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

by Evliya Çelebi

JOURNEY TO ERZERUM.

Having remained a month in Scutari, the buildings of which town have been minutely described in our first volume; the news arrived that the Mossellem (substitute of the Páshá) had happily taken possession of the governorship; the Páshá immolated victims, and everybody rejoiced, because the principal reason for conferring this governorship on Defterdár-zadeh was the rumour which prevailed, that Abaza Páshá the famous rebel, whom Sultán Murad had spared, contrary to the wishes of the troops, had returned from his travels in Africa and India, but most happily Súleimán Páshá, the governor of Erzerúm (predecessor of Abaza) killed this pretender and sent his head to Constantinople, and the Mosellem, Mustafa Aghá, took possession of the governorship. We set out from Scutari in the early part of Sha’abán, and arrived at the end of seven hours march at Pendík, a great village on the seabord, it belonging to the foundation of Kirechjíbashí at Scutari. Its numerous gardens supply the Capital with vegetables. Here our master received from the Great Vezír Sáleh Páshá, ten purses, ten horses, and a great number of other valuable presents. From hence the quarter-master (Konakjí) and chief of the cellar (Kilárjí), with the inspector of the kitchen (Mutbakhemíní), and the purveyor at market (Bazára giden), led the van with five hundred men and a tail.

Gebíze.

This was formerly a large town. At the time when Sídí Battál besieged Constantinople, a great convent existed at Constantinople, within the gate of Sílívrí, at the place now called the mosque of Koja Mustafa Páshá. Harún-ur-rashíd, built a fortress here and garrisoned it with three thousand men, in order to keep the infidels in check. The inhabitants of Gebíze having killed some men belonging to Sídí Battál, who commanded the garrison of the said fortress, he laid the town of Gebíze in ruins, and retired to Malatia; traces of this havoc are still visible. It was conquered by Mohammed I., who destroyed the castle, that it might not be a refuge for the infidels; but Sultán Mohammed II. rebuilt it after the conquest of Constantinople. It is now a jurisdiction of one hundred and fifty aspers in the sanjak of Koja Ilí. Mustafa Páshá, who built the bridge which bears his name in Rúmelí, built a mosque here, whose administrator (Mutevelí) is at the same time commanding officer of the place. It lies an hour’s distance from the sea, at the top of a dry mountain; there are about one thousand houses with gardens, in the ancient style, three mosques, the largest of which covered with lead, outshines the mosques of the Vezírs at Constantinople; it was built by Mustafa Páshá, the builder of the bridge called by Sultán Súleimán, the bridge of the illiberal (Namerd), who when governor of Egypt had the finest stones cut in plates to adorn this mosque, and made a stone candelabrum of them, which has no equal in the world. The stones came direct from Egypt to the landing-place of Daríjí, where they were disembarked. The interior of the mosque is lined with marble and granite to the height of three men, which is not to be seen in any other mosque in the capital. The minber (pulpit), mihráb (altar), and mahfil (oratory) of the Moëzzins are of most excellent workmanship, which is impossible to describe to those who have not seen it. It was built by the architect Hassám, the first assistant to the architect Koja Sinán, who showed his skill here most minutely. The windows on the four sides are composed of small painted glass, which in sunshine illuminates the mosque with a most delicious light, therefore it is that you read on the middle vault the verse of the Koran, God is the light of Heaven. The interior of the cupola is adorned with circles of lamps and a great number of suspended decorations. The Egyptian carpets on the floor vie with those of Isfahan. The pulpit of the preacher (Kursí) is inlaid with pearl-shell. Outside of the walls is a delicious garden, where flowers and odoriferous herbs fill the air and brain with perfumes, and nightingales enrapture with their warbling notes. The mosque has but one gate opposite the altar; on the threshold is written the chronograph in the writing of Kara Hissárí Hossein, and in the mosque seventy Koráns are kept, each of which is worth an Egyptian treasure. A copy of Yakút Mostea-assemí, like that which is seen here on the left of the altar, is not to be found elsewhere, except it be at the mosque of Sultán Ahmed at Constantinople. On both sides of the gate are six cupolas supported by as many columns, and the cupola immediately over the gate is the seventh. The Harem or courtyard, as spacious as those of imperial mosques, is adorned with trees, the mináreh, with one gallery, is well proportioned. Close to the mosque is a Caravánseraï, affording accommodation for three thousand men, and two thousand horses, with a stable appropriated for camels. In the dining-room (dar-ul-ita’ám), old and young men and women dine in plenty; and at the Caravánseraï, every evening, every fire-place is furnished with a dish of soup, a loaf of bread, a candle, and a bag of forage for every horse, ass, mule or camel. A bath is attached to it, covered with lead like all the other buildings of this foundation. Besides this Caravánseraï there are forty large and small kháns, and one hundred and eighty shops, all the work of Sinán; the mosque in the market is an old simple building; the houses are all faced with red bricks, the water of the wells is a little thick, but the air is good.

We advanced from hence five hours towards the east to the Castle of Helke or Herke, conquered by Mohammed I. with considerable loss of men. It is a nice small castle, of immense stones, built on the seashore, on a cliff between two vallies. Its gate opens to the north and has no houses within. The district belongs to the sanjak of Koja Ilí. At the end of eight hours journey along the seashore, we arrived at Isnikmíd (Nicomedia), which has been already minutely described in our former journey. After a day’s rest we again started and came, at the end of six hours march, to Sabánja, called so from Sabánjí Koja, who first cleared the thick woods here by the plough. In Súleimán’s time it was cultivated, and Sárí Rostem Páshá founded a khán here with one hundred and seventy fireplaces, a pleasant mosque and bath covered with lead, and about one thousand houses faced with brick built by Koja Sinán. The administrator of these endowments of Rostem Páshá, is at the same time the first public officer of the place. Besides its white cherries, it is renowned for its white bread, Súmún, which is baked in a shop underneath the bath, and which keeps its flavour and does not become mouldy for the space of six days. It has often been sent by couriers to the Sháh of Persia, has arrived fresh, and obtained general approbation. Its good qualities are due to the water.

Praise of the Lake of Sabánja.

Its circumference is twenty miles, and seventy-six villages adorn its shores. The people who drink of its water are of ruddy complexion, and the products of the land are abundant; there are no vineyards, but a great number of gardens. On the borders of the lake there are melons and water-melons of such a size that two make an ass-load. On the lake are from seventy to eighty kaiks and boats, which are employed in the passage from village to village, and for the transport of wood. There are a great number of most delicious fish. Its depth is twenty fathoms, the water is clear and brilliant, and excellent for washing without soap. It is this water which gives a whiteness resembling cotton to the bread Súmúní. On the east side of the lake, at two hours distance, passes the river Sakaria, which disembogues into the Black Sea in the province of Koja Ilí at the place called Irva; it would require but little spirit of enterprise to unite the lake with the sea, by means of this river, a branch of which goes down to the salt-marshes of Nicomedia. As early as the reign of Mohammed III. a great number of workmen were employed in establishing a communication between the gulf of Nicomedia and the lake of Sabánja, but the undertaking was given up at the request of the inhabitants. If the Sakaria were united with this lake, and the lake with the gulf of Nicomedia, this town would be quite an inland port; the timber and wood might be brought down to Bolí, and it would cost no more than five aspers the quintal. God make it easy!

