts of Allah; these were the troops of the Páshá of Karss, who had arrived before Gonia after a flying march from Erzerúm, and now encamped on the bank of the Jorúgh.

Gonia now became the meeting-place of the whole army summoned by the governor of Erzerúm; forty or fifty boats of Láz Mengesile, who descended the river of Jorúgh, took to flight as soon as they were aware, that the castle was again in the hands of the Moslims, and that an Ottoman army was encamped along the shore of the river. They were pursued by Sídí Ghází Páshá, who captured forty-seven boats, made three hundred Mingrelians prisoners, and drowned about six hundred in the river. This expedition was thus crowned with three victories: 1. The conquest of the boats; 2. that of the castle; 3. the conquest of the Mingrelian boats, which had arrived to the assistance of the Cossacks with provisions. Sídí Ahmed Páshá distributed those provisions amongst the Moslim victors, so that plenty now prevailed in the Ottoman camp. The night was again passed with illuminations and feasting; the shouts of Allah, and the sounds of the Ottoman drum interrupting the silence of the night. The next day clouds of dust rising on the side of the Jorúgh announced the arrival of a new army, whose glittering armour dazzled the eyes; it was that of Koja Sefer Páshá, the Vezír of Chaldir, who summoned by the command of our Lord the Páshá of Erzerúm, arrived with the Georgian army in great speed to the assistance of the Castle of Gonia; Sídí Ahmed Páshá went with the other Páshás to meet them, and it was a grand sight to see these troops on fine horses, well armed with spears, swords, shields, and muskets, with flying hair and strange figures. When Sefer Páshá himself came with the train of his guards (Matarají, Tufenkjí, and Shátir), he received Sídí Páshá’s salute, and then rode on his right, Báki Páshá keeping on the left. When they approached the castle a general salute of guns and musketry gave them welcome. Provisions now arrived in abundance at the Imperial camp from Georgia, Mingrelia, Láz, and Batúm. Next day fresh troops appeared to the south of Gonia, it was the Páshá of Trebisonde, who came with three thousand good troops; in seventy boats (sandal) and a hundred ships of the Lázes, called Mengesila, he carried plenty of provisions, and ten guns. Sídí Ahmed Páshá being acquainted with his arrival neither went himself to meet him, nor sent any troops to perform that ceremony. He halted with his troops on one side of the castle. Having waited on Sídí Ahmed Páshá he received him without the least honour, but with the following speech.

“I am the Páshá of Tortúm, which is from four to five journeys distant from Gonia, and it was not my duty to hasten to its assistance; but I did it for the sake of the faith and the Empire. You, Páshá, who are the Governor of Trebisonde, and Begler-beg of two tails, and at only two journies from Gonia, why did you not arrive till within these seven days to its assistance. Quick, executioner!”

The Páshás of Pássín, Akhiska and Kaighí interfered, saying, that it was against constitutional law, that he being only a Páshá of one tail, should kill one of two. He replied, “By God! if it is righteous, according to religious duties, I’ll cut off his head, even if he be a Páshá of seven tails; in consideration, however, of your intercession, I won’t kill him, but relate the business to the Emperor; call quickly for the Diván Efendí (Secretary).” While the dispatch was being drawn up, orders were given to put seventy of the principal officers of the troops of Trebisonde into prison, and they were accordingly shut up in the castle, for not having urged the Páshá to hasten to the deliverance of Gonia. The Diván Efendí made out the account of the conquest of Gonia, and the accusation against the Páshá of Trebisonde; it was signed and sealed by the three Begler-Begs, by the Judges of Gonia and Trebisonde, and was ready to be sent off, when the inhabitants of Trebisonde threw themselves at the feet of Sídí Ahmed Páshá, supplicating not to be accused to the Porte. Sídí Páshá persisting in his resolution, showed all the obstinacy of a Circassian. The principal men of Trebisonde however, solicited the Páshás to intercede with the Commander-in-chief Sídí Ahmed; and it was ultimately arranged, after three days negotiation, that the Páshá and principal men of Trebisonde should give forty-three purses of money, three sable pelisses, twelve beautiful boys, twelve girls with eyes like Narcissuses, and of sweet language, a silken tent richly embroidered with gold, a sword set with jewels, a mare, seven quivers, vases of silver, the work of goldsmiths of Trebisonde, bridles, hatchets, candlesticks of silver, three strings of camels, three of mules, and a hundred and twenty horses. By these gifts they obtained the favour of not being named in the report to the Emperor; to whom only were mentioned the Begler Begs, Alaï and Sanjak Begs, who had hastened to the deliverance of Gonia, and this report was sent by Gurji Beg Zadeh to Constantinople. Another Kapijí Báshí was despatched with the same news to the governor of Erzerúm, but at the moment he was setting out, clouds of dust announced the arrival of fresh troops on the banks of the Jorúgh; these were the troops of Erzerúm sent to the succour of Gonia, under the command of Hassan Atlí Aghá. The Zaims, Timariots and Jebellis of Erzerúm with half the garrison, and the guards of the Páshá, forty banners of Segbán and Sáríja (irregular levies of the Páshá), led by their colonels (Bolúk Báshí). They were followed by a squadron of Delí, by another of Gonullí (Volunteers), six squadrons of Tatar horsemen, a squadron of six hundred Moteferrika, a squadron of two hundred Cháshnegírs (carvers), a squadron of two hundred Serraj (saddle-men), squadron of two hundred Kílarjí (men of the cellar), and lastly a squadron of two hundred Ichaga (indoor servants), led by the Key-keeper (Miftáh ghúlám agassí). They were also followed by forty chamberlains, each one surrounded by from forty to fifty men clad in armour, on horses of the finest breed, caparisoned with silver, and ornamented with sea-horses bristles; they rode two and two, and immediately after them came Hassan Atlí Aghá himself, with trumpets sounding, and took up his encampment on the border of the fortress. All these chamberlains were men, who had seen service in the quality of Kiayas (substitutes), Kaima Káms (Lieutenants), Motessellims (Vice-governors) and Administrators of provinces. Sídí Ahmed Páshá gave them a great repast, and next day assembled all the architects of the country to repair the castle of Gonia. The Turkish music played from seven sides, seventy tables were spread, and day and night was spent in festivities. The side of the castle that was damaged by the fire, and the mosque of Bayazíd II. was first put in repair. Seven hundred men forming a new garrison, with a new Beg, as Commander, were put into it with sufficient stores, and all the arms taken from the enemy. Thus the castle of Gonia shone forth in greater splendor than before. God be praised that I, poor Evliyá, was so fortunate as to proclaim the first prayer on its newly conquered walls!

The troops of the sanjaks of Trebisonde and Bátúm were left for the safety of the castle of Gonia, and the whole army of sixty thousand men, then began to march along the banks of the river Jorúgh towards Erzerúm. The army having halted on the bank of the river Jorúgh on a large meadow surrounded with trees, a council was held, and Sídí Ahmed Páshá, said:—“The Mingrelians, though belonging to the Province of Trebisonde have rebelled, and I have related to the Emperor, that we took their boats; which, together with those of the Russians, may now wait in the port of Gonia for the Emperor’s decision. I have also acquainted His Majesty that so many thousand Cossacks and Mingrelians have fallen to the share of the Ottoman victors, as prisoners, and I now intend to take vengeance on the Mingrelian infidels with this army, ready for expedition, that it may gain some booty as compensation for its journey.” The governor of Georgia, Sefer Páshá, who was very angry at the Mingrelians, proposed that all the horsemen should join the foot and undertake an inroad for booty, the Moslims of Akhiska and Georgia leading the way, who were then also to share the spoil. The Council broke up with this resolution, for the happy execution of which I said a Fátihah. The cryers gave notice, that all Moslims who wished for breeches and horses, for boys and girls, for money and booty, should be ready in arms. This notice produced an astonishing effect, the Moslim victors roared like lions, armed and washed themselves, and waited for the orders of the Commander.

Account of our Inroad into Mingrelia.

Ketgáj Páshá led the van of three hundred men, towards the Kiblah, followed by three thousand men of Georgia and Akhaska, and by Sídí Ahmed Páshá, at the head of nine thousand men. Bákí Páshá commanded the rear of three hundred men; the troops of Erzerúm and Kara Hissár formed the two wings; the sanjak Begs of Khinissin, Tekmán and Melázjerd were deputed to provide the forage. We marched this day ten hours to Zárchairí, a pleasant position between Mingrelia, and the sanjak of Batúm. The next day we passed the Jorúgh, and Sefer Páshá began to pillage the district of Darína; the twenty-two companies of Sárija (irregular levies) of the Páshá, our gracious Lord, two thousand two hundred brave men, pursued the fugitives in the mountains, made seven hundred prisoners, and lost seven men as martyrs. The troops proceeded till they arrived under the walls of castle of Merava, which was taken by assault, with the loss of seventy Moslims, who drank the sherbet of martyrdom; seven hundred men, five hundred women, two hundred girls, and six hundred boys, were made prisoners. The pillage was pushed as far as the districts of Georgia, and we arrived at the end of nine hours, at the field of Boghdú; here a Soffa (or meadow seat) is shown, where Sultán Selím I. was seated when Governor of Trebisonde. Two spies sent by the Prince of Mingrelia, were taken prisoners, and they showed the way (the necessary precautions being taken) to the district of Tamaras Khán, whose son with a thousand horsemen and two thousand infantry, met the Commander-in-chief, and led the Ottoman party of pillage further against the Mingrelians, with whom he was angry.

The pillaged districts were those of Pernák, Selsel, Perkán, Penák, Gúmle, and Samárgha; we halted before the castle of Akhár, a small round castle on a hill, built by Hormúz the son of Núshirván; the inhabitants are not very brave, but great thieves; two hundred and fifty castles and villages were pillaged, and nine thousand prisoners taken. Ketgáj Páshá, the leader of the van, alone took two thousand beautiful girls, whom the commander-in-chief bought for a thousand piastres, and sent them to Sultán Ibrahím with twenty other fine maidens; they were so beautiful that the text of the Korán, “We have created man in the finest shape,” seems to have been revealed only for their praise. The booty was so rich, that a slave was sold for ten piastres, an ox for half a piastre, and a sheep for five aspers. The Beg of Báshajik sent to the Commander-in-chief a present of five boys and five girls, and also gave me a boy and girl. We arrived after eleven hours predatory march at a plain, in the middle of which was a building raised by the Beg of Mingrelia, it was ruined by Uzún Hassan, and is now contiguous to Batúm on the frontier of Mingrelia. We passed the Castles, Nejákh, Merkhor, Akchekala’a, Chepek, Penkerd, Asherd, Kúchúk Akchekala’a, the Begs of which all came with presents, paying obeisance to Sídí Ahmed Páshá. These castles being situated on high mountains, and in woody tracts, were passed by indulgently, but the villages situated in the plain were all ravaged; the district of Yúvána, overrun for the space of seven days, furnished such beautiful boys and girls, that each of them was worth a treasure of Egypt. We halted underneath the castle of Tekrek, the inhabitants of which came with presents, to ward off the danger of the pillage, they were threatened with; six districts more, the names of which I am ignorant of, shared the common fate of havock. The Ottoman victors were now so loaded with spoils and booty, that it became impossible to carry it all away. Many of them returned bringing their booty to the Castle of Gonia, and from thence to Trebisonde.

Of the Language of the Mingrelians.

Georgia is inhabited by seventeen Christian tribes, the principal of which are, the Achikbásh, Dadián, Shúshád, and Gúriel. The Mingrelians are the last and most despised specimen of their language: one, artí; two, sherí; three, shumí; four, ámekh; five, khotí; six, pishkúí; seven, ishkúí; eight, rúo; nine, júghúr; ten, wetí. Bread, gúpál; fire, dájkhir; shield, púr; sheep, ashkhorí; girdle, derkát; head, dúdí; wood, deshke; dog, joghúr; ox, khijú; calf, kissin; salt, ajém; swine, gháj; ass, kirút; bear, nút; cheese, kúl; curds, merjván; come, wai; man, chaí; sit down, dakhúr; girl, tíne; go, halawlí; come mother, waí diás, &c.

Mingrelia is inhabited by a great number of different tribes, who speak different dialects; there are seventy different products; its sheep, goats, swine and fine breed of horses (Kohailán) are renowned; there are neither mules nor asses in the whole of Georgia and Mingrelia, but a great number of foxes, wild cats, and martens; corn and wheat are scarce as hardly any thing but millet and Lazúd (?) is sown; on the high mountains are many nut and fir-trees, box-trees and cedars. The inhabitants, like those of Mingrelia, Abaza, and Circassia, are settled in the mountains; they have castles with gardens and churches. In short, during seventy-seven days, we made the tour of Mingrelia and Georgia, after which time the Ottoman troops took the direction of Erzerúm; on the third day we came to the district of Darátlí, which is contiguous to the sanjak of Tortúm. Perfect security being restored, the troops were licensed to break up by the Vezír of Akhiska, Sídí Ahmed Páshá, and we then went with the Georgian Begs towards Chaldir. After fourteen hours we reached the valley of Yúvána, where the inhabitants of Isper and Tortúm met us with presents. At the public entrance into Tortúm, the Cossack and Mingrelian prisoners were dragged along in chains; the inhabitants of Tortúm all assembled to form the Istikbál (solemn meeting. See Morier’s travels). Sídí Páshá himself wore the plumes of honour (Jíghatelí) which the Governor of Erzerúm had sent to him, put on his well caparisoned state horse, trappings of six pieces of steel of Nakshiván, wrapped round his head a red sash in the Mohammedan fashion, clad himself in blue steel with armour on his thighs, and, looking of stupendous size, like a seven-headed dragon he passed through the crowd who received his salute crying, “Aleik awnallah eí ghází seifollah!” “God’s assistance be upon thee, O victor, sword of God!” The guns of the castle of Tortúm saluted and the mountains re-echoed the thundering noise. Sídí Páshá repaired to his palace, and Ketgáj Páshá, Bákí Páshá and eight Sanjak Begs encamped before the town for three days, and on the fourth the whole of the troops moved towards Erzerúm, the territory of which we reached on Kássim (St. Demetrius’ day) and passed the straight of Ghází-boghází. The governor expecting the troops, was in his tent at Gumishlí Kunbed (silver vault) where Sídí Ahmed, Ketgáj, and Bákí Páshá were received with the greatest distinction, treated with a splendid repast and invested with pelisses of honour. Here the Páshá and Sanjak Begs laid with great pomp their presents before the governor. The season being now too far advanced to think of the expedition against Eriván, we remained in this place spending our days in pleasure. The Governor, my gracious Lord, being a little angry with me on account of my having accompanied the expedition without leave, Sídi Ahmed Páshá interceded in my favour, saying, “If it is a fault that I took Evliyá with me to the siege of Gonia, it is he that proclaimed first the Mohammedan prayer on its walls; he is a traveller of the world, a good companion of mankind, a Háfiz (who knows the Korán by heart) and a warrior in the ways of God.” Having asked pardon for me in this gentle manner, the Páshá said, “His duty was to collect troops and not to assist at the siege of Gonia, I will not pardon this fault unless he finishes in eight hours the recital of the Korán (Khatem sheríf).” I began with the Bismillah and finished in somewhat more than nine hours, after which I kissed the earth before my gracious Lord, and received from him a sable pelisse, a thorough bred horse, two fine boys, and a sinecure; so that I now spent all my time both day and night in pleasure.

Moral Reflections.

The end of all joy is disappointment, and the end of every day is bitter. There is no doubt about this. So at the end of this 1075th year we received the news by a swift messenger despatched from Constantinople, that Sultán Ibrahím had killed without reason the Grand Vezír Sáleh Páshá, and had appointed in his place Tezkereji Ahmed Páshá. Though this news greatly afflicted the Páshá yet he kept it secret not to spoil the pleasure of the company, and transacted the rest of his business at Erzerúm. Sáleh Páshá, who had been one of the favorite slaves of the father of our Governor, had for this reason given him the government of Erzerúm; but the present Grand Vezír, ever since he had been the Tezkerejí of Kara Mustafa Páshá, had become his mortal enemy. He kept however this secret to himself and continued to feast in his tent with his guests, Sídí, Ketgáj, Bákí and Dilaver Páshá.