We marched to the eastward six hours, along the seashore, through thick forests, called “Ocean of trees,” and crossed the Sakaria by a wooden bridge; this river issues from the mountain Chifteler, passes through Koja Ilí, and goes into the Black Sea near Irva.

The Station of Khandak-bazárí.

A small place belonging to the territory of Koja Ilí, with woods, mountains, gardens, a mosque, a khán, a bath, a market, a judge appointed with one hundred and fifty aspers, an officer of the janissaries, and a Súbashí. In the woody marsh here, is a long wooden bridge (causeway) famous all over Arabia and Persia. We marched twelve hours further on through thick forests, and came to Dúzje-bazár, the first place belonging to Bolí, in a mountainous region, with a mosque and two kháns founded by Shemsí Páshá, who also paved the road. In the neighbourhood are many villages.

West of this place on the side of Akcheshár, and two hours beyond the river Melán is the place of Úskúbí, a khass of the territory of Bolí, with a mosque, a khán, and a bath. Nine hours further on we reached Bolí, conquered in Osmán’s name by Sonkor Baí Shemsí, to whom and to whose descendants it was given as hereditary property (Ojáklik). Its castle was built by the Greek Commander of Brússa, it is a small ruined castle, on a high mountain without vestige of cultivation. According to the division of Sultán Mohammed II. it is the seat of a sanjak. The khass of the Beg amounts to three hundred thousand one hundred and twenty-two aspers, fourteen ziamets, and fifty-five timárs, with the Jebellis two thousand eight hundred swords. The judge is appointed with three hundred aspers: five districts belong to it, viz. the district round the town of Bolí, that of Gokjesúí, that of Sázák Kerde to the left of Bolí, that of Túrtúr-diván, and that of Yaflije. The annual revenue is five thousand piastres, and those of the Beg fifteen thousand. But the judge and Beg are obliged to be very cautious, because if they commit the smallest injustice, the Rayas can reach Constantinople in three days, and complain of the oppressor. There is an officer of the janissaries, of the Sipahís, and a Nakíb-ul-íshráf. Though the inhabitants are Turcomans, yet there is a great number of merchants. It is a large town of thirty-four quarters and as many mosques, three thousand well covered houses, some of which are faced with bricks; some seraïs and mosques. In the market-place is that of Mustafa Páshá and of Ferhád Páshá, much frequented; they are both the work of Koja Sinán the great architect: the best and most pleasant bath is that of Shemsí: seven kháns, and seven fountains, all founded by Shemsí Páshá; four hundred elegant shops, but no college or school of tradition, as far as I know of; but there are seventy schools for boys, and more than two hundred of whom know the Korán by heart. The book Mohammedieh is much read here; they have also story-tellers who recite moral maxims (Oghúz). The mildness of the air contributes to the beauty of the inhabitants. The women wear Ferrájís and large head-dresses, they are very decent and modest ladies. There are a great number of gardens and vineyards. Of its eatables and products the cherries are the most renowned. The water-cans of fir-tree refresh those who drink out of them like the living spring; these cans are called Akasik and Podúch. The inhabitants for the most part are merchants. The surrounding forests being composed of fir-trees, the inhabitants live by cutting and making planks of them, which are much esteemed at Constantinople. Two journies to the west from this place is the landing-place of Akcheshár; those of Ereglí, Bartín, and Hissárogí, also belong to the sanjak of Bolí. The hotbath lies to the south, on the outside of the town; amidst the gardens is a small hotbath, extremely hot and particularly useful against the itch. It purifies the stomach and cleanses the body. People of all degrees flock to this hotbath on waggons.

Places of Pilgrimage at Bolí.

The convent of Yúzghád Baba near the hotbath. We marched twelve hours to the east, through cultivated villages to Kerde, the seat of a Súbashí subordinate to Bolí; a judge with one hundred and fifty aspers. The town consists of a thousand wooden and brick-built houses in a large valley, nine quarters, and eleven mosques, besides the Mesjíds; three convents, three kháns, two hundred shops, and seven coffee-houses. The knife-cutlers and tanners of Kerde are renowned for the knives and Safien of this place. The air is pleasant, and the inhabitants healthy; they are mostly students eager for information (Súkhte Thalebí). It is a common saying that Kerde is famous for its thieves, its tanners, and its winter, which is compared to that of Erzerúm; the inhabitants are a set of lively stout Turks. At the four points of the compass, and particularly on the south towards Kánghrí, are cultivated districts inhabited by forty or fifty thousand Turks. The names of the districts are, Kizíl-úzú, Alaja-úzú, Aleh-diván, Bir-diván, Ikí-diván, Uch-diván, and so on to seven Diváns, all in the mountains. The name of Diván given to these districts originated in the time of Ertoghrúl, who, being named Beg by Ala-ud-dín the Prince of the Seljúk family, granted to the Infidels, whose districts he conquered, the privilege of kettle-drums. The name is thus preserved in seven districts, whose inhabitants are a rebellious people, speaking a peculiar language of their own.

From Kerde we travelled to the eastward for the space of eight hours, through cultivated villages, to the village of Bayander in the district of Bolí, a jurisdiction of one hundred and fifty aspers. The conquest of these villages situated amongst steep mountains cost much blood to Osmán. Here are three hundred covered houses, a khán where every passenger is allowed to stay, and receives wood, straw and water, gratis. We travelled thence through a straight, called Hamámlí Bogház, and came with a thousand difficulties at the end of nine hours to the place Jerkesh, the seat of a Súbashí in the sanjak of Kánghrí. Here is a judge with one hundred and fifty aspers, an officer of the janissaries, and Sipáhis. The town consists of three hundred houses, a mosque, a bath and from forty to fifty shops. Mustafa Páshá, the sword-bearer to Sultán Murad IV., built a khán here of fifty fire-places, and one hundred shops, but died before it was finished. Once a week a great market is held here. Seven hours further on is the village of Karajalar, a ziámet in the jurisdiction of Kánghrí, three hundred houses of poor but very obstinate Turks; they will sell a trunk of a tree forty times over, putting it in the water every night, so that you may be compelled to lay out ten aspers in brushwood to set it on fire. A traveller marked one of these trunks by fixing a nail in it, and when he returned three years afterwards from the siege of Eriván, they gave him the very same trunk, which he had tried in vain to burn three years before. Thus they will sell a trunk forty times, and praise it as being forty years old. They also trade in different small articles, particularly in girdles, for which Karajalar is renowned.

Pilgrimage to Habib Karamání.

Habíb was born at Ortakoí near Nikde, and is buried here. He died a Sheikh of the Beirámí in the reign of Mohammed II. Hamza Efendí was one of his disciples. We left Karajalar, and after nine hours walk, we came to Kojhissár a jurisdiction of Kánghrí. Its castle was conquered in the year 708 by Osmán, and destroyed in order that it should no longer afford shelter to the Infidels. Nine hours further on, we reached the town of Tússia, conquered by Mohammed I, the seat of a Súbashí, and of a judge appointed with one hundred and fifty aspers. The public officers are a commander of the janissaries (Serdár), an officer of the Sipáhís (Kiaya-yerí), a Muftí and Nakíb; though it is a Turkish town, yet there is a great number of learned divines. The town is situated on an elevation, and consists of three thousand wooden houses faced with brick, there are eleven quarters, twenty-one mosques, besides the mesjíds, seven kháns, three hundred and forty shops, and a Bezestán with an iron gate. The Kúzlí and Leblebí Halwa (two sorts of sweetmeats) of the place, are famous. The air is heavy; the inhabitants are Turks, but very kind to strangers. Outside the town in a fine meadow is the tomb of Sheat Baba Sultán, to which pilgrimages are performed.