(Here follows the separate history of these four Páshás and of the Governor, which we omit. In the chapter of Sídí Páshá it is mentioned that playing at jeríd one day with Evliyá he broke four of his teeth.)

Account of our return from Erzerúm to Constantinople in the month of Zílka’deh 1057 (1647).

We left the town by the gate of Erzenján and halted first in the plain called the circles of Bazár-bashí, where farewell presents were lavished on us by all the Aghás and principal men of Erzerúm, who both by day and night formed their court around the tent of the Páshá. The Kiaya of Sáleh Páshá, the governor of Baghdád, accompanied by an hundred and fifty Aghás, an hundred and seventy Kapijí-bashí, seven hundred men, Sárija, and three hundred Segbán, arrived here with the news of Sáleh Páshá having been killed. The next day a messenger came from Constantinople with a Khattí-sheríf conferring on governor Mohammed Páshá, our gracious Lord, the Governorship of Karss with the obligation to take the field against the Persians by defending the frontier. The Governor, our gracious Lord, said, “Be it now as it may”, and without paying attention to the Khattí-sheríf continued his way to Constantinople. The first station, three hours to the west of Erzerúm, was the village of Kán, an Armenian village in the midst of the plain. Five hours further westward, the village Ilija, possessing a hot spring, covered with high cupolas by the munificence of the Princes of the dynasty of Akche-koyúnlí. The basin is not paved with stones, but only strewed with white sand. The water is of a moderate heat and smells like that of other hot springs, but is more conducive to health than the warm spring of Zia-ud-dín. From hence we advanced five hours to the westward to the village of Khinnis, an Armenian village of two hundred houses, and in five hours more came to the village of Mamakhatún, a mussulman village of two hundred houses. This Lady was a pious Lady of the Akche-Koyúnlí family, and lies buried here with her children beneath a high cupola; there is a mosque, an imáret, and a college. Advancing for five hours over valleys and hills we reached the village of Ketúr on the territory of Erzerúm, where the Euphrates is crossed by a bridge of fir-tree. The Páshá halted here for three days, and sent me on a mission to Mirakhor Aghá, the inspector of the salt of Kumákh.

Our journey to the Castle of Kumákh.

The Castle of Kumákh was built by the Greek Emperors and then came into the hands of the Akche-koyúnlí. When in the possession of Uzún Hassan, the king of Azerbeiján, it was besieged by Timúr for seven months, during which the besieged disdained to fire a single shot or throw a single stone on the besiegers. After the defeat of Uzún Hassan it was also besieged by Mohammed III., during three months without success. Selím I. when governor of Trebisonde, availed himself of a good opportunity and conquered it. He then crossed from Trebisonde with three hundred ships to Caffa and Crimea on the opposite shore with the intention of wresting the sovereign power from the hands of his father, Báyazíd II. assisted by the Tatars of the Crimea. The Father and Son met near Hájí Oghlí-bazárí in the valley of Oghrásh, and Selím being defeated left his son Súleimán, Governor of Trebisonde, and went himself into Persia, where he visited the tombs of great Saints like Imán Mússa and played at chess with the Sháh, who at this time had taken possession of Kumákh. Selím then defeated his father at Chorlí, who exiled to Demitoca died at Hássa. Selím I received at Yení-bághje the obeisance of the inhabitants of Constantinople, and instantly fixed the tails at Scutari as the signal of a Persian expedition. The castle of Kumákh was conquered by Bíklí Mohammed Páshá. It is one of the strongest fortresses of the Ottoman Empire, like those of Diárbekr, Márdín, Ván, Sín Kara-hissár, Afiún Kara-hissár, Megú, Eremnák, Merkáb, Hassan, Karak in Asia, and in Rúm Mengesha, Napoli, Misistra, Rodos, &c. It is loftier than all these and is invisible till noon, from clouds which pour frequent showers upon it. At the time of the description of the country by Sultán Súleimán it was set down as the seat of a Voivode, subordinate to Erzerúm. Three districts belong to it; that of the town, of Gerjánis, and of Kúrúchaí, from which the Judge gathers an annual revenue of three thousand piastres. The Castle has a Dizdár and a garrison of five hundred men, an officer of the Janissaries (Serdár), of the Sipahís (Kiayayerí), and a Nakíb; another officer rules the village of Gomúr on the other side of the Euphrates, which consists of seven hundred houses: this officer is the Inspector of the salt, which is sweeter than the salt of Hají-begtásh.

The inhabitants of Turkistán and Turcomania get all their salt from Kumákh. A linen which is no where else to be found in such perfection, is made here for tents. There is a proverb in praise of the linen of Kúmákh, the sheep of Erzenján and the girls of Baiburd. The river Komúr, which passes through the gardens of the village that bears its name, comes from the mountains of Jerjánish and joins the Euphrates near the convent of Melek Ghází Effendí. Near, and opposite to it, is Mobarek, an armenian village, the khass of the garrison of Erzerúm. The water, which distils in the caverns of the mountain freezes in the summer time and in the winter is as warm as a hot spring. The inhabitants keep in these caverns their cheese called Katik-peinirí. In coming hither from Erzerúm you cross the Euphrates over a large single arched bridge, ascend a height of five hundred paces and pass along the rocky tract called Kebán. There towering rocks are on the right, as you ascend the castle and on the left are deep precipices. The small river Ain Manzar here flows into the Euphrates. This river issues from Mount Manzar, unites with the Sáterdereh, a torrent which supplies water to the gardens of the town and joins the Euphrates below the rocks of Kepán. The water is clear and fresh. Near it is a rock called Alí’s rock, where people believe they are cured of pains in the limbs, because Alí is said to have rested here his weary limbs; it is a stone like a magnet, and the inhabitants call it Kullikia; above is the suburb of the Infidels. The houses, with and without gardens, are all covered with earth. The subjects are all Armenians; there are three hundred shops, but no bezestán of stone, two kháns, two baths, and a great mosque: the bath near it is called Chorbájí-hamám. The suburb has no fortification (Robát) round it, but above it is a great castle.

Description of the Castle of Kumákh.

This castle is a pentagon of stone situate on a chalk cliff; it may be compared to the castle of Sín-hissár on the frontiers of Erzerúm. On the opposite side of the Euphrates is a height by which it is commanded, but the distance is too great to make it of consequence. It has three strong gates one behind the other; on the right and left of the first gate are two brass guns, well worthy to be seen, of such dimensions that a cobbler might very well work in them without complaining of the narrowness of the place. They are of the time of Sultán Súleimán; their length twenty-seven spans and their balls of three quintals weight. The greatest wonder is how they succeeded in bringing such large guns to so high a place. At the innermost or third gate is suspended the mace of a Pehliván, and a bow of Alí. The number of the houses great and small is six hundred, but they want gardens and water. Five magazines have been filled with rice and millet ever since the time of Sultán Selím I., which seem as though they had been laid up but to-day. There are eleven mosques; the Beg’s is a large mosque with a minareh of stone; though this castle is built on a rock, yet the houses are paved with flat stones. On the tower called the Martyrs towards the north are thirty-two large and small guns; from the gate of the Martyrs, a water-way cut in the rock leads down to the foot of it, by which they fetch the water at the time of a siege. There are three cisterns here near one another, the first is full of good water, the second smells of saltpetre and the third is very salt. Though this town is a town of Turkistán, situated on the territory of Erzerúm, yet its inhabitants are goodnatured, sound people. The linen for tents, the white salt and the cheese called Katik-peinirí, which is better and sweeter than that of Mytilene and of Koreisha at Damascus, are famous all over Asia. The quails, which in summer come in great numbers, the inhabitants preserve in vinegar for the winter.

Near the magazines are the pilgrimage of Kend Effendí and at the head of the bridge, that of Melek Ghazí. As this town is not situated on the great road, caraváns do not pass here. The Euphrates on the east comes from the mountains of Rúmlí Sultán and flows round the rock towards the west to the Izúlí Kurds. From the Alps of a thousand lakes (Bíngol) comes the Murad river, which joins the Euphrates. Whoever travels from Malatia, Kharpút, Ekín, Pálava, or Diárbekr can only cross it in a boat. I viewed this town for three whole days, collected what was due by the Voivode to the Páshá, and received from him an hundred piastres as a present of arrival (Kúdúmie). I returned in five days to Kumákh and set out next day northward along the Euphrates to Shúrím, which has two hundred houses; ten hours further, to the station of Jebjeh-khání; then leaving the Euphrates to the right, to the village of Jemen, an Armenian village on the plain of Erzenján; from whence we arrived at Erzenján.

Description of the Castle of Erzenján.

This castle belongs to Erzerúm and not to Azerbeiján. There are four towns, which bear the name of Erzen, viz: Erzen in Mesopotamia (Jezíre), Erzen Akhlát, Erzenrúm commonly called Erzerúm, and Erzenján. It is a delightful spot, the possession of which occasioned many wars, till in the year 855 Sultán Bayazíd I. received it from its prince, Záhir-ud-dín, who, the very same day he heard of the conquest of Amasia, repaired to this town and delivered to Sultán Bayazíd the keys. Bayazíd out of generosity returned the keys to Záhir-ud-dín on condition that Khutbeh be performed, and the coinage struck in his name. Záhir-ud-dín died three years afterwards and the town was taken possession of by Kara Yússúf, the Prince of the dynasty of Kara-koyúnlí, who held it for seven years, until Timúr overrun Asia. Kara Yússúf fled from his residence and sought shelter at the throne of Sultán Bayazíd, together with Ahmed Jelair, the Commander of Baghdád. Timúr required Bayazíd to deliver them up to him, but Bayazíd refused, and this refusal was the chief cause of the war between them. Kara Yússúf and Jelair afterwards fled into Egypt to Sultán Berkúk. Erzenján fell into the hands of Uzún Hassan, who being already Prince of Azerbeiján became also Prince of Erzenján. His mint is still extant near the convent of the Mevlevís. After the defeat and death of Bayazíd, the Empire was disputed by the Princes Issa, Mússa, Súleimán and Mohammed, the latter obtained it and became absolute Lord, but was unable to conquer Erzenján, which remained in the hands of Uzún Hassan until the time of Mohammed II., who took possession of it after the defeat of Uzún Hassan on the plain of Terján. He repaired the castle of Sultán Záhir-ud-dín and garrisoned it with Ottoman troops. In the reign of Bayazíd II., when Sultán Selím was governor of Trebisonde, Sháh Ismail took possession of Azerbeijan, which returned to its first Lord after the battle of Chaldirán in the year 921 (1515); Erzenján was then made a part of the revenues of the Páshá of Erzerúm. Its magistrates are a Súbashi and a judge with one hundred and fifty aspers, who may collect annually six purses. The other officers are the Muftí, Nakíb, Serdár, Kiayayerí, a Mohtessib (judge of the market) and a Shehr-naibí (inspector of the town.)

The castle is situated in a delightful plain in the midst of woods, its gates and walls are very low and its fortifications very old. At the time of the rebellion of Abaza at Erzerúm, the ditch was cleared and the walls repaired, but Abaza Páshá became nevertheless master of it. It has an iron gate, and the communication from the fortress to the suburb is by a bridge; in the castle are three hundred houses with and without gardens, a mosque, a khán and a bath.

The great suburb consists of eighteen hundred houses with and without gardens, all covered with neat terraces and but few of them having upper stories; seventy-six mosques great and small without cupolas, and seven convents, the most renowned of which is that of the Mevlevís; Chelebí Effendí, the son of the great Mevlana Jelál-ud-dín, is buried here. This convent built in the olden style is situated in the midst of a delightful Persian garden, the nightingales of which with their delicious songs feed the brains of the poor Dervishes, and intoxicate them with divine love, while they themselves are singing mystic hymns in the tunes of love. Round the music-room (Ima’á-kháneh) are the cells of the Dervishes, and the convent is endowed with a good kitchen and cellar (Kílár). They preserve here Jelál-ud-dín’s habit, a Korán, and a Mesneví written by his own hand. The second convent is that of Chádirjí Sheikh Abd-ul-kádir Gíláni. There are various excellent baths, eleven great kháns, forty abecedarian schools, no houses for reading the Korán (Dár-ul-kirayet), tradition (Dár-ul-hadíth) nor for dining the poor (Dár-ul-ita’ám), but there are a great number of students (Talebe); and lectures are read in all the mosques. Amongst the inhabitants are found many clever, goodnatured, learned, pious, well-bred men, who wear short dresses, but no silk with the exception of the soldiers, who dress in cloth of various colours and also in silk. The youth of both sexes are pretty, and the ladies are chaste as Adúyeh Rábia, and wear when walking boots and a pointed cap (Arakjín); they are prohibited from walking in the market-place, which contains six hundred houses. Precious articles are kept in a small bezestán. From hence to Erzerúm situated beyond the mountains is two journies. The climate of Erzerúm is rough and very cold, while that of Erzenján on the contrary is mild, and favourable to roses and flowers. Snow falls sometimes, but remains no longer than three days. Its gardens are productive of the finest flowers and the sweetest fruits.

Praise of the Eatables and Beverages.

Seventy sorts of pears are produced here; and though the season of winter was far advanced at the time of our stay here, yet we now saw seventeen various sorts of pears offered as presents to the Páshá, with raisins and apricots; its mulberries both white and black are much renowned and when dried are exported to all countries. The sherbet of mulberries seasoned with different spices gives new life to the soul. Erzerúm is provided with fruits from this town, from whence they are transported in two days.

Pilgrimages.

The convent of Khizr, a convent of Mevlevís; the convent of Sheikk Khaled Efendí; and the tomb of Himmet Páshá, one of the vezirs of Sultán Selím, who was killed on his way to Chaldirán.

I remained here for three days to collect the sums due from the Inspectors of salt and the Súbáshí of Kúrúchaí. Whilst the inhabitants were giving feasts to the Páshá news arrived of the rebellion of Várvár Páshá, with a letter to the following intent: “My son! Hezárpara Ahmed Páshá the Vezír of Ibrahím has killed eleven Vezirs and deprived me of the Governorship of Sívás, because I did not send to the Sultán the wife of Ipshír Páshá, the daughter of the Prince of Georgia, the Lady Perikhán. Three Kapijí-bashí came with orders to take my head, but I happily escaped from them. I have now received letters from all the great and principal men at Constantinople, and from the officers of the seven military corps, summoning me to come with my troops to Scutarí, and to demand there the heads of the Vezir, of Jenjí Khoja, Begtásh Aghá, Chelebí Kiaya, Mossleh-ud-dín Aghá and Kara Chaúsh. I am now united with three Vezirs, seven Begler-begs and eleven Sanjak-begs ready to march against Constantinople. If thou wishest to save thy head from Ahmed Páshá (the grand Vezir), I invite thee to join us at Tokát, from whence we shall march our united forces to Constantinople to try our fortune.” This letter having been received at Erzenján a council was held, and the levies (levend) having determined to follow the auspices of the Páshá, the resolution was taken to join the party of the rebels, and a Fátihah was said to that intention. Alaja Atlí Hassan Aghá was sent on with a foraging party to be quarter-master general, and letters were sent to Várvár Páshá with the declaration upon oath to join him. I, poor Evliyá, was quite perplexed and out of my wits, I had so many things and goods, which I knew not how to dispose of. We were in the midst of winter, and the tradition of the prophet, “a journey is a portion of hell, be it but a farsang’s length,” received its full application. I did not know where to leave my things in safety; and only with my horse and sword accompany the Páshá, my gracious Lord, as a rebel.

We first moved from Erzenján to the north and halted after seven hours at Báshkhán; five hours further, to the village Erzensí, an Armenian village, six hours further to the village of Sheikh Sinán, near which at Bárúgúnde is the tomb of Behlúl of Samarkand, a convent of bareheaded and barefooted Begtáshís; and three hours further we crossed the bridge of the Shepherds near Hassan Kala’assí. Shah Kúrúdúmán of the Chobán family is buried in the same place with Behlúl of Samarkand. It is said, that the tomb being opened, King Chobán Kúrúdúmán with all his family was burnt by a fire that issued out by talismanic virtue. He was a Prince of great enterprise, built the bridge of Tiflís and near Melázjerd the bridge with golden rings over the Araxes. Adjoining the bridge is a magnificent caravánseraï, the windows of which look on the river, so that travellers lodging there have the pleasure of fishing out of their windows. I have sometimes passed this bridge on my way to and from Eriván. This time I visited the builder’s tomb and said the Súra yass, for his soul. We left Bárúgúnde and came after a march of eight hours to the north to Ezendeler, a cultivated village in the district of Terján, and after four hours more to the north to the station of Tapán Ahmed Aghá, where a feast for ten days was ordained. Here I took leave of the Páshá and proceeded with the men of Ahmed Aghá to Shín Kara Hissár. I first travelled towards the east through woods and deserts along the valley of Kara hissár, and villages belonging to it, and reached the town itself after a nine hours march.

Description of the strong Castle of Shín or Shábín Kara-hissár.

There are in the Ottoman Empire various castles, which bear the name of Kara-hissár, the most renowned of which is that before us. The others are Kara-hissár called Afiún (Apamea), Develí Kora-hissár, Adalia Kara-hissárí, and Ván Kara-hissárí. The two first are superior to the others. Shábín Kara-hissár is so called because a mine of alum (Sháb) was found in its mountains; the stones of the castle being black, it is also called Shabín from Shab (night, dark coloured). It was built by the Armenian kings, fell into the power of the Greek Princes of Trebisonde, and then into that of Záhir-ud-dín, the Prince of Erzenján, who conquered it on a dark night, which is another reason given for its being called Shabín. It passed into the power of Uzún Hassan, the Prince of Azerbeiján and was taken from him by Mohammed II. In the time of Sultán Selím I. it was described as a sanjak belonging to the government of Erzerúm. Its khass is thirteen thousand aspers; and there are thirty-six ziámets and nine hundred and forty timárs, which furnish, together with the men belonging to the Beg, two thousand men. The revenue of the Páshá amounts annually to forty purses. It has sometimes been given as a supplementary allowance (Arpalik) to Páshás of three tails. It was so given to Ghází Sefer Páshá, the vezir of Akhiska, in addition to Akhiska. His administrator (Motessellem) was Dervish Aghá, a Georgian and powerful commander. He once sent me on service to the valleys of Mendvál and Túsdereh by which I gained a horse, a sword, two red mules, and a Georgian boy; presented to me by himself. The judge is appointed with an hundred and fifty aspers and may annually make four thousand piastres from the different districts. There is a Muftí, a Nakíb, a Serdár, Kiaya-yerí, Subashí, Mohtessib, a Dizdár and an hundred and fifty men invested with timárs.

The castle of Shabín Kara-hissár is of a heptagon form and stands on a high mountain, appearing like a man of war dismantled and dismasted. It is the work of an architect who was a second Ferhád. It is one of the twelve fortresses in the Ottoman Empire, which, not being commanded by the neighbouring heights, seem to have been built by the hand of Omnipotence. The height of the walls on all the seven sides is seventy cubits, with seventy bulwarks and seven hundred battlements. The whole circumference is three thousand six hundred paces; there is no ditch, it being surrounded by precipices. It has three strong gates where the garrison keep watch day and night, because the inhabitants of the villages along the shores of the Black sea send all their best goods into the castle to protect them from the inroads of the Cossacks; there are seventy houses with terraces, but they suffer from want of water, which is obliged to be brought upon asses from the river below; in case of siege they use the water kept in cisterns. The magazines are full of millet and rice, and have been for more than a century. As it is not a frontier fortress the artillery is neither heavy nor numerous. A small mosque bearing the name of Sultán Mohammed II., a khán, bath and market are in the lower town or suburb. This suburb, with gardens around it, consists of sixteen hundred terraced houses, the windows of which look towards the north; the courtyards are spacious. There are forty-two mosques, none of which are covered with lead, like those of the Sultáns at Constantinople; the one within the market place near the court of justice is much frequented: three convents, two baths, four kháns, seven schools for boys and an hundred and fifty shops; as this place does not lie on the great road, but on one side of it, its establishments are not very elegant. Tapán Ahmed Aghá began a new bezestán with eighty shops on both sides of the main street; it is sheltered by a roof against rain and foul weather, and protected by two gates on each side against thieves and bad men. Watchmen keep guard every night because many precious things are deposited there.

Description of a Lion.

Upon the gate leading to the outer town a lion, stuffed with cotton, is to be seen, it has oranges in the place of eyes, yawning like a seven-headed dragon, with a piece of red felt instead of a tongue, and teeth as sharp as Turcoman daggers or Arab lances. It measures from its nose to its tail forty-five spans. This mountain lion continued his havoc on the cattle of the neighbouring country for seven years, when it was killed by a brave man, and placed by the order of Ahmed Tapán upon the gate of his new built bezestán. It is a terrific beast, with feet resembling columns; it is not so beautiful as the lions of Baghdád, Helle, Jevazer and Kavarna, with their yellow coloured hair of a span’s length, like Angora-goats. Lions being generally the inhabitants of deserts, this one of the mountains deserves so much the more to be noticed. The mountains of this part, being all covered with thick forests, abound with leopards, lynxes, wild sheep, martens, wolves, foxes and jackals, and men are scarcely able to fetch wood from the mountains because they are so full of ferocious animals. A party of Cossacks, who had once pushed their inroads as far as these mountains, became the prey of wild beasts; intending to devour men’s goods they were themselves devoured, and ever since the town has enjoyed perfect security from the roving Cossacks, who availed themselves of the vicinity of the Black Sea.

In this town I saw another marvellous thing, it was a boy standing before a barber’s shop with his father who begged alms; the boy was about eight or nine years of age with a stupendous head, like the heads of the people of A’ad and Themúd, like the head of Salsál (?) at Akgermán or like pumpkins of Adana and cabbages of Ván, on a neck no thicker than an arm, which not being capable of bearing such an enormous weight the head was supported by a wooden fork, which was fixed in the ground, and on it the weight of the head rested. This monstrous head, held up in this way before a barber’s shop, laughed in the faces of all who passed by. It had no turban but a kind of coarse saddle-cloth wrapped round it, the brows were of two fingers breadth extending to the ears, which were of human form, but of immense size, as were also the eyes, the lashes of which resembled arrows; the nose was somewhat of the shape of a Melonyena (Bádinján) of Morea, and when breathing, the nostrils were like those of a snorting horse; the mouth opened to such an astonishing width, that he was able to swallow at once a small water melon; of his teeth two were curved outside of the mouth towards the upper, and two downwards to the under lip; the lips were ruby-coloured but like the lips of a camel; the spittle was continually running out of his mouth. The physiognomy was that of a Kalmúk, and the hair crisped like that of black Arabs. The arms and breasts were those of a boy’s of his years, the fingers very thin and the feet like sticks. This was a case to apply the verse of the Koran to: “God does what he wills and orders what he likes.” I asked the father whether the mother of this monstrous child was still alive, he said “Yes, and that she was actually again with child.” I said, “Bandage her body tightly, that she may miscarry, for if the head of the child should grow to the size of its brother’s, its entrance into the world might cause an inconvenient enlargement.” The father said, “You are joking, but I assure you most earnestly, that when the mother of this boy laid in with him, the birth was so easy that she was aware of nothing at all and thanked God for such an easy deliverance.” I, poor Evliyá, said, “But never has there been created a creature with such a head, such a face and such teeth; do you believe it to be the real produce of your loins?” The man answered, “Having once gone to the mountain with my wife to cut wood, we there enjoyed a shepherd’s hour in most pleasant conversation. I then left her reposing under a tree, and went on my business, when I suddenly heard her cries, and saw her running towards me pursued by a naked giant, tall as the fir-trees. When she got home she fell sick, and her figure increased in size daily, until at the end of a year’s time she was delivered of this boy, whose head grows bigger and bigger every day.” I said, “If it please God, that it should still grow to a larger size, you must come to Constantinople, where if shown to the Vezirs and great men of the Empire he may easily gain two thousand piastres in a year.”

Praise of the Alum, called Solomon’s Alum.

This is a reddish alum produced in the mountains of this town, which is therefore called Shábín Kara-hissár; it is much sought after by the goldsmiths of all countries. The Inspectorship is let at seven hundred thousand aspers a year. It breaks up into pentagon and sexagon stones shaped like the seal of Solomon; the goldsmiths use it to brighten the silver, and the surgeons for plasters. It has many excellent qualities. The temperature of this town being mild the inhabitants are fair. Its quinces and a kind of small bread are famous. We remained here three days as guests in the palace of Tapán Ahmed Aghá, purchased coffee, horse-shoes and some other necessary things and then returned.

On our journey we passed a great river, which flows into the Kerkúk, and whose waters collect from the vallies of Mánd, Vál, and Kúrd-dereh. After six hours march to the west we reached the village of Yakúb-aghá and further on, along the shores of the Kerkúk, through steep and stony ways and the tremendous pass of Bogház-kessen, to where the river, which flows through Amasia, enters the Kerkúk, and falls into the sea at Ener. Having passed it we continued our way for eight hours over hills and valleys and arrived at the Castle of Hájí Murád, built by Uzún Hassan’s vezír. After the defeat of Uzún Hassan it surrendered its keys without contest to Mahmúd Páshá, the vezír of Sultán Mohammed II. It is a high and steep castle like that of Kavilí-hissár, of a thousand paces in circumference and without a ditch, which from its situation on a hill would be superfluous. In the castle are seventy small houses, but no market, khán, bath, college or imáret. There are a great number of nut-trees. On the border of the Kerkúk, which flows at the foot of the castle in a deep valley is a khán. The Súbashí resident here is subordinate to Shábín Kara-hissár. I here informed the Páshá of the strength of Shábín Kara-hissár, at which he was surprised. From hence we ascended a high mountain to the north and came in six hours to the village of Chaúdár; in seven more to Emírler, a village in the territory of Shábín; in five more to an Armenian village; in four more to the west to the village of Kílárjí Veliaga, on the border of a high mountain, consisting of two hundred houses, in the jurisdiction of Iskefser, in five more to the station of Básh-chiflik also in the jurisdiction of Iskefser on the frontier of Erzerúm and Sívás, which has already been mentioned on our road to Erzerúm. Further to the west is the castle of Ník-hissár (good castle) and five hours further the village of Kazán-kia in the province of Sívás, in the jurisdiction of Ník-hissár. Still passing to the west by Bogház-kessen we came through thick woods to the village of Kúmánova; in two hours more to the great village Sontissa, on the frontier of Nígissár, with three hundred houses, a mosque, and bath; and in five hours more to Zavádí-tekiessí, of two hundred houses, on a high mountain on the frontier of Ládík; a great foundation, being a great convent at the tomb of a great saint. Its Dervishes are almost all of the Prophet’s family. I here performed with the Páshá the prayer of I’idí-asha (Kurbán-bairám) and the Sheikh of the convent gave us a repast. The tails having been sent on, we passed the next morning in five hours the pass of Setlí-púlí, and arrived at the village of Hamíd, which has a mosque and gardens; and in five hours more to the west, at Ládík.

Description of the Castle of Ládík.

This castle was built by one Havík one of the Greek Princes of Amasia. Melek Ghází of the Dánishmend family, who came from Mahán with the Seljúk family, conquered both Ník-hissár and Ládík in the same year. There are three Ládíks in the Ottoman Empire, viz: that of Konia now quite ruined by rebellions, that of Korládík in the province of Ván and the third, Ládík of Amasia. After the conquest of the town by Bayazíd I., Ládík surrendered its keys to Timúr-tásh Páshá, who accepted them with the good wish that the inhabitants might live long. The blessing of this wish is still evident in the long and prosperous lives of the inhabitants. Bayazíd II., when governor of Amasia, passed six months of the year in this place and made a delightful garden, which is kept in order by a Master (Ustá) and forty Bostánjís, Kúrújí and Tablakjí. It is a town free from all duties and gifts, because it is the wakf of Bulbul Khatún the mother of Ahmed I. The governor of Sívás has no right to interfere by his officers. The judge has the rank and pay of three hundred aspers, but may collect in a fair way six purses annually from the districts. There is a Muftí, Nakíb, Serdár, Kiaya-yerí, Naíb and Mohtessib. The Castle is an old pile of building, which is now without a commander or garrison; the Bostánjís run over the woods and heaths and watch the town, which has seventeen quarters; forty-seven Mihrábs, six of which are jamís and three of them Imperial ones; three thousand and twenty houses covered with bricks and surrounded with gardens; seven convents, the most remarkable of which is that of Seid Ahmed Kebír; two baths; seven kháns; a large caravánseraï, built by Gházi Davúd Páshá; four hundred shops, and a bezestán; forty-one palaces of Vezírs and great men, all having baths; no particular college, but lectures are given in all the mosques; eighteen schools for boys and two dining establishments. The Noblemen wear sable pelisses, the merchants ferráje and kontosh of cloth, and the women velvet trowsers, boots, ferráje of cloth, white veils and pointed caps; they are no where to be seen but in the bath and in the houses where they pay visits. They are most modest, lovely creatures, who entangle lovers with sweet words and gracious behaviour.

Its eatables are large pears better than those of Malatia, Nissú, Khúí and Merend; delicious cherries, a kind of bread called Memejik-ekmek which is the first bread in the world after the Súmún of Sapánja: there are no raisins, melons, water-melons, figs, &c. The white honey called Tághbálí is not equalled either by that of Creta, Adana or Sicily. Its fine cotton linen excels the linen of Mossúl and Lekefúr in Persia.

The Walks of Ládík.

The head fountain of the water Bállí-kiasú, which flows through the town, is a pleasant walk on the Kiblah side. Another famous walk on the east side is called Frenk-gozí, the Frank’s eye; Hossein Páshá built a koshk by the splendid spring which arises here; the water is so cold that people cannot take out of it three stones consecutively. The rivulets formed by those two sources of Bállí and Frenk-gozí flow through the town supplying water to the palaces, kháns, mosques, gardens, and mills, and terminate in the lake of Ládík. Another walk is that called Akbínár, a fountain of cold water, which does not flow through the town, but outside. All these sources rise in the high mountains to the north of the town and find their way into the lake of Ládík. On the west of Ládík, a pleasure-place called the monastery, a delightful spot with a water called Rámja, which is sweeter than the water of Ma’avia. These united sources divide below the castle into two branches, one of which waters the gardens of Kowa-mahallessí below the pilgrimage of Khizrlik, and the other passes by the pilgrimage of Bálídedeh, where the principal men come to meet the pilgrims returning from Mecca.

The warm laths of Ládík.

A hot spring is situated one hour and a half on the west of Ládík on a high hill in a village, called Khalliz, below which it flows as a small rivulet, turns some mills, and falls into the Kizil Irmák; being situated behind the mountains of Ládík it cannot fall into the lake. The warm bath of Khalliz is much renowned. In the cherry season this place is visited by thousands of people, who here renovate their health by God’s command. An outlet from this hot bath flows into the river Khalliz which empties itself into the Kizil Irmák. Another warm bath (Ilije, Turkish; Humma, Arabic; Germáb, Persian;) is on the west side of Ládík in the jurisdiction of Kaúza. Kaúza is in this country the name of a hot bath, which in Rúmelí is called Kainarje; in Tartary, Ilissí; in Mogolastán, Kerenda; and Frangistán, Bagno. It is a double bath so that men and women have their separate bathing places. The basin in the men’s apartment is ten feet square and is such a delightful sight that it might restore dead men to life. The water rushes forth from four lions’ mouths, which are at the four corners. The water is not very warm, but in addition to this great basin there is a small one the water of which is so extremely hot, that no man can bear it. On the four sides of this great basin under vaults are eight bathing troughs, where thousands of men are cured in the cherry season. In the same bath is a cold, limpid spring, called the maiden’s eye (Kiz-gozí), which gives fresh life to those who drink of it. The distance between this spring, cold as ice, and the hot spring is but a yard.

Description of the Lake of Ládík.