Our road now led for eight hours, amongst the mountains along the border of the Kizil Irmák (Red river) when we arrived at the village of Háj Hamza, the companion and disciple of Habíb Karamání; this village was his birth-place: there remains only an ancient mosque on the great road, the other houses are in ruins. It is on the banks of the Kizil Irmák, the opposite shore of which is laid out in elegant gardens. The Kizil Irmák issues from the mountains of Churúm and enters the Black Sea near the village of Báfra, where it forms a cascade, the noise of which alarms men like the rolling of thunder; the river rushes on with great impetuosity, and is not navigable. Its colour is red both in winter and summer; it is a cruel water, for, in attempting to cross to the opposite shore on horseback I was upset with my horse in the middle of it, and saved with difficulty by getting hold of a willow. We left Hájí Hamza and continued our road to the eastward among the mountains and along the Kizil Irmák. The road winds along the rocks at the base of the high mountain called Sárímáshiklí, so that on the right side are the cliffs, and on the left a precipice, at the bottom of which flows the Kizil Irmák, which in some places must be crossed. After eight hours march we came to the Castle of Osmanjík. Some say that Osmán was born at this place, and the castle built by his successors. In the year 795 it was taken out of the hands of the Turks by Ilderím Bayazíd. It is the seat of a Voivode belonging to the sanjak of Chúrúm, and has a judge with a salary of one hundred and fifty aspers appointed to it; there is a Serdár and Kiaya-yerí, but no Muftí or Nakíb. There are few distinguished inhabitants, but a great number of gardens. You cross the Kizil-Irmák by a bridge to the castle, it is of a strong architecture, no more than eight hundred paces in circumference, with an iron gate. As it is situated so amazingly high I did not see the interior, but only the outer town or suburb, consisting of a thousand old Tátár houses covered with planks and earth, there are seven quarters and as many mosques, three kháns, and a small bath, the water of which is drawn from a well supplied by the Kizil Irmák. On three sides of the town is sandy ground. Raisins are very sweet here on account of the heat of the soil. In the sand grows a plant called Kabre (Capers) which preserved in vinegar is in great use. The poor and almost all the inhabitants are Dervishes of the order of Hají-Begtásh, because one of their principal Saints is buried on the west side of the town on an elevated spot.

Pilgrimage to the tomb of the great Saint Koyún Baba, (Father of the Dynasty of the Sheep.)

He was the true successor of Hají Begtásh. Having appeared to Sultán Bayazíd, he ordered him to build a cupola on his tomb, a mosque, a convent, a meeting-place for the Dervishes, (Meidán), a caravanseraï with kitchen and cellar. All these establishments are covered with lead, which with the golden crescents on them dazzle the eyes of beholders even at a distance. The Imaret (kitchen for the poor) is smoking day and night. As soon as I, poor Evliyá, arrived here, I went to visit this place of pilgrimage; I kissed the threshold, saying, “Es-selám aleik,” and entered the tomb, where I read the Korán, thanking God for the grace he had granted me to visit it. The cupola is perfumed with musk and amber, which is very agreeable to the senses of visitors, on whom the keepers of the mausoleum also sprinkle rose-water. The preacher and the other Dervishes Begtáshí who watch and pray at the tomb, said prayers on the head of me, poor Evliyá, wishing me a happy journey, with good sight, and perfect health and happiness in both worlds. The Dervishes all uttered the Mohammedan shout (Allah!) and read a Fátihah. When the Sheikh covered my head with his cap, I felt a wind blowing on both my ears, and my eyes were lighted up like Arab torches. Since the shipwreck which I had suffered in the Black Sea, swimming naked for three days and nights, my sight had suffered cruelly, and was only restored by this head-dress (the Crown of felicity) being put on my head. I then conversed with all the poor of the convent, and dined with them, and I have ever since kept the symbols of Dervishship, which I received at the Convent, viz. the habit (Khirka); the carpet (Sejáde;) the standard (A’alem); the drum (Tabl Kúdúmí); the halter (Pálehenk); the stick (Assa); and the head-dress or crown, (Táj).

Inside of the cupola are different inscriptions by the visitors, to which I added one of my own composition which suddenly occurred to me. The name of Koyún Baba was given to this Saint, because when he came from Khorassán in Hají Begtásh’s company, he bleated like a sheep once in twenty-four hours, which was the signal for prayer. The Dervishes of the order of Begtásh are generally in bad repute, but those of this convent are indeed meek like sheep, devout, pious, praying people, and in all my travels in Rúm, Arabia, and Persia, I met nowhere a more worthy convent.

Pilgrimage to the Tomb of Burhándedeh.

A great Saint renowned for many miracles. The bridge, a work of Bayazíd II. is a marvellous pile of building of nineteen arches, each arch gives an idea of the rainbow, of the galaxy, of the girdle of Divine Power, or of the Ták Kosra. Its length, from one end to the other, is four hundred and fifty paces; and although the river was so rapid, the architect built it straight as the bridge of Sirát (over which souls are to pass on the day of the last Judgment). We halted here for a day, then again crossing the bridge, and marching towards the west, amidst frightful mountains, we arrived at the small pass of Direglibíl; which, if one man only ascends to the top of the rock, and rolls stones down, he may defend against a thousand men. It is known in all Asia, and called Diregli-bíl (the pass with trees), because the mountain being excavated in many places, and threatening to fall down, the rocks are supported by trees, which were placed there by well-meaning people. Here our gracious lord the Páshá descended from his horse, and taking some of the stones out of the road, which encumbered it, himself threw them down the precipice; this example was instantly followed by the whole suite, four hundred men, who dismounting, cleared the road of the stones, shouting Allah, with the clarions sounding. After nine hours march from Osmánjik, we came to the village Hájíkoï, the frontier of the sanjak of Amasia, a ruined village, with a khán in ruins, though it is very well situated for cultivation. Six hours further on we reached the field of Márziván, and the village of Kerkiráz, belonging to Amasia, with sixty villages, a mosque, and khán, also falling into ruins. At the end of eight hours we came to the mountain town of Amasia, which is said to have been built by the Amalekites, and, according to others, by Ferhád, the mountain cutter. In the year 476 (1083) it was conquered by Sultán Melek Ghází, of the Dánishmend family. The princes of Azerbeiján laid siege to it more than once, without being able to take it. From the hands of the Dánishmend family it passed into those of the Seljúk. It was then conquered by Sultan Ilderím, who thus prevented its falling into the hands of Timúr. He then made his son Issa Chelebi governor, and coins were struck, which bear the inscription of Amasia, of the purest silver, which is found in three mines here. At the division of the empire by Sultan Mohammed II, Amasia is described as the seat of a Beg. It has sometimes been given as Arpalik to Vezírs of three tails. According to the Kanún, its khass amounts to two hundred thousand aspers, nineteen ziámets, and forty-two timárs; it has an Alaï Beg and Cheri-bashí. The Zaims and Timáriots, with the Jebellí, amount to three thousand men; the judge has three hundred aspers a day. The districts (Náhie) are those of Aine-bazár, Kildighán, Aktágh, and Kafála; the jurisdictions those of Koprí, Samara, Zeitún, Gumish, Búlák, Merzifún, Kerkerár, Ládik, Veraï, and Zenún-abád. The annual revenue of the judge is valued at seven thousand piastres, and those of the Páshá at seventy thousand piastres. Five Súbashis are attached to the khass of the Pásha, viz., Shehrbáh-bazár, Weraï, Aine-bazárí, Aktágh, and Súliova. Its magistrates are, the Sheikh-ul-Islám, the Nakíb-ul-ishráf, the Serdár of the Janissaries, and the Kiayayerí of the Sipahis. There are many learned divines and rich merchants.