This is a large lake to the east of Ládík, which would take a day to go round; eleven different sorts of fish are found in it, the description of which would be too long to give. Twenty-six springs and rivulets flow into this lake on its four sides, from the districts of Zedaí, Súnssa, Kaúza and Zeitúm; it has no outlet. On its border is Bogházi-koí, a pleasant village, and the village of Otúz, renowned for its kaimak (cream), which is no where better; it can be cut like cheese and is elastic as gum. If any Kaimak can be compared with it, it is that of Bíngol (thousand lakes). Amasia lies eight hours to the south of Ládík, and to the eastward is Ník-hissár; the jurisdiction of Kavákelí is at a journey’s distance. To the west is the town of Koprí and the jurisdiction of Zeitúm at a journey’s distance. North to it is the harbour of Samsún and further on Sinope.

Pilgrimages of Ládík.

Sheikh Seid Ahmed Kebír, buried in his own convent, was the disciple of Sheikh Ekber who is also buried here in the old mosque, built by himself in the year 952 (1545); he was one of the Sheiks of Sultán Orkhán. Beneath the castle Sheikh Ya Wúdúd is buried, and Báli-dedeh at the meeting place of the caravan of Mecca. Ghází Tayár Mustafa Páshá is also buried here beneath a lead covered cupola.

I remained at this place three days with my gracious Lord, the Páshá, to whom great feasts were given, and then marched five hours to the west to the village of Shabín-ághá, of two hundred houses, where Kássim Aghá gave a grand feast; five hours further on we reached the village of Korkoí, of three hundred houses, a mosque and gardens. The next day, when the tails were about to be carried forward, two Chaúshes arrived as messengers from Constantinople to Diárbekr, whom the Páshá arrested. On their being searched nothing was found but a Khattí-sheríf to the Páshá of Baghdád, Sáleh Páshá, removing him from his government and recalling him to Constantinople in order that he might be made Kápúdán Páshá. The same day the Páshá despatched his messenger Sáleh to Murteza Páshá, the brother of Sáleh Páshá, the governor of Baghdád, to acquaint him that couriers from the Porte were on the way with an invitation to Constantinople to which he should pay no attention, but beware of the snare laid for him, and join instead the party of Várvár Alí Páshá, who was marching to Constantinople. The Courier Sáleh received an hundred ducats to join Murteza Páshá with all speed; and on the fourth day the Khassekí and Chaúsh, who were the bearers of the Imperial rescript, were set at liberty and continued their route to Baghdád. The Páshá remained six days at Korkoí and moved on the seventh, when after five hours march we reached the old town of Merzifún.

Description of Merzifún.

It was built by the Dánishmend family and conquered by Bayazíd I. It is now a castle in good condition and useful against rebels, in the sanjak of Amasia, belonging to Sivás, and is guarded by watchmen. The town is a wakf of Saint Pírdedeh and is commanded by the Kizlar Aghá. The judge, appointed with three hundred aspers, may annually collect from the different districts six purses. As it is an inland castle it has neither commander nor garrison. Its public officers are a Muftí, Nakíb, Serdár, Kiayayerí, Mohtessib and Naíb. We were here the guests of Diláwer Aghá, the Silihdár of Tabání Mohammed Páshá, who treated the Páshá and fourteen hundred men of his suite for ten days with the greatest hospitality: so that not even a bag for the horses nor a cup of coffee were provided for by the Páshás people. The officers were lodged in the town by billet (Yáfteh) and lived with their hosts in perfect harmony like fathers and sons; four thousand men of the troops were provided with lodgings in the neighbouring villages, the inhabitants of which, though Turks, are of a gentle and mild temper, and give freely of what they have. Every necessary for sustaining life is here found in abundance. The town is situated on the border of Mount Deshán and contains four thousand houses covered with brick, forty four quarters and seventy mosques, the oldest of which is that of Murad II., in the market-place; it is in the olden style with one mináreh, and is much visited.

The colleges are, that of Murad II., where lectures are held also on tradition, seventy schools for boys, and two dining rooms, one of which is at the convent of Pírdedeh. At an hour’s distance from the town is the Convent of Akásha, and in the towns are those of Abdul Kádir Jílání, and one of Khalvetís; the Kháns are in the market. On the left corner of the gate of the old khán is suspended the mace of a Pehliván.

Description of the Baths.

The old bath, divided for men and women, was built by Mohammed I., and has more than seventy troughs or basins. Round it dwell the felt and safian makers, who tan blue, yellow and red safian. The walls of the bath are all lined with chalk mixed with musk and amber, the odour of which pervades the whole building and renders it so dry that neither on the walls nor on the windows does a drop of moisture collect. Being an old building, however, it is not light, but rather dark. The water is very warm and limpid.

Praise of Pírdedeh.

When Murad II., the father of Mohammed II., was building a mosque and college here, the enemies of Pírdedeh calumniated him by saying, that he accompanied the women into the bath and foretold to them hidden things, which are forbidden in the Korán, such as whether they would lie in with a boy or girl. Murad II., angry at such scandalous behaviour, took his sword with the intention of performing a meritorious action by killing the accused. When he came to the bath and saw Pírdedeh walking about with an apron round his loins, he upbraided him for mingling with the women in the bath and rubbing them instead of letting it be done by the waiting women. Pírdedeh said, “My Prince, I do such service only to women who are pregnant with great Doctors and learned men, and therefore enter not the bath in the common way.” Thus saying, he entered through the stone wall which opened for him, and the place is yet shown where he passed through before the eyes of the Sultán. The Sultán then said, “I came hither Dedeh to kill you with this sword in a legal way.” “Such is not the act intended for you sword,” replied the Saint; “your sword is destined to conquer Smyrna, which Timúr was unable to subdue; but which has fallen into the hands of the Greeks. Go, therefore, and conquer Smyrna and eat this bread.” On saying this, he took up two pieces of marble lying before the bath, kneaded them like dough and presented them bread, one to Murad II., and the other to his son Mohammed II., foretelling the conquest of Smyrna to the first and that of Constantinople to the second. This prediction being fulfilled, twenty-six years afterwards Mohammed gave to his convent an endowment of three hundred and sixty-six villages, so that the whole town of Merzifún belongs to this foundation. Every year a Mutevellí (administrator) from the Kizlar Aghá, who is the Názir (inspector) accompanied by three hundred horsemen, comes to take possession of the village and distribute its revenues among the dervishes and other poor men. The two pieces of white marble bread are actually shown fixed into the wall, where the Saint passed through it. This bath is a place for miraculous cures, and is the counterpart of the bath built by Avicenna.

The houses of the town, adorned with Sháhneshíns (projecting windows) all look towards the kiblah. Its inhabitants are sound and healthy on account of the prevalence of easterly winds. In the summer the inhabitants repair to Mount Deshán for summer lodgings (Yaila). These alps were given of old, when the Dánishmend family came from Mohán in Khorassán, to the sons of Deshán and are now in possession of one of their descendants, who receives a duty for the pasture of many hundred thousand head of cattle. Some hundred rills and rivulets, flowing down from these heights, water all the fields and gardens of the town. The nature of the soil is such, that however copiously it may rain, the fields are not productive unless watered by the rills of Deshán; but then they become so fertile that the corn returns an hundred fold; for one kíle at least eighty. These rills are under the inspection of a particular Aghá, who regulates the distribution of them, for if such a magistrate were not appointed, the inhabitants of Merzifún would kill each other for the sake of the water. A part of the rills and sources of Mount Deshán flow in the direction of Koprí and water its fields and gardens; another into the district of Kaúza in the valley of Ládík; and another still to the northward to the valley of Osmánjik. The town of Merzifún stands on a hilly site backed by Mount Deshán. Amasia is fifteen hours on the kiblah-side of this town, Ládík twelve, Osmánjik sixteen, Gumish ten, and Kerkerán eight. On the northern border of Mount Deshán stands the castle of Koja Kala’assí, looking upon the town of Koprí. If you march from Merzifún along Mount Deshán for five hours to the northward you arrive at Koprí, and in three journeys further at Samssún, which is the harbour of Merzifún, it being nearer to it than Sinope.

Products.

Must, pure as that of Aintáb, sweet raisins, and the white bread of Pírdedeh; six hundred shops almost all occupied by dyers, who dye a peculiar blue even finer than the Persians. Its cotton stuffs are exported in great quantities to Crimea and exchanged for prisoners; the ferrájes and dresses of the inhabitants of Crimea are made of the stuffs of Merzifún. Its spun cotton, shirts, blankets, cushions and other printed articles are also in good estimation.

Pilgrimage to the Saints of Merzifún.

The first of all the Saints of this place is Sheikh Pírdedeh, who came with Hají Begtásh from Khorassán by permission of Koja Yessúí. He dwelled outside of Merzifún to the north on a hill, and spent his days in the baths as a Santon from the time of Orkhán to that of Mohammed II. His convent which is a larger building than even that of Koyún-bábá at Osmánjik, is provided with a kitchen and cellar (Kílár) and affords every night lodgings and food to two or three hundred travellers; two hundred dervishes of the order Begtáshí, barefoot and bareheaded, serve their guests who visit the tomb of the Saint, say a Yass in honor of the deceased and perfume their brains with the sweet odour of musk, which exhales from his tomb. So great a number of candlesticks, lamps, candelabra, vases for rose water and censers are not even to be seen at Imán Riza. His habit, carpet, banner, drum, crown, mace, sling and strap, the treasure of these dervishes, are preserved in boxes, and many thousand travellers both on land and sea have here suspended their slings and maces in eternal remembrance. I, poor Evliya, being a great friend of Dervishes, according to the Prophet’s tradition: “Poverty is my glory!” put with their permission the crown of Pírdedeh, which is a Turkish cap of felt, on my head; the whole convent meanwhile resounding with the cries of Allah and pious prayers. The building is entirely covered with lead. The second pilgrimage is that of Sheikh Abd-ur-rahím Ben Emír Merzifúní, who was the disciple of Zein-ud-dín Háfí at Brússa and composed the work, Wassayaí Kudsie (Mystic Admonitions). He accepted a living of eight aspers a day at the mosque of Sultán Mohammed I., at Merzifún, where he lived and died; his tomb is now a place generally visited. In his mystic poems he has taken the name of Rúmí, they are all in the style and cant of the Sofís. We remained ten days in this town to look at its curiosities. On the tenth day arrived Murád the Khassekí and Haúrúzjí the Chaúsh, who had been put into prison for four days by our gracious Lord, the Páshá, that his messenger, Sáleh, despatched before them to Murteza Páshá, might arrive first; but “Man proposes and God disposes;” Sáleh was struck by apoplexy at Nissibín and remained there, while the two messengers of the Porte, who started four days after him, arrived at Murteza Páshá’s lodging at Diarbekr, presented him first with the diploma of Captain Páshá, for which good news they received a sable pelisse and a purse of money each, and then attacked him suddenly and severed his head from his body. They now arrived at the Mehkemeh (Court of Justice) of Merzifún with the head in a box, which they there deposited, and then came into the presence of the Páshá, who was surrounded by all his men, their hands grasping the daggers in their belts. The Khassekí and Chaúsh trembled like leaves, kissed the threshold of the gate and after having sat down on their heels, the Páshá upbraided them saying, “Infidels, why have you killed this unfortunate Murteza Páshá? All your things and saddlecloths had been searched, and nothing was found but the diploma appointing Murteza, Kapúdán Páshá; where did you hide the order for his death? Pray, speak the truth.” They said, “Most fortunate Vezír we are servants who but do what we are ordered. The proverb says, ‘If there were not the Sultán’s words the executioner would not commit the deed.’ We hid the order for death in a leaden box, in the water-bottle, where it escaped the search. We reached Murteza Páshá before your messenger, who was struck by apoplexy, and after having prevailed on him to return from Baghdád to Diarbekr, we there opened the bottle, took out the firmán and executed it. The head is now at the Mehkemeh, and the command is yours; who should beware of your own head. Health to you!” The Páshá satisfied with the Khassekí’s answer gave him a purse of money, saying, “Now get you gone, or God may send you misfortune!” The Páshá was now troubled about his own fate, and began to collect Sárija and Segbán (irregular levies), wrote letters to Várvár Páshá and sent me to Koprilí Mohammed Páshá, who was then in the town of his birth (Koprí) and to Hassan Aghá who was at Kilis.

Journey from Merzifún to Koprí.

We set out on the 10th Moharrem in a northerly direction along Mount Deshán, passed the village of Begorán and in six hours reached Koja Kala’a a small castle on a rock accessible but by one road and one gate. It was besieged at different times by the rebels Karayázijí, Saíd Arab and Kalender, but never was taken by them. It was however conquered by Bayazíd I., from the Dánishmend family and belongs now to the district of Koprí; the garrison consists of an hundred men, and it has a mosque, cistern, magazine for corn and seven or eight small guns, but no bath, khán or bezestán. The inhabitants make cans of fir-tree, which go by the name of bodúj, they also manufacture musical instruments called chekúr, tanbúr, rádha, karadozen, yúnghár, &c. In six hours more, after passing many villages on the border of Mount Deshán, we arrived at Koprí.

Description of the old town and great bridge of Koprí.

We dismounted at the house of Yússúf Aghá, where we stopped as guests, and delivered our letters to Koprilí Mohammed Páshá and the other principal men, we then collected the Búlúk-bashís and ordered cryers to proclaim that all those who wished to have goods and slaves, and possessed breeches and a horse, were to come to us. After this we went to view the town. Koprí is a fortress in good condition on the border of Mount Deshán, in a tract intersected by hills and valleys at a place watered by two rivers. One of these is called Bogha-koí and flows past the bottom of the town; the other is at an hour’s distance, and is called Astavolúz. The town of Koprí is situated between them. At the time of their overflowing they inundate the whole plain of Koprí; the town derives its name Koprí (bridge) from the great wooden bridge by which the Astavolúz river is crossed. It is a wonderful work constructed of fir-trees. At an early period this town was called Shebender, the name for a bridge in the language of the Amalekites. The stone bridge, which was formerly here, broke down on the night of the birth of the Prophet, and was replaced by this wooden one. The two rivers which flow past the town of Koprí unite below it and fall into the great river Báfra. This town was first built by the Amalekites and was taken by Melek Ghází, the Prince of the Dánishmend family, from the Greek Emperors of Trebisonde. Bayazíd I. took the fortress, the abovesaid castle of Koja Kala’a, by capitulation. It now belongs to the government of Amasia, half of it being a ziámet and the other half a subáshílik subordinate to Tokát; the judge is appointed with three hundred aspers. Its districts contain no less than an hundred and forty villages with gardens, kháns, mosques covered with lead, and from three to four thousand houses all covered with bricks; the great borough Bogház-koí has three thousand houses; the other remarkable places of similar extent are Baghjeh-koí, Doyán-koí, Akdepeh-koí and Akoren-koí. From these hundred and forty villages and boroughs the judge annually collects seven thousand piastres. There is a Muftí, Nakíb, Serdár, Kiayayerí, Mohtessib and Naíb, but as it is an inland castle it has neither commander nor garrison. The rebels Kara Yazijí and Said Arab were natives of this town, but having been defeated at Erla they fled and became rebels. To secure this town against them a second castle of earth was built close to the stone castle, and the two have four gates, but the shops and markets are outside in the suburb.

The town of Koprí consists of six thousand houses covered with bricks of two stories, the lower story being built of stone and the upper of oak whitened with chalk; so that all the houses dazzle the eye by their brilliancy. The winter being severe they are all provided with chimneys, which lift their bonneted heads like white Minárehs. These chimneys looking like tall white columns give a good appearance to the town, which is all covered with red bricks. The principal building of stone in the castle is the Seraï of Elháj Yússúf Aghá built by Koprilí Mohammed Páshá; there are altogether seventy palaces, and twenty mihrábs, in eleven of which the khutbeh is performed. In the stone castle is the mosque of Hájí Yússúf Aghá, with a water basin, a jet d’eau, and a mináreh covered with lead. Of the convents the first is that of the great Sheikh, that of the Káderites, and of the Khalvetí, but there are none of the Mevleví. The people generally are friendly to Dervishes. There are eleven kháns, two imárets, and five colleges, because its lawyers, divines, medical men and students are numerous. The schools for boys are forty-eight, that of Hájí Yússúf is covered with lead and richly endowed. There are various baths, the best of which is the double one of Ahmed Páshá, a thousand shops, and a strong bezestán with four gates. Yússúf Aghá may be called the last builder of this town which he enriched by a great many endowments; the bezestán was also his building. The most elegant market-place is that of the tanners, who illuminate every night their shops with candles; there are also a great many dyers. Its gardens are in full cultivation and produce excellent fruits. The pears, grapes, cotton wares, wove and spun, and the blue linen are as famous as its rosy-cheeked beauties. The harbours of this town on the shores of the Black Sea are Báfra and Sinope, which are but a journey distant. At five hours distance is the strong castle of Ardoghán, which I am now about to describe.