Form and size of Amasia.

Its towers, crowning the height of the mountains are always veiled with clouds, and it is only at noon that the spires of the mosques, and the roofs of the houses are visible. Its circumference is nine thousand and sixty paces. In form it is a pentagon, extremely strong, worthy of being a work of Ferhád, with forty-one towers, and eight hundred battlements altogether. The number of the houses is not known to me. There are magazines, cisterns, and a road cut in the rock, leading down to the water, called Chapán Yolí, of three thousand and seven steps. It has no market-place (Charshú), or market (Bazár). There are four iron gates looking to the east. In the castle is a mosque built by Sultán Ilderím, and a marvelously deep dungeon, resembling the pit of hell; and seventy cannons, but of no great calibre, as it is not a frontier fortress. This castle has six wonderful caverns, where the rich inhabitants hid their valuable effects in the time of the Anatolian rebellions of Kara Yazijí, and Kara Sáid.

Timúr besieged this fortress with an innumerable army for the space of seven months, and was obliged to retire in confusion. Though it is situated in the midst of the province, yet a commander (Dizdár) and a garrison is appointed, lest rebels should gain possession of it. The lower castle is built on the banks of the river Túzánlí, a small castle, whose circumference is not known to me. It has three gates, the first opens towards the Kiblah, Karánlik Kapú; the second Ma’adenos Kapú, looks in the same direction; and the third, Meidán Kapú, to the west; from whence a great bridge leads to Gok-medresse, on the opposite side of the town. The gate Serkíz leads over a wooden bridge to the mosque of Gháríblar. The number of mosques, palaces, and houses are six hundred. The river Túzánlí, which passes through the town, issues from the mountains of the same name above Tokát, passes by Eskí, Aine-bazár, Kargol, the castle of Túrhál, Chengellí-bíl, Sárikúsún, the bridge of Davíkaví, Chapán, through the pass of Ferhád to Amasia, where it joins the river Chekerek, opposite the great stone bridge. This river springs from the lake of Ladek, comes from Súliova, and joins the Tuzánlí near Amasia as aforesaid. It is vulgarly called Yava; the proverb, “Tokát defiles it, Amasia drinks it,” is applied to it because it flows from Tokát to Amasia. After it has passed Amasia it is called Chehár Shenbesú (Wednesday’s water), and after irrigating many fields, it disembogues in the Black Sea, on the western side of Samsún. Below the village Chehár Shenbeh it is joined by several springs, and below Nígissár, in the province of Sivás, it receives the river Kerkúk; thus it reaches Samsún, after having increased its stream by those of seven other rivers. The town of Amasia is built on both sides of this river, and on the hills and mountains bordering on it. A bridge worth seeing, the work of Sultán Bayazíd, crosses it. This river comes to Amasia from the south, running northward, and turning many mills and water-wheels; which at Amasia are not less to be praised than those of Hama and Adana. Amasia is divided into forty-eight quarters of Moslíms, and five of Christians; there are altogether five thousand houses, besides palaces.

The Seraï of the Sultán is situated on the banks of the river, surrounded by delightful gardens, curious trees, and many seats; it is cultivated by a master gardener (Usta), and fifty gardeners, who wear yellow caps. The Seraï of Mahommed Páshá is close to the mosque; within the castle is the Seraï of Sultán Bayazíd, and many others, faced with brick; there are altogether two hundred and forty mosques. Among them is the mosque of Bayazíd II. In his youth Bayazíd was first made governor of Trebisonde, and then of Amasia; his father, Mahommed II, having died at Máldepeh, he went to Constantinople to ascend the throne, but gratefully remembering that he was made Emperor at Amasia, he freed the inhabitants from all contributions, and built this mosque, one hundred feet square: the mihráb, minber, and mahfil of the Muëzzins are of elegant workmanship. The cupola is not very large, but adorned, like those of other imperial mosques, with circles for suspending lamps and other ornaments. The chronograph on the gate opposite the Kiblah gives the date of its building, 892 (1486), it has two minarehs, and in the middle of the court-yard a water-basin for ablutions. The mosque of Kúchúk Aghá, opposite the river Chekerek; the mosque of Bayazíd Páshá, covered with lead, and paved with marble; the mosque of Mohammed Páshá, covered with lead, and one minareh; the mosque of Khizr Elias, a large building, covered with lead; the mosque of Mekkeme, built of wood, as also is the minareh; the mosque Fethie, formerly a Christian church and convent; the mosque of Yogúrch Páshá, who was Vezír to Mohammed I.; the mosque of Gokmedresse, covered with lead, but without a minareh; besides a great number of Mesjids. There are ten colleges, the most elegant of which is that of Sultán Bayazíd; nineteen houses for reading the Korán; at that of Sultán Bayazíd there are more than three hundred Háfizes (who know the Korán by heart); ten houses of tradition; and two hundred schools for boys, some of which are covered with lead. There are forty convents for Dervishes, the best of which is that of Jelál-ud-dín Rúmí, and ten dining establishments; at that of Sultán Bayazíd all the poor dine twice a day. Of the Caravánseraïs, that of Sultán Bayazíd is covered with lead, as is also that of Bairám Páshá, the Vezír of Murad IV. The Kháns are lead-covered, with iron gates, besides those for merchants (Khoja), there are those for single men (Mújerred); these last have their own gatekeepers, and are shut up every night, so that those who do not come home before the hour for closing are not let in, and those who are within cannot go out till the gates are thrown open in the morning, when every person goes to his work.

In the market-place (Charshú) there are altogether one thousand and sixty shops, and one hundred and sixty different workmen, with vaults of stone like the market place of Brússa. A Bezestán with four iron gates. The market place is paved with large slabs. There are many distinguished inhabitants.

Inhabitants, Language, Dress, Provisions, &c.

The inhabitants are a set of merry jolly fellows, and are all red-faced and fresh-coloured; their occupation may be thus described;—first, the Zaims and Timariots and the Páshá’s court; secondly, the divines, judges, and professors; the Imáms, Khatíbs, Muëzzins, &c.; and thirdly, the merchants and handicraftsmen. There are many well-bred highly-finished gentlemen, who speak with great eloquence, but the dialect of the common people is harsh. The wealthy dress in sable pelisses and Ferráji of cloth, the middle classes in Bogassin. The women are Turkish beauties, with well-ranged teeth and words.

From the district of Kághla comes a sort of corn called Dárdevedíshí, of which most excellent bread is made, called Levásha, Kerde, Chákil; there are forty sorts of pears, ruby-coloured cherries, and seven sorts of grapes and quinces, of which a far-famed robb is made, and sent to Princes as a present.

Sherbet of must, scented with musk; sherbet of quince jelly, which, on account of its heating quality, is as useful in medicine as terra sigillata. The sherbets called Khardalie, Búldáklí, are exported into Persia; a pleasant white beverage.

The workmen are clever in all kind of handicraft, but the tailors and cotton beaters are the most famous, as well as the barbers and confectioners. In the time of the Amalekites, the river Túzánlí did not pass through the town; it was Ferhád, the lover of Shirín, who cut these mountains like cheese, and the traces of his work is yet to be seen in the mountains on the west side of the town.

The situation of this town in a deep valley, and on the banks of a river, contributes to the mildness of the air, and the riches of its cultivation. The windows of the houses look to the west and north; the winter is temperate. The water which Ferhád carried to the town from the opposite mountains is delightful; it is distributed from house to house.

Of the Walks, and Pilgrimages or Tombs.

There are seventy different walks; the first is that of the bloody fountain (Kánlí bínar;) it is so called because a wicked old woman having brought false news to Ferhád here, of Sherín’s death, he threw his hatchet into the air, and himself down the precipice, by which means he was killed.

The tomb of Ottoman Princes, who are buried in the cypress wood, their names I do not know; the tomb of Zekeria Khalvetí, he was the first disciple of Pír Elias, and is buried near the saddlers’ shops (Serrájiler). The pilgrimage of the Sultán of the faith, the Simorgh of truth Sheikh Abd-ur-rahman Ben Hassám-ud-dín Gomishlí-zadeh, he is the nephew of Pír Elias, and was a dervish of the order of Khalvetí, of whom many miracles are related. The three Princes, sons of Murad II. having visited this Sheikh, two of them kissed his hand, and the third, Mohammed, kissed his feet. The Sheihk took the handkerchief (Reda) he wore on his neck, tied it round the neck of Prince Mohammed, and admonished him to take care of the Moslíms at Constantinople. This Sheikh has left many poems on divine love; his poetical name is Hossámí. His tomb is near that of Pír Elias, in the convent of Yakúb Páshá. Molla Kassem Khatíb Ben Yakúb, who was born and buried at Amasia, one of the deepest of learned divines. Molla Ala-ud-dín Ilíkámi, born and buried at Amasia. Molla Abd-ul-jebbár Ajemí, near the tomb of the Ottoman Princes. Molla Abd-ur-rahman Ben Ali Ben Moyed, born and buried at Amasia. The Sultán of poets, Munírí Efendí, born and buried at Amasia, he improvisated Arabic, Turkish, and Persian poems, and was one of the Vezírs of Prince Ahmed, when Governor of Amasia. The excellent female poet, Mihrmáh Khatún, descending from Pír Elias’s family, was a virtuous lady like Rábie Adúye, who knew seventy scientific books by heart, and beat the most learned men in disputing: her true name being Mihrmáh, she took the name of Mihrí for her poetical surname; she left a Diván, and some theological treatises, and was buried near her grandfather, Sheikh Pír Elias.

Pilgrimage of the Pole of Poles, the Sheikh, par excellence, the cream of saints, the column of the Princes, Sheikh Pír Elias. He was one of the Sheikhs of Sultán Bayazíd I., and went with Timúr to Shirván, from whence he returned to Amasia, his birth-place, where he is buried on an elevated spot, called Sevádie, near Amasia. He is famed for many miracles, one of the most celebrated is, that when his corpse was washed, he straightened the hand which had been placed crooked by the washing-man. His mausoleum, with all the foundations belonging to it, was erected by Bayazíd II., son of Sultán Mohammed II. Strangers and poor persons are here most liberally entertained. Praise be to God, that I was so happy as to visit it, and to finish a complete lecture of the Korán there. The pilgrimage of Kelíj Arslán, a Sheikh of the Mevlevís, buried in the convent of that order. The pilgrimage of Ferhád; he is buried on the top of the mountain which he cut for the love of Sherín, and the old woman who was the cause of his death is buried between him and his mistress. The thistles and thorns which grow on the tomb of the old woman prevent the flowers uniting, which grow on the tombs of Ferhád and Sherín.

There are a great number of pilgrimages of great and holy men, but I visited only those I have given an account of, and at each, in honour of their souls, said the Súra Yass, asking for their spiritual assistance. On the third day of our stay the clarions of departure sounded; we took leave of our friends, and travelled the same day through the mountains of Chengelli-bíl, reaching, after six hours march, the station of Kánlí-bínár, which is the spot where Ferhád killed himself. It is a pleasant place, with a luxuriant spring of most delightful water. We watered our horses here, and pitched our tents, and continued our road next morning towards the north for seven hours. We arrived at the village of Ezíl, a district belonging to Amasia, three hundred houses with gardens, a khán, a mosque, and a bath.

The Town and Castle of Nígíssár.

The next day we reached, in eight hours time, the seat of the Dánishmend family, the old town and stronghold of Nígíssár. Its builder was a Greek Emperor; it was conquered in the year 476 (1083) by Sultan Melek Ghází, of the Dánishmend family, and became the seat of this dynasty; their second residence was Amasia. The Seljúks, who anxiously wished to possess it, laid siege to it several times without success. Its name is a corruption of Níg-hissár, the good castle. It is an ancient, strong-built castle, on a limestone rock, five hundred and sixty paces in circumference, of an hexagon shape: the three gates face the east, west, and south; within the castle are three hundred houses and magazines, and a mosque, which was formerly a church. The garrison is small in number, because it is not a frontier fortress; they only keep watch against rebels; the lower suburb is a large town, but its streets being narrow, and going continually up and down hill, it is with difficulty that a horseman can make his way to the market-place, and for a waggon to do so is out of the question. This town belongs to the khass of the Páshá of Sivás, the residence of a Súbashí of seven hundred purses’ revenue, the judge is appointed with one hundred and fifty aspers, and there is a Muftí, Nakíb, Serdár, and Kiaya-yerí. The town comprises forty-three quarters, with sixty mihráb (Jámí and Mesjids), of which nine are Friday mosques, wherein the Khutbe is performed. The mosque of the castle was formerly a church, an ancient place of worship. To the mosque of Melek Ghází, the visitor descends by five or six steps; it has a slender, thin, well-proportioned minareh: its equal is not to be seen elsewhere. The mosque of Chaplakáneh is faced with bricks. At the west end of the town is the mosque of Júregí; outside of the castle is the mosque of Khalíl Efendí, just finished, faced with brick; also outside of the castle is the mosque of the Muftí. The houses of the town, in the valley, and on the hill, ascending one above the other, are two thousand seven hundred in number, faced either with earth or bricks. There are three baths, viz., that of the Muftí in the castle, that of Chaplakháneh outside of the castle, and that of the Infidels, also outside of the castle, besides forty-five private baths in the palaces.

The Hot-spring of Nigíssár.

It is a small hot-bath outside of the town to the south; the women and boys of the town wash their clothes here; it is a well-flavoured water, has no sulphurous smell, and is useful as a remedy in leprous and arthritic diseases. It is visited every year, in the month of July, by a great number of people, who amuse themselves for a month, and then return to their homes. There is a college, and house for reading of the Korán and tradition, but no kitchen for the poor; there are seventy schools for boys. The inhabitants are an honest set of people, with some beautiful women amongst them. There are seven convents, the first of which is the great convent of Chevregí; that of Elias-dedeh is not less famous. There are a great number of springs and fountains, which move as many corn and fulling mills, also five hundred elegant shops, but no Bezestán. The narrow street, which leads down from the castle, is lined on both sides with shoemakers’ shops; the principal streets are paved with large slabs. The inhabitants are fresh-coloured lively looking Turks, who pay great attention to strangers. Among the eatables, pomegranates are much famed; they each weigh an occa, and some even as much as five hundred dirhems, and are of the size of a man’s head. The cheese, Kufte and Passdagh of this place are famous; the environs are laid out in rice plantations (Cheltuk). The Black Sea is two journies distance from this place.