The castle of Ardoghán is situated on a high hill, which is ascended by five hundred steps and therefore only accessible to men; it is a single rock like the fortress of Márdín. The highest point is a crooked rock, which seems to threaten ruin every moment. Melek Ghází, the conqueror of Nigissár, also conquered this town; and it was afterwards taken by Bayazíd I. It is commonly called Seddí Turkmán, the dyke of the Turcomans. The castle now contains an hundred and fifty houses, a cistern, mosque, and magazine for corn. Precious articles are kept within this castle and in that of Koja Kala’a on the border of mount Deshán. A Dizdár and forty-eight men do the duty. The castle is rendered safe by a drawbridge against the attacks of rebels. There is no market khán or bath. The district belongs to the jurisdiction of Koprí. Six hours westward is the station of Gol, a village in the district of Zeitún, with a mosque, a khán, and a bath. Six hours further, the village of Súrúk in the jurisdiction of Zeitún; and after a march of six hours along the Yaila of Kondúz we arrived at Zeitún, a large place in the territory of Amasia of two thousand houses with kháns, mosques, baths, schools and numerous gardens. Six hours further is the large place (Kassaba) Karghú, belonging to the sanjak of Kanghrí, of six hundred houses with gardens, a mosque, khán, and bath. Six hours further, the town of Túsia which has already been described. We remained here one day and returned again to Merzifún. The third day I arrived at Koprí, where I found every thing in the greatest confusion and the whole town in an uproar, because Koprilí Mohammed Páshá had received orders from the Porte to march against the rebels. From hence I went in six hours towards the kiblah to the village of Begoran on the border of mount Deshán, which we had passed in coming but did not stop at. In another six hours we again reached Merzifún and met Defterdár-zádeh Mohammed Páshá, my gracious Lord, to whom I brought two hundred men, Sáríja. He was overjoyed at this and instantly formed them into two companies (Bolúk), giving them the names of the company of Evliya Guzerlí and Habíb; and in addition to twenty-four other companies of irregular levies, they made together twenty-six hundred men. I remained ten days longer at Merzifún employing my time in collecting men, and on the 27th of Moharrem left it for the farm of Murteza Páshá, which I reached in six hours.

This is a very productive farm (Chiftlik) situated in the plain of Merzifún. As snow was falling here we suffered much from the cold and in three hours, after many difficulties, reached Kúlák Hájí Koí, a village of two hundred houses with a ruined khán and a mosque. The inhabitants had all fled and there remained not even a cock in the village. The troops were dying of hunger, and during the night so heavy a storm blew that the snow was five spans deep in the morning. When the trumpets of departure sounded we moved on, though every one cursed the march, and struggling with difficulty against the gale and snow reached the straight called Diriklipúl, where the distress was very great owing to the fury of the gale, the quantity of snow, the uncertainty of the road and the want of provisions. The Páshá distributed money and encouraged some of the bravest to go in search of the road, through the midst of the snow, which they passed over in shoes made of horse-hair. This sort of shoe is called Páchila, and is used in Turkistán and Persia when snow has fallen to any depth. It consists of a circle like a sieve, the inside of which is fashioned into a shoe made of horse-hair; this they put on their feet to walk over the snow. The circle round the shoe is to give a greater surface to the foot in order to prevent it from sinking into the snow. Provided with such shoes the troops entered the straight, but were in the greatest distress, for some were lost notwithstanding these Páchila. Mules, camels and horses were stumbling one over the other and cries and lamentations pierced the air. The Sárija and Segbáns, so many Calibáns (Kaltiban) were the first who fled. In short it was impossible to pass the straight of Diriklipúl and therefore we were obliged to repair with the rest of the troops and the heavy baggage of the Pásha to Gumish Kala’a (Silver Castle), which we reached after a six hour’s march. We remained here three days till the falling of the snow had ceased. All those who hastened to the fire lost their sight for some time, and those only who did not approach it, but endured the cold, retained the use of their eyes. Seventeen men lost either a leg or a hand or a foot by the excessive cold, and the leg or hand being cut off, the stumps were dipped into boiling resin, so that their cries pierced the air.

Description of the town of Gumish.

It was built by the Byzantine Emperors and was conquered by Melek Ghází of the Dánishmend family. When Bayazíd I. marched to the conquest of Amasia the inhabitants of Gumish met him, and presented him with some silver vases and the keys of the castle. The inhabitants are therefore free of all duties, but it is incumbent upon them to work the silver mines. The inspectorship is held by lease, and furnishes annually to the Porte seventy quintals of pure silver, and one thousand pair of horse-cloths. In the Ottoman Empire there are no less than seventy silver mines, but this affords the purest silver; the goldsmith alloy an hundred drachms of this pure silver with ten of copper, and yet it is a good white silver, which receives the Imperial stamp. There are seven veins underground, which increase from day to day. The inhabitants of the town are all employed in the mines, and their commander is the inspector of the silver mines. The judge, appointed with an hundred and fifty aspers, may collect seven purses a year. The castle of this town situated on a hill is in a ruined state and has no accommodation at all within; being an inland castle it has neither a garrison nor commander. There is a Serdár and a Kiaya-yerí of the Janissaries, and the town consists of a thousand houses covered with planks, eleven mosques, of which that in the market-place is the most frequented, but no hospital, the salubrity of the air rendering one superfluous. Its products are the purest silver and horse-cloths and bags, which the Imperial stables and those of the principal men of Constantinople are furnished with from hence. The gardens produce good grapes. In the town are heaped up mounds of earth taken from the mines. We remained here three days on account of the heavy gales, and then advanced five hours to the south, suffering from the snow, to Dankaza-koí, a village of an hundred houses belonging to the jurisdiction of Gumish in the territory of Amasia. Near the farm of Kosseh Sha’abán Páshá is the Pilgrimage of Bardáklí-bábá and Akche-bábá, who are both buried here. The first gained his living by making cans (Bardák) for which the village is still famous. We visited the tomb of Bardáklí-bábá; after holding a council we approached, amidst a thousand difficulties, the high mountain of Kirk Dilim, which was passed with much suffering and the loss of many stragglers who returned to Dánkaza. Alí Aghá, the Kiaya of the Páshá, encouraged some brave lads, who had not yet lost their hands and feet, to wrap up the feet of the horses and mules by tearing up many carpets and coverlets, and in this way passed them over the snowy mountain of Kirk Dilim; but the heavy baggage, the munition, cellar, kitchen, and artillery were all left in the snow. The Kiaya of the Páshá again distributing money, the bags and casks were dragged up and rolled over the snow. This night was passed in a woody valley without the means of getting on, and seventy men, who had lost their hands and feet, remained behind. The next morning we continued our way amidst snow and storms through the straight of Kirk Dilim, and arrived after eight hours painful march at a village, the name of which has escaped my memory, whose inhabitants had all fled upon the news of our arrival. Men and horses during the night were nearly dying of hunger, and there was such a gale and heavy storm of snow that in the morning it was five spans in depth. On the signal of departure being given the Kullákjí, conductors (Sarbán), and tent-pitchers (Mehter) assembled before the Páshá’s tent and declared they were unable to stir. Ten piastres were promised to the men, but they answered, “Health first, then wealth.” The Páshá said, “My children, how is it possible to remain in this place, where there is not a grain of provisions?” In short the Kullákjí (leaders) could not be induced to move on until they had received a present of fifteen purses from the Páshá. There was, however, such a storm of wind, hail and snow that the horses danced like Dervishes Mevleví, and the camels like Lúlús (Tatar robbers). The unhappy leaders of them put their hands in their bosoms and uttered a piteous cry. Praise be to God! we now entered a forest and were a little sheltered against the wind and snow, and after a march of five hours arrived at the great village of Bardákjí, in the jurisdiction of Gumish, consisting of an hundred houses. From hence continuing our march to the south we arrived in four hours at the station of Kirk Dilim, a place of two hundred Mussulmen houses in the sanjak of Chorún. Here both men and horses rested till the following day, when the weather clearing up we proceeded through cultivated villages to the town of Chorúm, said to have been built (God knows if truly) by Kilij Arslán, the Prince of the Seljúk family, who sent his son Yakúb Mirza and some hundred sick men to this town, where being cured, it received in consequence the name of Chorúm. From the hands of the Seljúkides it passed into those of the Dánishmend family from whom it was taken by Ilderím; it is now the seat of a Sanjak Beg in the government of Sívás. His khass is three hundred thousand aspers, nineteen ziámets, and thirty-one timárs. There is a Colonel (Alaí-beg) a Captain (Cherí-báshí) a judge appointed with an hundred and fifty aspers, and receiving from its districts annually five purses, a Muftí, Nakíb, Serdár, Kiaya-yerí, Mohtessib, Súbáshí, Inspector of the hall (Kapán Emíní) and Náíb of the town. The military officers are in great favour because the troops are numerous and there are a great number of bad men. Lodgings were positively refused to our Páshá; but mediators were employed and documents were made out at the Mehkemeh (Court of Justice), so that they were prevailed upon to give us lodgings, but only for the space of three days. The town consists of forty-two quarters in which are forty-two mosques, four thousand three hundred houses covered with bricks and surrounded with gardens; nine mosques where the Friday prayer is performed, of which that of Sultán Murad is the best, it had but one minareh which was throw down by Ilderím Bayazíd. The mosque of Sultán Ala-ud-dín was repaired under Sultán Súleimán by the architect Sinán; as it is situated in the market-place it is much frequented. That of Murad covered with lead is the finest. The new bath is a foundation belonging to the bath of Alí Páshá at Tokát; in the palaces are many other baths. Of the colleges, of which there are seven, that of Murad is the most frequented; there are eleven schools for boys, seven kháns and eighteen fountains, the water by which they are supplied was conducted hither by Sultán Súleimán, in honour of the martyrs of Kerbela (who died of thirst). The convents of Dervishes are three, but no house for reading the korán or for tradition exists. The shops are three hundred, in which all the necessaries of life are to be found, although this is a town of Turkistán. The temperature of the climate gives red cheeks and good proportions to the inhabitants, who almost all wear cloth. The fair sex and the winter are both renowned. The Castle on the kiblah side of the town has only been built for protection against riots and rebellion. It has an iron gate, a commander and garrison. God knows! but it seems to have been built since the Islám, because there is no trace of any building of the time of the infidels.

On the day we came here the late chief barber of the Sultán arrived in the quality of Kapijí-báshí accompanied by forty other chamberlains, saying, that he was the bearer of the diploma of the government of Diárbekr. The Páshá surrounded himself with all his guards, Sárija, Segbán, Gonullí (volunteers) three hundred pages and all the Levends. The forty kapijís entered trembling and the Páshá having asked, where the diploma was they had boasted of, was assailed all at once by them, but before they were able to do any harm to him, they were all disarmed and bound by his guards and soldiers. The Segbán and Sárija called for the executioners and were going to cut off their heads, when the principal men of the town kissed the earth before the Páshá, and begged the lives of these kapijí-báshís, who were, they said, only servants executing their master’s commands and therefore should be spared. The Páshá yielding to their prayers set them at liberty, instead of thrashing them to death as he ought to have done. Being liberated they went to the Mehkemeh, called the Sanjak Beg, read the firmán and demanded in consequence that the troops should be driven out of the town. The inhabitants remonstrated against it, showing that they might all be in danger of being cut to pieces and their houses burned down, if they were to undertake the least thing against the troops. The Páshá being made acquainted in time of what was going on, sent word to the kapijís immediately to quit the place if they wished to escape in safety. Thus they were all driven out of the town. The next day a messenger was despatched to Várvár Alí Páshá to acquaint him with what had happened. The inhabitants finding that our Páshá was a goodnatured and righteous Vezír gave him the salutary advice not to march to Constantinople, but always to remain at one or two journeys distance from Várvár Alí Páshá, and to take his station, until the snow should melt and the weather clear up, at Tokát or Kázova. The Páshá approving of their advice, visited the tomb of Sheikh Olván Chelebí, the son of Ashik Páshá, and proceeded to Tokát. In this plain we remained ten days, during which the Páshá received letters from Várvár Alí Páshá, exhorting him to be on his guard, and, as the spring was now approaching and the weather clearing up, to collect as many troops as he could for the march to Constantinople. The Páshá made as though he were going to Angora, and on the eleventh day we arrived in the plain of Chorúm at the convent of Sídim Sultán, a convent of bareheaded and barefooted Begtáshí, where the Páshá was lodged and splendidly feasted. The village of Kara Kechelí of two hundred houses in the territory of Chorúm is an hour’s distance from the red river. Here the snow beginning to fall and the wind to blow, the Sárija and Segbán drove the families out of their houses, threw the cradles with the children in them on to the snow, dug out the gates and thresholds to bring their horses into the rooms to the fire, and committed the same excesses, that they did at Gumish and Dánkaza, and which exceeded even the tyranny of Yessúf Hejáj. The next day we left Kara Kechelí and instead of passing over the bridge of Cháshnegír on the red river, proceeded to the passage of Kara Yechíd; which was indeed a bad measure, because the passage is a cruel one. It had ceased snowing but was so piercingly cold that the men and horses trembled like leaves; nevertheless the orders for the passage were given. It commenced with the tent-camels, the kitchen, stable and other heavy baggage of the Páshá’s led by twenty able pilots. Two hundred strings of camels and one hundred of mules belonging to the Páshá, as well as mine and the Kiaya’s passed over, and, went with all this heavy luggage to Kúrdseraí, but myself and the Kiaya remained on this side of the river waiting to see the passage of the baggage of all the Aghás. In the morning their heavy things arrived along with the treasure-camels of the Páshá, but at the moment the pilots had entered the river with them, there arose such a storm of hail and snow, of thunder and of lightning, that the strings of mules and camels were broken, numbers of them upset in the middle of the river, and a great many lost. Great masses of ice, the shape of mill-wheels, now began to float down the river and blocked the shores at the bridge of Cháshnegír. In the midst of the confusion which took place on both shores of the river, the Páshá arrived with his music sounding. He distributed large sums of money amongst the inhabitants of Kúrdseraí, who rescued the men and animals, while the troops on both sides of the river were running about crying and lamenting. Some brave fellows swam amongst the drifting shoals, but others were submerged, and camels, mules, horses and men, were floating about in confusion and dismay; some of whom were drowned and some saved. Some Kurds and Turcomans swam into the midst of the ice and rescued many camels, mules and horses, but as those who had crossed had left their clothes on this side the river, it so happened that a great number perished from cold. Of all the baggage, only that which had passed over before the ice began to drift was saved, the rest was lost. An hundred and sixty men, more than a thousand horses and mules were drowned, but only a small number of camels. The drowned men were for the most part Kulenkjí, Sárija and Segbán; some going to paradise and others to hell: the latter were at least delivered from the hell of winter. This horrible discomfiture lasted only from the morning till afternoon, when the drifting of the ice and the storm suddenly ceased, so that the Tatars, Delís, and Gonillás, who had waited till then, crossed over without the least difficulty. Witnessing these misfortunes I reflected on the cruel conduct of those troops, who had behaved in so barbarous a manner in the passage at Chardáklí-púlí, and now at Kúrd-dereh: burning down the houses, throwing infants on the snow and wounding men and women with battle-axes. The inhabitants of the villages came crying and lamenting to the Páshá,; but what was to be done with this crowd of Sárija and Segbán, of whom the Páshá stood in need and whose excesses therefore he was obliged to tolerate. I, poor Evliya, whilst witnessing those scenes, shivered at the thought of the vengeance which God would send one day on those cruel troops.

Praise of Sheikh Bárdáklí-bábá.