Pilgrimages of Nígíssár.

The conqueror of Nígíssár, Melek Ghází, of the Dánishmend family, is buried near the castle gate. God’s mercy be upon him! Chevregí-boyúk Sultán lies near the great mosque, beneath a cupola. We left this town and advanced towards the east, through mountains and forests. After six hours march we reached Kariebásh Chiftlik, the frontier of Sivás, here bordering the governorships of Erzerúm, with two hundred Armenian houses, and a ziamet. The next day, as soon as we trod the ground of Erzerúm, we offered up a sacrifice of two hundred and seven camels, and the inhabitants of Erzerúm, with the Kiaya of the Chaúshes, the Defter-Emíní, the Chaúshlar-Emíní, the Timár Defterdárí, and other gentlemen of the Diván at their head, came to meet us with presents.

The Governorship of Erzerúm or Erzenrúm.

It is situated in Azerbeíján and Armenia, and, according to some, erected by Núrshiván; but the truth is that it was by Erzenbaí Ben Softár Ben Kúndúz, of the dynasty of the White Sheep, whose ancestors had come from Mahán, and built the castle of Akhlát, on the borders of the lake Wán; they are all buried at Akhlát, and the ancestors of the Ottomans, Ertoghrúl and Súleimán, derive their lineage from them. Uzún Hassan, having become master of Azerbeiján, built the castle called Hassan, after his name, at Erzerúm. Envious of the conquest of Constantinople by Mohammed II., he began to trespass on the frontiers, and to violate the peace. Mohammed II., in defiance of him, conquered Trebisonde, and defeated him with twenty thousand men in the field of Terjeán. With great difficulty we traversed the rude pass of Iskefser, and in three hours we reached Shákhna, an Armenian village of two hundred houses, where the Armenian girls are wonderfully pretty. From Constantinople to this place we had constantly ascended towards the east, and all the rivers were flowing from that direction towards us; this will show on what high ground Erzerúm is situated. From Shákhna we crossed the Governorship of Erzerúm, which was our allotted province, in different directions to the south, north, east, and west, and shall now describe the stations of these our excursions.

Tekine is a village in the jurisdiction of Iskefser, with one hundred houses, a ziámet. Five hours further on is the village of Chádár, of one hundred houses, in the jurisdiction of Koilí. The castle of Koilí was built by Usún Hassan, from fear of Mohammed II.; it belongs to the sanjak Shuban Kara Hissár, in the province of Erzerúm; it is situated on a high rock, and is one thousand three hundred paces in circumference. Inside are one hundred houses and magazines, an iron gate opens to the west; it has a commander and seventy men; the suburb outside consists of one hundred houses, a mosque and some shops. The castle saluted us with seventeen guns, and the inhabitants met us with presents; they slaughtered ten sheep as a sacrifice, for which they received ten ducats. Two stations north of this village, on the shore of the Black Sea, is Baihssa-bazárí, which a man on foot may reach in one day. In the reign of Ahmed I. the Cossacks of Oczakov pillaged this place: the environs being gardens and flowery meadows are extremely favourable to bees, and the honey of Koilí-hissár, scented with musk and ambergris, is famous; the inhabitants are a turbulent set of people. We descended a deep precipice, and after seven hours reached the village of Doirán. The river here issues from the mountains of Kerkúk, is joined by several streams from the mountains of Koilí-hissár, and below Chehárshenbe by the river of that name, which passes Amasia. The Kerkúk is an excellent freshwater river. The village of Doirán, situated on its banks, in the valley of Akshár, consists of one hundred houses. We now went towards the east four hours, to Anderes on the frontier of Shuban Kara-hissár, in the valley of Akshár, a village of one hundred houses. Having marched two hours towards the east, we reached the Chiftlik of Tabán Ahmed Agha, where the Páshá was presented with an Arabian horse, and with twenty horses for his suite, three thousand sheep, seven strings of camels, seven of mules, and ten purses; it was a great festival, worthy of the Ottoman court itself. In recompense for this great festival, the giver of it, Ahmed Agha, was imprisoned in the Kiaya’s room, and bought his life by the payment of forty purses and seventy camels, by which opportunity I also got a horse. Two hours further on lies the village of Ezbeder, in the territory of Shuban Kara-hissár, an Armenian village surrounded with gardens. Four hours further we reached the valley of Tilismát Za’aba; the torrent of Tilismát Za’aba issues from the neighbouring mountains, and falls into the river Akhlát; there are one hundred houses here built upon rocky ground; the subjects here are all Armenians. A cave is still shown in which there was formerly a treasure, guarded by two swords, which were continually moving up and down, a mast has many times been put beneath them and instantly cut through; a magician has since got possession of the treasure, but the cave still remains to be seen. There is, besides, another talisman somewhere hereabout, but I have not seen it. Five hours from hence is the village Yakúb, on the frontier of Shuban Kara; three hours further on, that of Korkún Kiassí, and in one hour more, the village of Barú; after which we came through the pass of Tekmán, which is closed by the winter for seven or eight months. After having got through it with much difficulty, we reached Kázíoghlíkoí, an Armenian village. Four hours further is the castle of Shírán, on the frontier of Shuban Kara; in four hours the village of Kara Jalar; in five hours the village of Sáríchalar, inhabited by Moslíms and Armenians; in eight hours the village of Sálút, the pass of which we traversed with considerable trouble, and for the space of five hours were crossing the great plain of Kerkúk. At the end of this plain is the village of Genj Mohammed Agha, with two hundred houses and a mosque, on the frontier of the district of Shuban Kara-hissár; five hours to the east is the village of Keremlí, inhabited by Moslíms and Armenians; opposite to it, on a hill, lies the Castle of Dermerí, built in the reign of Sultán Ahmed from fear of the rebels; it is a small castle with a gate to the north, without commander and garrison. Here the Páshá made an excursion (Ilghár), with three hundred horsemen, and we arrived, at the end of twelve hours, at Chághir Kánlí Sultán, who was a great Sheikh in the time of Sultán Mohammed II. His tomb is adorned with several lamps (chirághdán), candelabras (shemidán), censers (búkhúrdán), and vases for sprinkling rose-water (gulábdán). It is a reverential place, where prayers are put up to Heaven. I visited it, and read the Súra Yass there; through the sanctity of this saint the country abounds with cattle. Two Chiftliks are exempted by Imperial diploma from all taxes; the village consists of three hundred houses, with a mosque and a convent, the dervishes of which go bareheaded and barefooted, and wear their hair long. The people carry wooden clubs in their hands, some of them crooked sticks (litúi). They all came to wait on the Páshá, and to exhibit the grants of their foundation. The Páshá asked from whence they dated their immunity, and they invited him to visit their place of devotion (Sema’ákháneh). We followed them to a large place where a great fire was lighted of more than forty waggon-loads of wood, and forty victims sacrificed. They assigned a place for the Páshá at a distance from the fire, and began to dance round it, playing their drums and flutes, and crying “Hú!” and “Allah!” This circular motion being continued for an hour, about an hundred of these dervishes naked, took their children by the hand, and entered the fire, the flames of which towered like the pile of Nimrod, crying “O all constant! O all vivifying!” At the end of half an hour, they came out of the fire, without the least hurt except the singeing of their hair and beards, some of them retiring to their cells, instead of coming before the Páshá, who remained much astonished. They then gave a feast to the Páshá, which was even greater than Ahmed Tabán’s feast. It was surprising that they were enabled to prepare such a feast in so short a time, as the Páshá had arrived suddenly, and by a by-road. The Páshá confirmed their immunities, and gave them a present of one hundred ducats. In sixteen hours more we came to the plain of Terján. The mosque of Sultán Hassan is a praiseworthy monument of Uzún Hassan, but ít stands alone here. Uzún Hassan, who liked the situation, intended to build a town here bearing his name, but Sultán Mohammed II. destroyed all his projects by the famous battle, which was fought on this plain; it was a scene of great slaughter, even now the peasants find bones and hidden treasures when ploughing the field. We crossed this plain hastily, and in eight hours reached the village, where the Kiaya of the Chaúshes had provided a great feast for the Páshá, and presented him with five horses, five purses, and three Georgian slaves. At the end of five hours we reached the village of Púlúr, and in four hours that of Terjánlí Alí Agha, an Armenian village of three hundred houses, a mosque and a bath. Alí Agha gave a grand repast here, accompanied with a present of ten horses, ten purses, ten strings of camels, and five of mules. We went from hence nine hours further, to the village of Mama Khatún, in the district of Erzerúm, consisting of one hundred Mussulman houses; it is a free ziámet.