Near the above mentioned place is the pilgrimage of a Saint called Bárdáklí-bábá, a disciple of Sheikh Hájí Bairám. He obtained his living by making cans, which afforded a continual supply of water for the ablutions of his disciples. His can is suspended from his tomb and therefore he is called Bárdáklí-bábá, the father of cans or tankards. With the leave of the tomb-keeper, I took down the suspended can to perform my ablutions and found it full of clear water, though covered with the dust of forty years. The Páshá’s Imám and some others of his suite were astonished at this extraordinary sight, they asked the keeper if he would swear the can had not been recently filled with water. He swore that it had not been touched for forty years until I, poor Evliya, had taken it down to perform my ablutions. The Imám and the others said, “Well then Evliya hang it up again,” but I being determined to carry my point would not until I had performed the ablution in the legal way. The Imám and four other persons then did the same, but the water was not diminished in the least to our great astonishment. We again hung up the can, which was of a reddish colour, and on its side was written the verse of the Súra Ra’ad, “He sent water from heaven,” the number 66626, three Ks, two Js and one M, the figure of a glass and of a can. I now began to recite the Korán according to the intention of the Saint, with whom I made spiritual acquaintance, remarking the Prophet’s tradition, “If you are perplexed in your affairs look for assistance from the Inhabitants of the tombs.” The mirror of my heart was polishing and rubbing off the rust of sadness, when a woman walked in, who threw the body of a dead child and herself on the threshold of the tomb, crying and lamenting that her child had been killed by the troops, who had cast it on the snow, and calling down divine vengeance upon them, through the aid of the Prophet and the Saints. She was followed by a great number of injured men, who united their prayers and imprecations with hers. I trembled at hearing them, and drawing near with a friendly face, kissing their hands and cheeks, I said to them, “People of Mohammed, I also belong to the troops of the Páshá, who, God knows, does not approve of their excesses; but he has been forced to collect them in order to save his own head, which is endangered by the Grand Vezír, Ahmed Páshá, on whom must be laid the fault of all this.” An old man gave me some comfort by saying, that I was not included in this imprecation, which was to fall only on the troops; and a good deal of it was realized at the above described passage of the river, where so many lost their lives and goods, while I, poor Evliya, God be thanked for it! passed over safely to the opposite side.

The borough of Kúrdlar-seraí (wolves’ palace) is situated in the Sanjak of Kánghrí in the jurisdiction of Kala’ajik on the bank of the red river and consists of four hundred houses covered with terraces, a mosque, a khán and a bath. Here the Páshá appointed two Aghás to watch the endeavours made to retrieve from the river some of the lost baggage. Moving on to the north we arrived at the village of Boyalí, situated in the territory of Kanghrí; five hours further, the village Akche-Koyúnlí of an hundred Turcoman houses; and three hours further, the village of Kojí-bábá, situated in the jurisdiction of Kala’ajik, of two hundred Turcoman houses, which do not appear above ground but are all below it, with stables, kitchens and sitting-rooms. The reason for the construction of these subterraneous houses is the violence of the winter; they are all built of a soft stone, which has the appearance of having been whitened with chalk. Chests, boxes, and rafters are all cut in this stone, which is as soft as cheese; the houses are so large, that a thousand men might be lost in them, and yet is there nothing seen of them above ground. Here is the pilgrimage of Kojí-bábá, one of the disciples of Hájí-begtásh. There is no other building but the convent; the tomb is adorned with lamps and candelabras. His banner, drum, habit and carpet are all preserved as though he were himself present. The Turcomans have great faith in this saint. At Keskin (the name of this place) is also the tomb of Sheikh Ibrahím Tenúrí Ben Sarráf Hossein, one of the disciples of Ak-shems-ud-dín; he was born at Sivás. Five hours further to the north is the village of Sheikh Shámí of the order of Bairámís, whose name was Hamza; the sect of the Hamzeví take their name from him. Many miracles are recorded of him, one of them is the spring which he called forth by his staff and which is, therefore, actually called the Spring of the Staff. He is buried beneath a high cupola near the mosque which he himself built, but which is not covered with lead. Its mihráb is of very great dimensions, and the stones are adorned with inscriptions in Kúfí, Jellí, Mostea’assemí, Ríhání, and Thúlúth characters. The verses: “Every time Zacharias went before the Mihráb,” and “He was standing praying before the Mihráb,” and the verses Kursí and Emen-er-ressúl are written upon it. On both sides it is carved and sculptured in a most astonishing way with flowers and arabesque ornaments, so that the stone seems rather to be engraved or painted than sculptured. Some say it is the work of Sheikh Shám himself, and it is indeed probable because it is such a wonderful work, like the paintings of Mání and Behzád Aghá Riza Wání. Before his tomb rises the Spring of the Staff which is much visited. From hence we went five hours to the north to the village of Hossein Aghá in the district of Kala’ajik and five hours further to the village of Kala’ajik itself, which was built by the Prince of Brússa Sirúna for his daughter. Topál the commander of Kastemúní conquered it; and he resisted the Ottoman power, till at last Ilderím Bayazíd took by surprise this castle, which is not to be conquered in any other way. It is now the seat of a Subáshí of the Sanjak of Kánghrí, and a judge is appointed to it with an hundred and fifty aspers, and collects from the districts annually four purses; there is also a Dizdár and a garrison of twenty men.

Form of the Castle.

It is situated on a high reddish cliff, towering into the clouds, as though built by Ferhád. The walls are sixty royal cubits high, as it is an isolated rock there are no ditches. An iron-gate opens to the kiblah side and within the castle are about twenty houses, a mosque, a magazine of corn, a cistern, and six small guns. The inhabitants of the neighbouring tracts deposit in this castle their effects and precious things from fear of rebels and robbers, and the commander is the keeper of these deposited goods. It is not commanded by any neighbouring height and is surrounded with gardens. One the kiblah-side is a well-built suburb, but without fortifications (robát), consisting of two thousand houses partly covered with bricks and partly with earth; the largest is the palace of Shehsuvár Páshá, they all face towards the kiblah-side; the streets instead of being paved with stone, are all strewn with sand. There are seventeen mosques, that in the market place having one mináreh, thirteen schools for boys, a small bath, three khans and six coffee-houses; the air is good, but not the water. We lodged here in the palace of Shehsuvár Páshá, and I thanked God that I could change clothes, and lie quietly down after the many fatigues undergone.

The Pilgrimages of Karánjí-bábá Sultán.

There is but one steep path from the castle, at the bottom of which near the market is the tomb of this saint in a narrow place. On leaving it we marched five hours to the North to the village of Kúrbághlí, in the territory of Kánghrí and the district of Kala’ajik, of two hundred houses with mosques and gardens, where Sheikh Abd-allah, the son of Sheikh Shámí, is buried; his tomb is covered with a simple roof, and is without a convent. Five hours further to the North we came to the village of Nenegler, in the territory of Kala’ajik, a Turkish village of an hundred houses; a cubit of snow fell during the night, so that nobody could leave their lodgings. In the morning when departure was sounded the horses were loaded with the greatest pain; Turks served as guides, and thus we marched three hours to the straight of Alák-púlí, where we were assailed by such a storm and rain, that the confusion and horror was general, and many lost their lives. The Aghás of the Páshá, and even his treasurers left the treasure and fled away. Mustafa Beg the son of the Páshá with his governor (Lálá), master (Khoja) and servants were missing; the strings of mules and camels were broken and they were straying on the mountains. I halted a little in a sheltered valley and then with six of my boys and three packhorses looked for a house, where I found three others of my slaves and ten Cháshnegírs; so that we were now twenty-five persons. Thus we passed the straight of Sárí Alák and arrived happily at the plain on the other side without knowing where we were going to.

(Here six pages of the original are omitted, which give a detailed account of Evliya’s falling into a nest of robbers, headed by Hyder-zádeh, Kátirjí-zádeh and other robbers, who held their meeting at Háji-bábá’s, an old rogue. The robbers, on being informed by Evliya of the Páshá’s being near, made off, and Evliya was kept by Háji-bábá until rescued by his people and other armed men of the Páshá’s suite, with whom he shared the rich presents which he forced out of Háji-bábá upon taking an oath that he would not betray this den of robbers. Evliya again joined the Páshá at the village of Hossein Aghá.)

The village of Hossein Aghá is situated in the district of Jubúk-owassá on a high hill. This is the pilgrimage of Ghazí Hossein of Malatia the father of Sídí Battál. Where there are more than an hundred Dervishes Begtáshí versed in Arabic and Persian knowledge. The tomb is surrounded with golden candlesticks, Koráns, &c. There are two places of religious exercise for the summer and for the winter. The valleys of Jubúk, Yebán, and Merbút are at the foot of this convent: Every year a Mevlúd or birth-feast is held here, when forty to fifty thousand men assemble to celebrate the feast of Hossein Sídí Batál’s father, one of the descendants of Imám Hossein, and who like him was killed by the hands of the Infidels. I gave to the Dervishes ten piastres for alms, immolated three victims and received the Sheikh’s benediction amidst the general shout of Allah! At the foot of the hill I met my Lord the Páshá with whom during ten days I overran the plain of Jubúk, as if I were going on conscription. This plain comprehends seven districts, and seventy villages. We spent ten more days on the plain of Yebán, containing an hundred cultivated villages belonging to the jurisdiction of Angora, and ten days more in the jurisdiction of Jorba of eighty-six villages. We passed a month in these three plains and celebrated Nevrúz (the spring’s commencement) near Angora. The weather now was mild, but we were all exhausted from the continual fatigue of loading and unloading heavy loads. At last we returned to the village of Hossein in the commencement of the year 1058 (1648). From hence we marched in seven hours to the north amidst cultivated villages and arrived at Angora.

Description of Angora.

On the day that our quartermasters entered the town with the tails it was declared to them in the court of justice, that the Páshá would not be allowed to enter the fortress on account of his intentions being known to be those of a rebel, but that in consequence of the great number of friends and clients in the town, he would be well treated and lodged there for three days. We entered with a great Istikbál (procession of meeting) and were saluted by the firing of twenty guns. I was lodged in the house of Keder-zádeh and went straight to the convent of Hájí-bairám, where I read the Korán, and fulfilled the vow I had made when in the hands of the robbers, distributing to the Dervishes an hundred piastres of the money obtained at the village of Bálik-hissár from the robbers.

Angora was conquered by Yakúbsháh, the Prince of Kútahia of the Germián family and by his Vezir Hezár-dínar, and then by Sultán Orkhán. If Angora is viewed from the village of Erkiksú, which is a journey’s distance from the north, it appears a brilliant place; for the houses rising one behind the other, similarly to Buda on the Danube, makes it look like a ship of transport (Maúna) which has set up its trees and adorned its head. Buda, Ván and Angora are the three first fortresses of the Empire: its name (Engúrí) is Persian, given from the quantity of grapes (Engúr) which are found here. It is said to have been built by a Byzantine Emperor, and employed forty thousand workmen for seven years, who each day received forty nuts and a loaf apiece. It is also called the leafy castle (Motabbak), because its different parts cover one another like leaves of a tree, and the castle of the chains (Selasil) because the Emperor Heraclius surrounded it with seven chains on the birth year of the Prophet. The Mogols call it Ankra; the Tatars, Kermen Ankra; the Germans, Constantinople (!) the Turks, Aidín Karí, Unkúr and Ungorú. In the Imperial Registers it is spelled Ankra. It is the seat of a Sanjak Beg in the province of Anatoli, and has been given many times as living (Arpalik) to Vezírs of three tails. The khass of the Páshá is two hundred and sixty three thousand four hundred aspers, fourteen ziámets, and two hundred and fifty seven timárs, an Alai-beg (Colonel) Cherí-beg (Captain) and Yúzbáshí (Lieutenants). The Zaims and Timariots with the Jebelle make three thousand armed men. The Súbashís depending from Angora are, those of the town, that of Mertátova, of Yebánava, of Jubúkova, and of Jorba, which annually import forty thousand piastres. The Judge is a Molla of five hundred aspers, whose revenues may be calculated at twenty purses a year. There are also a Sheikh-ul-islám or Muftí, a Nakíb-ul-eshraf, or head of the Emírs, Seids and Sherífs (the relations of the Prophet), a Serdár of the Janissaries, a Kiaya-yerí of the Sipáhís, a Náíb of the town and a Mohtessib (provost and lieutenant of police) the commanding officers of the Jebejí and Topjí, a Dizdár (commander of the castle) and a garrison of an hundred men. The castle is situated on a high mountain, mocking all assaults, rising in four natural terraces, so that there is a distance of three hundred paces from one enclosure to the other; the height of each wall is sixty cubits and the breadth ten royal cubits; the foundations are all built on vaults. The castle forms an oblong square from east to west. It has four iron-gates one behind the other towards the west, each strengthened behind by iron cages. These iron cages or gratings are thrown before the gates in time of sieges, the bars are of the thickness of an arm. The gate on the extremity of the fortress looking to the Horse market opens to the west, on the upper part of it are suspended the arms of old knights, and the bones of a whale. The guards keep watch here day and night. If the commander leaves the castle the garrison are empowered to kill him, or at least to exile him for ever. Abaza, the rebel, besieged this town with an hundred thousand men, and took possession of the lower town, but wounded by a cannon shot from the upper castle, he was obliged to return to Erzerúm; the commander ever since has been prohibited from leaving the castle, and the watchmen all night long cry, Yegdir-allah, One is God! It has no ditch on one side on account of the rocks, and it is not easily to be attacked by mines because its quarters rise one behind the other. The four enclosures have eighteen hundred battlements, and its circumference is four thousand paces. On the east side is a place of pilgrimage situated on a hill, it is called Khizrlik; this hill looks over the town, which is of no consequence as it is not within gun-shot distance. The inner castle is defended by sixty-eight guns, but none of them are large. The houses number six hundred and are all terraced, but have neither gardens nor vineyards; the old mosque was formerly a convent. The lower town was surrounded with a wall by Ahmed Páshá against the rebels. It has four gates, and its circumference on the three sides, on which it does not join the citadel, is six thousand paces. On the east side of the superior castle you descend into the valley of Khizrlik by a road leading down for fetching water. In the inner castle are cisterns and magazines; but in the lower town are no cisterns, because water is in abundance, there being an hundred and seventy fountains, three thousand wells, seventy-six mosques, those of Ahmed Páshá and Hájí Beirám the saint, having been built by the great Sinán, fifteen convents of Dervishes with mihráb (mosques) the greatest of them is that of Hájí Bairám, where three hundred Dervishes of his order follow the rules of their founder. Their first patron is Khoja Abd-ul-Kádír Jeilání, by whom they ascend to the prophet; in Rúmelí they are called also Hamzeví from Sheikh Hamza. There is likewise a fine convent of Mevlevís founded by Ahmed Páshá. The colleges are richly endowed, three houses for lectures on tradition, an hundred and eighty schools for boys, two hundred baths, seventy palaces with gardens; all these buildings are of brick not stone, and covered with earth instead of with bricks, six thousand six hundred and sixty houses, and two hundred sebíl-kháneh or establishments for distributing water. The shops are two thousand, and there is an elegant bezestán with four gates with chains; the market places are almost all on elevated spots; the coffee houses and barber’s-shops are always crowded; the public places and streets are paved with white stones. Its divines, poets, and learned and pious men are innumerable, although it is a Turkish town, it counts more than two thousand boys and girls who know the Korán by heart; some thousand also know by heart the Mohammedieh, or works on the Mohammedan religion by Yázijí-zadeh Mohammed Efendí. Some of its inhabitants have the repute of performing miracles like Abd-ur-rahman Efendí, a pious man, who is free of four enticements, viz. hair, brows, beard and eye-lashes; he is descended from Hájí Bairám’s family, who had the same advantage.

Praises of Hájí Bairám the Saint.

In his youth he was once invited by a cunning woman, who in order to seduce the Saint, with whom she was in love, began to praise his hair, beard, brows and eye-lashes. The Saint retired into a corner and prayed to God that he might be delivered of these four inducements to lust, and become of an ugly form; he then returned without a hair into the woman’s presence, who shocked at his ugliness had him turned out of doors by her maidens. Hence the descendants of the Saint by his daughter actually wear short beards (Kosseh).

The rich inhabitants of the town wear Ferrájes of sable, those of the middle class, Serhaddís of cloth and Contoshes, the workmen Ferrájes of white linen, the Ulemas, of wool, and the women also of wool of different colours. The climate and temperature being mild the inhabitants are fair with red faces.

The Eatables and Products.

The calves’ and sheep’s feet of Angora are the counter part of those of Kútahia; the salted flesh (Pássdirma) of its goats has an excellent perfume. These goats called Teftekgechí are of a brilliant whiteness; of the hair is made the soft (Shalloon) of different, colours which is worn by Monarchs. If the wool is cut by scissors it becomes coarse, but if pulled out it is as soft and as fine as the silk of Eyúb (Job). The poor goats, when the hair is pulled out in that way, raise lamentable cries; to avoid this some wash them with a mixture of chalk and ashes, by which they are enabled to pull out the hair without difficulty or giving pain; thus the poor goats are stripped naked. The hair is then worked into Shalloons, and both men and women are busy at making or selling them. The Franks tried to transport the goats of Angora into their own country, but God be praised! they degenerated into common goats, and the stuff wove from their hair was no Súf (Shalloon). They then took the hair of the Angora-goat and tried to work it into Sof, but were never able to give it the true lustre (Máj). They now make of it for their monks a kind of black shalloon, which however has neither colour nor lustre. The inhabitants of Angora say that the exclusive working of fine shalloon is granted to them by the miracles of Hájí Bairám, and the water and air. Indeed the sof (Shalloon) of Angora is the most famous in the world; the chalk also of Angora is renowned. Its inhabitants make great journies to Frengistán and Egypt to sell their Shalloons. There are a great number of Jews, but few Greeks and Copts. The inhabitants are a goodnatured hospitable people. It is an incomparable town, which may God preserve till the end of time in the hands of the Ottomans!

The day I entered Angora I visited the tomb of Hájí Bairám, recited the Korán and then returned to my lodgings where I soon fell asleep. In a dream I saw a man with a yellow beard, honey-coloured cowl and a turban of twelve folds on his head, who upbraided me for having visited Hájí Bairám’s tomb and passed by his. I asked, who he was? and he said, “Didst thou not call on Sárí Sáltik Dedeh, when in thy youth thou performed prayer in the Convent of the Wrestlers at Constantinople in Sultán Murad’s presence? didst thou not say that I was known here by the name of Er Sultán? I am lying here under a thick cupola near the wood market, where thou shouldest visit me and give me joy with a fátihah. I will send to-morrow morning a man of my resemblance, who shall lead thee to my tomb.” I awoke, said my prayers, and was waiting, when a man came of the form of him I saw in my dream, and told me, that Er Sultán had appeared to him in a dream and had commanded him to show me his burying place. This man had a radiant face, and his voice was as hollow as if it came from underground. We passed through eleven quarters of the town and visited in passing all the tombs of Saints, which I shall mention by and by, if it pleases God! At last there appeared on the western side of the wood-market a small cupola, which my companion pointed out to me, saying, “This is the tomb of Er Sultán.” Whilst I was looking at it on my right side, he disappeared on my left, and I was at a loss to know what had become of him and fancied that he must have walked through a door covered with felt which was near me. I opened it, walked in, and saw it was a Búza-house full of riot. Ashamed of having got into such society I left the room immediately and made the best of my way to the cupola which had been shown to me. There I laid my face on the threshold and prayed to the Saint, saying, that I had arrived by his blessing, and begged he would not let me depart void of benediction in this and the other world. I now commenced the recital of the Korán, and sheltering myself under the green Súf with which the coffin was covered, said, “Protection, protection, O Er Sultán!” I then fell asleep and sweated to such a degree that when I woke my clothes were wet. Er Sultán appeared to me again and I begged that he would not let me go hence void of benediction. He replied, “Thou wilt not be void of it, because thou art a Háfiz (knowing the Korán by heart) and a lover of the Saints (Evliya) whose tombs thou always visitest. I led thee myself to this place, I am a perfect leader (Murshid Kámil), thy path is straight. Be merciful to the poor and weak, and tell thy Páshá not to molest the inhabitants of Angora. God will grant to thee travel and good health, and in thy last moments faith. Eat, speak, sleep and know little, but do a great deal, for actions are necessary to discover the way to God, because He hath said in the Korán, ‘Good words ascend, and good works exalt.’ Honour thy parents, and the Sheikhs (Pír), and thy end shall be happy. Say now a fátihah with this intent.” Here I was awoke by a noise and voices saying, “Is there no tomb-keeper?” I arose from beneath the cover of the coffin and to the question of the visitors, “Whether I was the tomb-keeper?” replied, “Yes!” When they were gone I returned home shedding many tears, and related my vision to the Páshá, who also related to me a similar dream that he had had. He instantly gave orders that all the Sárija and Segbán should deliver up their arms and leave in quiet the inhabitants of Angora. The Páshá had had some idea of shutting himself up in the town and declaring it in a state of rebellion, but he immediately abandoned it after these visions. I then made it a duty to myself to visit every day, during my stay at Angora, the tombs of Hájí Bairám and Er Sultán and others of the Saints, which I am now about to mention.

Pilgrimages.

Sheikh Hájí Bairám, the pole and column of sanctity, was born on the bank of the river Chepúl in the village of Solkoi and was the disciple of Sheikh Hámed. At the time when Sultán Báyazíd I. was at Adrianople, Sheikh Bairám preached there in the old mosque, and the pulpit which he ascended is still shown. Different Sheikhs who tried to ascend this pulpit could never utter a word, because none were worthy to preach after him in the same place. After his death, which happened in Báyazíd’s reign, he was buried beneath a high cupola in the inner castle of Angora. Sheikh Er Sultán, the leader of divine truth, the discoverer of mysteries, called Mahmúd by his proper name, was born at Angora, and reposes beneath a small cupola in the wood market. East of Angora on a high mountain is the pilgrimage of Hízr, a pleasure place from which a fine view of the town is enjoyed. This Saint was the disciple of Sheikh Hossám-ud-dín, and being imprisoned at Angora he gave the order one evening to be buried the next day, and in the morning, without any body having been near him, he was found washed, perfumed, and ready for burial. Sheikh Kátib Saláh-ud-dín was a great astronomer, a second Pythagoras. There are a great number of other Saints, which I do not mention, as I could not visit their tombs during my short stay.

The day of our departure being fixed, I made myself as light as possible, by giving away a part of what I had taken from the robbers’ den in alms, and the rest as a pawn to the master of the house where I lodged and got ready with seven Mamlúcs and one light pack horse. In the morning I heard an uproar and riot by which heaven and earth was thrown into confusion. Some were exclaiming that they were satisfied with the Páshá, others that he was a rebel for having united with Várvár Páshá, and that it was necessary to obey the Emperor’s command. In short Mustafa, one of the Emperor’s Kapijí, had arrived with forty of his companions; they had shut the gates of the castle and proclaimed a general call to arms (Nefír-a’ám). Most fortunately the Páshá, who had been terrified by a disastrous dream, was gone incognito to visit the tomb of Sídí Battál’s father, and could not therefore be found in his palace, which was searched in every part by the Kapijí. The Páshá of course did not re-enter the town but repaired to the village of Erkeksú, which is to the north of it, and sent a letter to his Kiaya to request him to send his troops. In the mean time the Páshá not having been found the gates were opened and a proclamation issued, that all who belonged to the Páshá were to leave the town instantly; I therefore took leave of the master of my house and Hájí Bairám and Er Sultán, and arrived after seven hours’ march at the village of Erkeksú consisting of two hundred houses and a mosque at the foot of a rock. Seven hours further on we arrived at the great place Istanozí, with a judge of one hundred and fifty aspers, in the district of Mortátova, bordering on a valley, on each side of which are towering rocks; it has a thousand houses without gardens, a mosque, a bath and market: the river Erkek flows through it. This place had formerly two great gates at either end, which were destroyed in the time of Murad III. by the rebel Korayazijí; if these two gates were restored it would be impossible to take the place, because it is situated between two walls of high rocks on which eagles and vultures build their nests, but to which man scarcely dares to lift up his eyes. These rocks are as tremendous as those of Ván, Shabín and Márdín, some of them are excavated below like Mount Bisútún and some are shaped above like dragons, lions and elephants. The inhabitants are for the most part Armenians. About a thousand looms are employed in working Súf. This place being enclosed by two rocks the air is very warm. The Armenian girls here are famed for their beauty. There are caverns which can hold a thousand horses. Formerly an old castle stood here on a rock.

The day we entered the town there was a great conflux of men to see tumblers and wrestlers exhibit their tricks; Istanoz and the town of Kodoz in Anatoli being the places where tumblers and wrestlers assemble to make bets. They stretch the rope from one rock to the other and place watchmen at each end, that enemies may not cut it when they are dancing on it. The rocks and the valley beneath are crowded with spectators and on both sides of the river, which flows through the valley, tents are pitched for the spectators. We witnessed during three days the tricks of seventy six tumblers, who were followed by three hundred scholars, to whom they gave lessons in their art.

(The Description of the tricks, and an account of two letters from and to Vávár Páshá, are here omitted.)

Having received the letters of My Lord the Páshá I passed Hossein Ghází and Bálik-hissár, halted at the village of Sárí Alán, and further on passed Kala’ajik, Sheikh Shámí, Akche-koyúnli, and the river Kizil Irmák with great ease at Kárdlar, heard that Várvár Páshá had left the station of Túrhál, and met him further on to the eastward at Gergezár. I first went as the rule requireth to his kiaya, who conducted me to the presence of the Páshá. He was seated in a tent, like Solomon surrounded by many thousand Sárija and Segbán. I kissed the ground and delivered the letter in the usual form. Having looked into my face and said, “Art not thou Evliya Chelebí, who at the mosque of Aya Sofia recited in the night Kadr, the Korán in eight hours? and who was received by Sultán Murad amongst the pages of the Kíldár.” Having replied, “Yes,” he asked further in what office I was to the Páshá. I said, that on the way to Erzerúm I was head of the Muezzins, but that he afterwards made me clerk of the Custom-house and sent me three times into Persia, and that now I was his Imám and intimate companion. The servants having been ordered to withdraw he called the Diván Efendí and read the letter. “It is a pity,” said he, “that your Páshá did not with such an army shut himself up at Angora; he might have played the devil there, and by this glorious deed have hung his sword in the skies (like that of Orion).” Rejoiced, however, at the number of our troops he gave me an hundred zechins, a rosary of corals and a watch set with jewels. I was also invested with a magnificent sable pelisse and recommended as a guest to the Khazinedár.

The same day news arrived that Koprilí Mohammed Páshá and seven Vezírs had taken post at the bridge of Osmánjik and the rocks of Sárimshik, where they were entrenching themselves; and that Hossein the Páshá of Amasia had closed the pass (Púl) of Diriklí and carried the population away to the mountains. Upon this news Várvár Alí Páshá directed his march straight to the passage of the Kizil Irmák. Our march was, from Kiraz to Dánkaza seven hours, to Bardáklí-bábá seven hours and to the river Kizil Irmák six hours. The passage of the river was effected in the best order, without the least harm happening to any body. We halted at Airak which lies north of the Kizil Irmák in the Sanjak of Kangrú; it has an hundred houses and a mosque. We here visited the tomb of Mohammed Sháh Dedeh, who came with Hájí Begtásh from Khorassan to the court of Bayazid I., a large hospitable convent of an hundred Dervishes Begtáshí. I witnessed the Páshá perform his visit to the tomb with a devotion and a faith outshining that of many preachers from the pulpit. The tomb is surrounded with censers, vases for rose-water, lamps and candelabra. Every year the Sheikh of this convent kills a horse and abandons the carcase to the eagles and vultures of the rocks, who live upon it till the next year. The Sheikh has bred eagles instead of falcons for hawking beasts of all kind. From hence we marched for three hours along the bank of the Kizil Irmák to the village of Tordúk, in the territory of Kánghrí. At the convent of Hassám Efendí a great repast was given to the Páshá. Three hours further on we came to the convent of Kúm-bábá, and then we entered the Keskin of the Turcomans in the land of Kánghrí. Having overran it for ten days we halted on the eleventh at the village of Sálí. I perceived that the army was preparing for battle and learned that spies had brought the news, that Koprilí Mohammed Páshá, who had been named commander against Várvár, was ready to give him battle on the following day. The troops having armed during the night, the Páshá put himself in the morning at the head of six thousand men of light troops, and pushed on for seven hours towards the kiblah. Here the two armies engaged and that of Koprilí was entirely routed; a great number were killed and the rest dispersed or made prisoners. Amongst the last was Mohammed Koprilí Páshá himself, the Páshá of Amasia, Kor Hossein, and the Páshá of Kara Shehr, both of two tails, who were obliged to walk on foot with chains on their feet and blocks on their necks, along with the tails of Várvár. Such is the state of the world, that these great and powerful men were now in the power of the Sárija and Segbán, who tortured and killed their men before their eyes and the executioners flung their swords over their necks. In brief a Vezír (Koprilí) and five Begler-begs were bound to the poles of Várvár’s tent, who elated with this victory declared now more than ever open rebellion, collected all kinds of rabble, wrote letters to Begs and Begler-begs enforcing them to come and join him with their troops, and in fact collected an army of thirty-seven thousand men. When we arrived at the village of Búzoghlán, in the Sanjak of Kanghrú, I waited on him wishing him joy of his victory, and begging he would despatch me with the letters expected. I endeavoured to persuade him to be mild and merciful, and to pardon and set at liberty his prisoners, according to the text, “O God! Thou art all-pardoning, Thou likest pardon, pardon me.” He however remained obstinate, saying, I should see in a few days what would happen when his friends little Chaúsh Páshá, Ipshír Páshá and Shehsuvár Oghlí Páshá should arrive to join him. He was an open frank man, but extremely simple and of little judgment, and therefore blindly believed in the assurances of these Páshás; and being overjoyed with the news he had received from them, he despatched me with letters to my master, presenting me with an hundred piastres, a completely caparisoned horse from Koprilí’s stable, and a complete dress.

From Yúz Oghlán in the Sanjak of Kánghru I rode for three days trusting in God, left Angora on my right and met with the Páshá on the plain of Múrtát. The Páshá hearing of Várvár’s blind confidence glowed with anger and said, “He shall see it, the blockhead (Potúr).” He then gave me Ipshír Páshá’s letter, which he had sent him to read, and I saw it was full of flattery and deceit. The Páshá was about to answer this letter, when a Khassekí and Kapijí-bashí arrived with Kiátib Alí Chelebí, the Khazinedár of Seyavúsh Aghá Kiátib Alí Chelebí. The Imperial rescript was instantly read, and contained the most positive orders to join till the first of Jemází-ul-akhir the united troops of Ipshír, Chaúsh, Bákí, Ketgáj and Sídí Páshá against Várvár, whose head or the Páshá’s was required. If he refused to comply all his property was to be confiscated, and his children and relations killed; but under the supposition of ready obedience the Governorship of Egypt was conferred upon him. The Páshá made immediate obeisance, ordered the tails to proceed, gave to the Khassekí a purse for the expenses of the road, and recommended him as a guest to his kiaya. The next day the Cháhnegír (head carver) of Várvár arrived from Constantinople with a Khattí-sheríf of the following tenor: “My Lálá, (Governor) thy fault is pardoned, but the rebellion of Defterdár Oghlí, who wished to put himself in possession of Erzerúm and Angora, is evident. His head or yours is demanded. If you send the first the Governorship of Egypt is assured to you.” The Páshá remained dumb at the sight of this Khattí-sheríf and instantly despatched me back with that which he had received to Várvár.

(Here follows the relation of Várvár’s complete defeat by Ipshír Páshá by whom he was ensnared; occupying three sheets of the original.)