Pilgrimage of Mama Khatún.

This lady is buried beneath a cupola, at the foot of a rock; she was the daughter of one of the Princes of the Aúk Koyúnlí, and lies buried here with all her children, but without any keeper attached to her mausoleum, she is buried in a marble coffin; near it is a mosque and a bath. Six hours further is the village of Habs, at the western end of the plain of Erzerúm; it consists of one hundred and fifty Armenian houses. All the principal men of Erzerúm came to this place with presents to meet the Páshá’s Diván. We proceeded with a large retinue for the space of five hours, to the hot-bath, which is also situated at the western end of the plain of Erzerúm, and where every year some person or other is drowned. It is a very useful bath, but too warm to be used without a mixture of cold water. Some of the former princes have built a dressing-room here (jámeghán), and a basin (havúz): the climate is pleasant. The Motesellem Mustafa Agha, here presented the Páshá with an Arabian racehorse, caparisoned with jewels, a sable pelisse, a quiver, and a sword set with jewels, a dagger and a girdle, and ten racehorses, mounted by ten Georgian boys, all armed. His three hundred and seventy slaves were clad in showy dresses, like so many waiting youths in Paradise. He gave also to me, poor Evliyá, a sable fur, some cloth, and one hundred piastres, because I had been master to his son for some time. Our arrival at this hot-bath was exactly the seventieth journey we had made since we left Constantinople, and an entrance in grand procession was organized, which outrivalled in brilliancy those of the greatest Vezírs. Indeed, the Páshá was a Commander-in-Chief (Serdár), who by Imperial rescript (Khattí Sheríf) was allowed even to use the Túghra, or cypher of the Sultán. The troops of Erzerúm paraded on both sides of the way from this hot bath, which is six hours distance from Erzerúm, up to the gates of the town; with cuirasses and casques, bearing long lances, their horses being adorned with knots of sea-horses’ bristles, and various other trappings. The Páshá was surrounded by eight body-guards (Shátir), who wore golden caps on their heads, carried battle-axes in their hands, had golden girdles, and splendid caftáns, walking like the peacocks of Paradise. On the right and left of the Páshá walked the Matarají-bashí (keeper of the leaden bottle, which contains the water for purification), and the Tufenkjí-bashí, or head of the fuzileers, bearing a water-bottle set with jewels, and muskets of costly workmanship. The Páshá passed between two lines, greeting both sides, and the people returned his salute. Four hundred Ulemás all clad in armour were headed by the Imám, and I, poor Evliya, as Múëzzin. Behind us followed the treasurer and the standard-bearer, with the eightfold Turkish music. The Tátár troops, the Muteferrika, the chamberlains, passed, all clad in armour. As soon as the procession drew near Erzerúm, the fortress began to salute by firing the great guns from the highest tower, called Kessik Kala’á, as a selám aleikum, after which the Janissaries fired the guns of the inner castle, and so continued during the procession. But when the Páshá himself entered the gate of Erzenján, the six hundred and seventy guns, which compose the artillery of the fortress, were all discharged at once, and the skies were rent and the earth trembled. Seven regiments of Janissaries lined the way from the gates of the town to the gates of the palace, ready to salute the Páshá, who, as soon as he had entered the palace, was saluted once more by a general discharge of the artillery on the walls. Many hundred victims were sacrificed, and a splendid repast equal to that of Mádí Kerb followed. After dinner the music played, and a diván was held, wherein, after the decision of many lawsuits, the twenty-seven Aghas of the castle, those of the Janissaries, artillerymen, armourers, &c., were invested with seventy brilliant robes of honour, and Molla Chelebí Efendí, the relation of Emír Bokhara, with a green sable pelisse. I received a caftán in my degree of clerk of the custom-house. The governor then most graciously assigned me a lodging in the palace built by Tekelí Mustafa Páshá, where I lived quietly, sometimes keeping company with the Governor, and at others discharging the functions of clerk of the custom-house. I had full opportunity of acquiring the most perfect knowledge of the state of Erzerúm, as I was allowed to see all the kanúns, registers, and protocols.

Description of the Fortress of Erzerúm.

It was wrested out of the hands of Kara Yússúf, the son of Uzún Hassan, by Sultán Mohammed II. The khass of the Vezír is fixed at one million, two hundred and fourteen thousand six hundred aspers; the whole province is divided into twelve sanjaks. The officers are a Defterdár of the treasury, a Kiaya of the Defterdár of the Timárs, a Kiaya and Inspector of the Chaúshes, an Alaï-Beg, and a Cherí-bashí. The sanjaks are as follows:—Kara-hissár, Akií, Pássin, Siper, Hassan, Melázgerd, Tekmán, Kúrúján, Túrtúm, Mujtekerd, Mámreván, and Erzerúm. The khass of the Defterdár of the treasury amounts to one million and fifty-two thousand nine hundred aspers; that of the kiaya of the fiefs to fifty thousand, and that of the Defterdár of the fiefs to twenty thousand two hundred. There are fifty-six ziamets, and two thousand two hundred and nineteen timárs; the feudal militia number five thousand two hundred and seventy-nine swords, and the Jebellís, in time of war, twelve thousand men, besides two thousand men who are furnished by the khass of the Páshá. The soldiers of Erzerúm are stout, brave fellows. The judge is a Molla, with a revenue of five hundred aspers, with three subordinate Naíbs or Vicars. An Agha of the Janissaries, an Agha of the artillerymen, and one of the armourers, who are all in the interior fortress. Abasa Páshá, the famous rebel, one night surprised this fortress, and put the whole garrison of Janissaries to the sword, except the Agha, who was absent that night by accident, and consequently escaped. Abaza remained in rebellious possession of it for ten years, in defiance of seven Vezírs, who marched against him with the power of absolute command, such as Cherkess Mohammed Dishlín Hossein Páshá, Timúr Kázík Khalíl Páshá, &c. but owing to the strength of the fortress, they were unable to reduce the rebel, until Khosrew Páshá assumed the command; he took Abaza prisoner, and carried him with him into the presence of Sultán Murád IV. He obtained a general pardon, and was first made Governor of Bosnia, afterwards of Bude, and finally of Ozakov, which he retained up to the time of the expedition against Eriván. The troops rebelling at that moment, called loudly for Abaza Páshá, which, coming to the ears of the Sultán, he ordered him to be killed, and buried in the tomb of Murád Páshá, near the market of the ink-makers. He escaped, however, and wandered for some time in Arabia and Persia, re-appearing at Erzerúm the same year that we came there. I saw his blood even before my own door, because Silihdár Súleimán Páshá cut his head off on the arrival of our Motessellím, or Páshá’s substitute. Since the rebellion of Abaza, the greatest attention has been paid to this important post by the government; it has been strengthened by an immense artillery, and six companies, so that the whole garrison amounts to two thousand five hundred men, a commander of the castle, Dizdár, and twelve Aghas. In the inner castle are one hundred and eighty cannons, and at the gate of Tabríz, in the centre of the two fortresses, are twelve large cannons, placed there by Murád IV. The fortress is situated at a gun’s shot from Mount Egerlí; on the north and north-west extends the plain of Erzerúm, two miles square, a fertile flowery field, covered with villages.