Evliya at last, afraid for his head, waited on Ipshír Páshá and asked for letters, that he might return as he came. “Here,” said Ipshír showing Várvár’s dead body, “is the man from whom you may ask your expedition.” Evliya begged to be spared as he was no rebel and no Sanjak Beg. Ipshír Páshá laughed and said, “What art thou doing at thy master’s; wert thou not previously with Melek Ahmed Páshá?” “By God,” I, poor Evliya, answered, “I am the common servant and joint subject of two Vezírs, whom I accompany alternately as they come into high offices for the pleasure of travelling. Defterdár Zádeh must now be removed from office at this place, and your Excellency is most likely to go as Governor to Damascus or Baghdád, in which case I attach myself to your service.” “No,” said Ipshír, “go and follow Melek Ahmed.” “Well,” I, poor Evliya, replied, “there is no difference between you three. Is not the mother of my present master the nearest relation of Melek Páshá’s and your mother?” “Look here,” said the Páshá, “he reminds me of my relationship with Mohammed Páshá, in order to become the mediator of peace between us.” I got up, kissed his hand and begged he would give me a letter to My Lord the Páshá, to give him some solace in the present state of his affairs. He ordered me a tent, seventy secchins, a horse (being an extremely avaricious and low born Abázá) and a letter, with which I got under way.

From Cherkesh (where Várvár’s defeat had happened) I rode for eight hours to Dúlúshja, a village of an hundred and fifty houses with gardens and a mosque; eight hours further to Mestibeg, a village of an hundred houses, a ziámet; and nine hours further to the village of Alí Zaím, a Súbashilik in the plain of Múrtát, a ziámet of an hundred houses, where I met the Páshá, who had heard of the defeat of Várvár, Kor Hossein, and Hájí Oghlí, but knew not as yet of their deaths, which I related to him as it happened three days ago. The Páshá read Ipshír’s letter, and hearing at the same time that Bákí Páshá had left him and joined Ipshír’s camp, he became very melancholy and prepared for attacking Ipshír, who from Cherkesh moved towards Karamania by the side of Keskin. The Páshá followed him at three day’s distance, took a great deal of booty of the baggages of Várvár, Koprilí and Kor Hossein and arrived in three days at the river Sakaria. At the village of Merja in the district of Begbazárí the Diván Efendí of Várvár Páshá was overtaken with forty-three thousand zecchins and seven purses of money. He confessed to ten thousand zecchins besides and a sum deposited at Angora of forty purses of money, after which confession his head was cut off, and sent to the Porte as being that of a rebel. According to the assignation of Khalíl, the Divání Efendí, on Hassan at Angora in whose hands the money was deposited, Alaja Atlí Aghá was despatched with three hundred horsemen to take possession of it. We marched along the bank of the Sakaria river to the village Shikenjí Ahmed Aghá in the district of Ayásh, a village surrounded with gardens. We passed the village of Istanos and after seven hours reached Erkeksú at last arriving at Angora, where Atlí Aghá was lodged in the house of Hassan, from whom he demanded the money deposited by the beheaded Diván Efendí, and I lodged with my old friend Kedr-zádeh who returned to me all my things and effects, which I had left in his hands. The next day Hassan Chelebí was obliged to pay the sum mentioned by the beheaded Diván Efendí and to accompany us in irons. My friend, Kedr-zádeh made me a present of two pack-horses to facilitate the transport of my things. We left Angora, passed as before through Istanos, then during eight hours along the pass of Ayásh; Ayásh is a foundation belonging to the two holy cities of Mecca and Medina. It is a jurisdiction of an hundred and fifty aspers, and contains a thousand houses and ten mosques; the castle is in ruins, but there is a Serdár and Kiaya-yerí; the air is heavy because the ground is uneven. I here visited the tomb of Emír-dedeh, and on the opposite side that of Sheikh Bokhara buried under a cupola on the mountain.

Description of the town of Beg-bazárí or Bebek-bazári.

Dinár-hezár, the vezír of Yakúb Sháh of the Germián family, having conquered this town gave it the name Germián-hezárí. Once a week there is a famous market chiefly of goats-hair spun and woven. It is now the Khass of the Muftí of Constantinople who appoints the Súbashí. The judge, appointed with an hundred and fifty aspers, may easily collect seven purses. There is a Serdár and Kiaya-yerí, but no Dizdár and garrison, the castle being too small to hold any. At the foot of it lies the town distributed over two valleys, and divided into twenty quarters. There are forty one mosques, three thousand and sixty seven elegant houses, all of mortar, but the roofs of wood, a room for reading the Korán, another for lectures on tradition, but no stone built colleges as in other towns, and seventy schools. There are more than seven hundred men and boys who know by heart the Korán, and the Mohammedieh, a Muftí and Nakíb-ul-eshráf; the inhabitants are for the most part Ulemás. This being a Turkish town the people are chiefly Oghúz, that is to say good men of the old Turkish simplicity. There are seven Kháns, pleasant baths, six hundred shops in which precious articles are found, but no bezestán of stone. On the bank of the torrent, which flows through the butcheries, a market is held every week; this torrent falls into the river, which runs below the town, and with this river into the Sakaria. The roads are strewn with sand and not paved. The young men are fine, and the girls very retired and modest, but not pretty. The gardens of Beg-bazárí are numerous; among its products is a particular melon much distinguished for its sweetness; the inhabitants make of it a Zerdeh (dish) with cinnamon and cloves, sweet as the Zerdeh which was first invented by Moavia; there is also a large green pear four or five of which go to an occa. Every year some thousand of them are sent in boxes to Constantinople as presents, such sweet pears are found but in Persia in the town of Nessú and are like the pears called Melje in the town of Bár. Black barley is produced here, which must be given with caution to horses, and there is a great quantity of rice. In the town is the tomb of Az-dedeh.

We had remained here three days when letters arrived for the Páshá from my uncles, Melek-zádeh and Abd-ur-rahím, giving notice of the death of my father, and that all his goods remained in my step-mother’s hands. They begged leave from the Páshá for me to make a journey to Constantinople in order to arrange my affairs, after which I might return to him. I received three letters from my relations with the same news, which I showed to the Páshá, who showed me those he had received. He gave me leave to go on condition I would come back again, called the Kiaya and Khazinedár, gave me five hundred dollars, two horses, and two slaves, a fine tent and three mules in addition to those which I had received as a present from the late Várvár Alí Páshá. With seven Mamlúks and eight servants attached to me, I took leave of the Páshá and set out at the end of Jemazí-ul-akhir in the year 1058 (1648) from Begbazárí for Constantinople.

Journey from Beg-bazárí to Constantinople.

We marched nine hours to the north through cultivated villages and open meadows to the village of Sárí-beg. Here a gigantic wall is seen, which is said to have been moved by the miraculous power of Hají Begtásh, and the spot is shown where he sat upon the wall. It has no foundation and therefore it is evident it must have been moved hither. Seven hours further is the village of Kostek-beg of an hundred houses in a ground intersected by valleys. The inhabitants are free from all duties. At the time of the rebellion of Kara Yazijí, Seid-ul-Arab, Kalender Oghlí, Jennet Oghlí, Delí Hassan and Sejiáh Oghlí in the time of Ahmed I. they assailed a great caraván here, which they plundered, killing more than two thousand men. The road then remained blocked up for some time, till Nassif Páshá built here a great khán and transported the inhabitants hither. There is a mosque, a khán, an imáret and a bath. The raisins of this place are celebrated for sour preserves. The khán has no equal in the whole of Anatolia unless it be the Khán of Katífa and Sa’asa’a in the neighbourhood of Damascus. The stable holds two thousand horses, there is besides a stable for camels, and all the buildings are covered with lead. Eight hours further to the north we arrived at Nállí Khán, a small affranchised mussulman village of an hundred houses in a valley, governed by a Mutevellí of Nassif Páshá. This khán is also his foundation and is built like that of Kostek-beg Khán, having an hundred and fifty chimneys with a kitchen like that of Keikavús. Travellers receive each a loaf in a brass plate, a dish of soup and a candle. In seven hours more we reached the village of Turbelí Koilik, which in the harsh language of the Turks is pronounced Torbalí Koiluk. Akshems-ud-dín is buried in this village. The castle, built by the Greek Emperors, was conquered by Ghazí Osmán in the year 712 (1312). It has a Kiaya-yerí and Serdár but no Dizdár. This place is surrounded on both sides by rocks from which the water of life flows through fir-wood pipes. Though its inhabitants are Turks, it is yet a sweet town of two thousand houses, all covered with fir-wood, eighteen mosques and eight quarters. The houses are overhung by the chalk cliffs, which from time to time fall down upon them, without doing the least harm to men or mice. The number of the houses, immediately overhung by the rocks, is two hundred, there is no college or house of tradition but twenty schools for boys; in the market-place are three kháns covered with brick, a bath, a good number of mills and seventy-five shops in which saddle-bags and horse-cloths are sold. No Jews can inhabit this place, because in it they die instantly.

Description of the tomb of the great Saint Akshems-ud-dín.

He was born at Damascus and derives his genealogy from Abúbekr, which was proved by the absence of one of the joints in his finger, because all descendants from him are born with that defect. He had conversed with Sheháb-ud-dín Sehrverdí, who is buried in the castle of Baghdád, and at Angora with Hájí Bairám. He accompanied Mohammed II. to the conquest of Constantinople, and foretold the day when the town would be conquered. He and his whole family lie buried here. It was he who discovered the tomb of Eyyúb and on whose admonition they dug on the spot indicated by him. He composed many volumes of books and was in medicine a second Lokman. His son Ahmed Chelebí is the author of Yússúf and Zúleikha, one of the most renowned of poems in the Turkish language, he did not accept of the directorship, which his father intended for him and which after his death devolved on Sa’ad Allah, another son of his, and who is buried near his father. Sheikh Núrallah his third son went to Brússa to finish his studies and killed himself accidentally, his pen-knife entering his stomach. Sheikh Chelebí Emrillah did not follow his father’s manner of life, and died of the gout; he composed an historical work. Sheikh Nasrollah his fifth son travelled for seven years in Persia and is buried at Tabríz; the Persians visit his tomb, and some erroneously believe him to be the son of Shems Tabrízí who is buried in the town of Khúí, whither he walked with his head cut off, carrying it in his hand. Sheikh Mohammed Núrolhúda the son of Akshems-ud-dín; his father having touched his mother’s womb when she was pregnant with him, she was immediately delivered on the salute given to the child, which returned it saying, “Esselám aleikum.” This ecstatic child (Mejzúb) when grown up could discern in the mosque those who would go to heaven from those who would go to hell. He is buried in the village of Evlek, which was given to him by Sultán Mohammed. Sheikh Mohammed Hamdollah, the abovesaid second son of Akshems-ud-dín, was also spoken to by his father when in his mother’s womb. At eight years old he was already author of a Diván. He composed Leíla and Mejnún, and Yússúf and Zúleikha, which has no equal in the Turkish language. He died when sixty-six years old. Among a great number of treatises he wrote one on physiognomy which is much esteemed. His son Mohammed Chelebí was a great divine and in caligraphy a second Yakút Mostea’assemí and Ibn Mokla. The tomb of Sheikh Abd-ul-kádir, the son of Sa’ad Allah; he is buried outside that of his ancestor. Sheikh Abd-ur-rahím one of Akshems-ud-dín’s followers, who lived forty years after him; he is the author of the work Wahdet-námeh (book of unity).

We remained here one day and then travelled seven hours to the north to Taráklí, built by the Greek Princes of Brússa and conquered by Osmán. The judge is appointed with an hundred and fifty aspers; there are fifteen hundred houses in a valley all covered with brick, eleven mihrábs, seven quarters, a bath, five kháns, six schools and two hundred shops; this town is called Taraklí because spoons and combs (Tarak) are made here from the box-trees which cover the neighbouring mountains. These spoons and combs are sent into Arabia and Persia. The torrent which flows through the village falls into the river Hármen and with it into the sea. Eight hours to the north is the castle of Kíva, properly Kekiva, a small castle for the sheep of a Greek Princess. It is the foundation consecrated to the famous bridge of Sultán Bayazíd II. here built over the Sakaria. It was formerly a large town, but ruined in the reign of Sultán Murad IV. by the inundation of the Sakaria, it consisted of three hundred houses, a mosque, a bath, three kháns, and seven schools for boys. It is now situated at an arrow’s shot distance from the river, and has a large khán covered with brick and twenty shops near it. The sour preserve of raisins and the melons of the district are famous, two melons are a load for a horse. The river Sakaria, which flows here under the bridge, comes from the town of Beg-bazarí and falls into the Black Sea near Irva. In this place reside a Serdár, Kiaya-yerí and Mutevellí, or administrator of the Wakf. Burhán, a companion of Osmán I. is buried here. We passed the bridge and to the north along the banks of Sakaria through the great forest, called Agháj-denizí (the sea of trees), a den of wild beasts and robbers, where many strangers have been lost. The trees are high firs and linden, which intercept the rays of the sun, and perfume the brain with their sweet scent.

These mountains are inhabited by some thousand unmerciful Turks, who live by cutting wood and loading it in ships, and sometimes by cutting passengers and unloading caravans. This forest extends through four Sanjaks, viz: Brússa, Ismíd, and Bolí, and a month is necessary to make the tour of it. In some places it is cut through like the road to Kíva. Three hours from Kíva we came to the castle of the shepherds (Chobán Kala’assí), a small castle towering to the skies. It is here that the shepherds of Princess Kekeva dwelled and took toll from those who passed; the passage being straightened between the mountains and the river Sakaria, they obliged every body to pay. We passed through it and continuing our way to the West along the bank of the Sakaria for seven hours we reached Sabánja, a cultivated place which has been already described on the way to Erzerúm. From hence we came to Nicomedia, also described in the journey to Erzerúm. We passed Herke, Gebize, the tomb of Gemiklí, Alí-bábá, Pendík, Kartál, the bridge of the Bostánji-bashí, and Kádíkoí, and arrived at the end of Jemazí-ul-akhir, 1058 (1648), in the great town of Scutarí, and at last, praise be to God! at Constantinople, with all my baggage. I kissed the hand of my mother and the eyes of my sisters, then mounted again on horseback to fulfil my vow by visiting the tomb of Eyyúb, where I immolated and distributed a victim, and returned home. In a dream I saw my father who wished me joy on my happy arrival and on my visit to the tomb of Er-Sultán. Having thrice said the Súra-et-tekátherí, I awoke and took a boat to visit the tomb of my father behind the arsenal, and my ancestors buried there since the time of Mohammed II, thrice said the above Súra, then returned home, took possession of my father’s heritage, and made a vow to consecrate two thousand zechins of it to the pilgrimage of Mecca; visited all my friends and acquaintances, and enjoyed with them the pleasures of conversation, when the great rebellion of the troops began on the eighteenth of Rejeb, 1058, and terminated in the dethronement of Sultán Ibrahím and the accession of his son Mohammed IV.

(Here follows the account of the dethronement of Sultán Ibrahím, which is nearly the same as has been given, in the first volume, under this Sultán’s reign, and is therefore omitted here.)

Evliya then relates how his master Mohammed Defterdár Zádeh came to Constantinople, and after a lively contest with Koja Mevleví, the grand vezír, obtained from him the nomination to the Governorship of Malatia, begging he would grant it him with the Kharáj (tribute), Awáriz (accidental duties) and the Mohassillik or collectorship, which was done. Evliya waited on him and with great difficulty obtained permission to go on the pilgrimage to Mecca. He then remained sometime at Constantinople, and attached himself to Silehdár Murteza Páshá, as Múezzin-báshí (chief proclaimer of prayer), he was also named Imám of the Mahmel (the Sultán’s annual present to Mecca), and went from Constantinople to Scutarí in the first days of the month Sha’abán, setting out with Murteza Páshá for the journey to Damascus. The Páshá’s Imám being an Arab whom Murteza disliked, the Arab performed prayers outside, and Evliya inside the Páshá’s tent and was continually in the Páshá’s company. During the time they remained at Scutari, the famous robber Hyder Oghlí, in whose hands Evliya had fallen when he lost his way in the pass as before related, was brought in by Hassan Aghá, and hanged at Parmak-kapú (finger-gate). The same night as the execution of the robber, Evliya slept in his paternal home at Constantinople, then took leave of his friends and relations and passed over to Scutarí, where he visited Mahmúd Efendí of Scutarí, and Saint Karají Ahmed and the tombs of all the great men in the burying ground, calling their spirits to his assistance in the Syrian voyage, which he was about to undertake.

Amen, by the grace of the Lord of Apostles.

END OF THE SECOND VOLUME.