Description of the great river Euphrates.

The great river Euphrates flows through the middle of the plain of Erzerúm. Its source is at the bottom of the pilgrimage of Dúmlibaba, on the east side of Georgia; it flows towards the west, causing in its way many marshes and canals, passes before the village of Kián, the castle of Kemáni, through the Yaila of a thousand lakes, inhabited by the Curds Izúlí, joins the Murád (the name of which it assumes), and passes like a sea in the neighbourhood of Malatia to Samosat, Kala’aí Rúm, Birejík, the bridge Búmbúja, Bálissa, Ja’aber, Rakie, Rahbie, Karkessia, Ania, Hita, Ebyár, Takúk, Helle, and Kúfa; it is joined at Kaverna by the Shatt-ul-arab (Tigris), and thus becomes an immensely large river, which is ascended by Indian ships from Bassra; the whole extent, with all its windings, is four hundred farsangs; it passes four hundred towns and villages. In the plain of Erzerúm its water is very sweet and palatable, well worth being recorded in the Korán by the verse:—“And we gave you to drink of the water of the Euphrates.” Besides the Euphrates no less than seventy-two rivers descend from the mountains of Erzerúm and Diárbekr. Makrisí says, that the Tigris and Euphrates were dug out by Daniel with the assistance of Angels. The Tigris is the Shatt, which rises east of Diárbekr, between Torjíl and Miafarekein, receives an infinite number of springs, and goes to Hossní Kaifa and Mossul. This river unites the upper and lower Zarb, and becomes a tremendous and roaring stream which is called the mad Zarb. It was of the river Euphrates that the prophet is reported to have said:—“O inhabitants of Cufa, your river Euphrates takes up two channels of Paradise.” Imám Ja’afer is reported to have said in praise of this river:—“If the inhabitants of Irák and Rúm were acquainted with all the excellent qualities of the Euphrates, they would build a wall on each side of it. Whoever bathes therein three times, may be certain of being cured of many diseases.” Another tradition on the Euphrates is reported by Abúhoreirí, as follows:—“The last day shall not arrive till the Euphrates flows not from a mountain of gold, on which men are killing each other; ninety-nine shall be killed out of each hundred, and yet every one shall say, ‘perhaps it is I who may be saved.’” The Euphrates and Orontis (A’assí), are the only two rivers which touch the frontier of the Holy Land. The Euphrates freezes in the winter so that during two months many caravans cross it, but it never freezes south of Erzerúm; it is a sweet clear water, and a great comfort to the inhabitants of Erzerúm, though they have the spring, called the Source of Paradise, within their walls.

Of the Form and Size of the Fortress of Erzerúm.

It consists of two castles of a square form, the distance between the two walls is seventy paces; the ditch is eighty paces broad, and twenty deep, but, on the side of the Gurjí and Erzenján gates, the ditch is not so deep: the whole circumference is eighty thousand paces, and it has three gates, that to the west is the gate of Erzenján, where the ditch is crossed by a bridge; the second to the east, and the third to the north, are likewise entered by crossing bridges. The first, which is the Georgian gate (Gúrji), is double, like that of Erzenján; but that of Tabríz, as it is close to the walls of the inner castle, is only a single one. The guns are all pointed towards the quarters of the town Dáragháj and Gumishlí Kunbed. Within the outer castle is an immense tower reaching to the skies, known by the name of Kessik Kulle, on the top of which is a high wooden Koshk; as it is one hundred cubits high, ten guns pointed from thence in all directions, intercept even the flight of birds. The height of the wall of the inner castle is seventy cubits; the other walls are but from forty to fifty cubits high; there are two hundred and ten strong towers, and two thousand and eighty battlements round the castle, and seventeen hundred houses, all covered with earth (terrasses) in the ancient style, so also are all the villages which I saw in the whole government of Erzerúm.

Praise of the Palaces of Erzerúm.

The palace of the Páshá has no less than one hundred and ten rooms of various sizes, for the Diván and Koshks; of the last, the two finest are those of Tayár Páshá, and of Benlí Páshá, with a bath and a fine fountain. On the outside, above the stables, are the rooms for the watchmen; the court-yard is a spacious place where they play the jeríd. It has two gates, one is that of the Diván, opening on the great road, the other is a secret gate, always kept shut. Erzerúm contains seventy quarters of Moslíms, and seven of Infidels. There are no Armenians, Copts, or Jews; if any make their appearance they run the risk of being killed. In the quarter called the Source of Paradise the houses are built of stone; most of them are only one story high, because the air is sharp and the winter severe. It has been known to snow here for ten or eleven months in the year, which is the reason that the greatest part of the houses are built of one story, like a bath, with windows, and a felt door on the top.

Of the Mosques.

There are seventy-seven mihrábs; the oldest is the great mosque inside the gate of Tabríz, with a minareh in the ancient style, built by the Princes of the Akche Koyúnlí, two hundred feet square. The mimber and mihráb are also in the ancient style; it is supported by two hundred columns of fir-tree, and the cupola is also of wood; on one side of the mosque the biscuit for the garrison of Eriván is kept. On the east side of this mosque, close to the wall, is an old college with two minarehs; some say that they were built by the Princes of the Akche Koyúnlí, while others ascribe them to Uzún Hassán; in short, it is an old prayer-place, which has been cruelly damaged in the different sieges of Erzerúm, and never been repaired because it was never endowed. Within the gates of Tabríz are two tall minarehs, the shining porcelain of which dazzles the eyes of beholders; tumblers exhibit their skill on ropes extended between these two high minarehs. Sultán Murad IV. converted the ruined mosque into a cannon foundry. God grant it may be repaired! The mosque of Lále Mustafa Páshá, before the gate of the Seraï on the great road, built by the grand Vezír of Sultán Súleimán. Its cupola is built in the style of those of Constantinople, eighty feet square, and covered with lead. Its mihráb, mimber, and mahfíl are very simple. Outside is a stone bench, but the courtyard is narrow. It is the work of the great architect Sinán. Its sheikh is Wání Efendí, one of the most learned divines, and famed commentators, a second Na’amán, an eloquent man, whose renown is spread all over the empire; its Imám is a high-minded priest, who knows the whole Korán by heart, whose reading plunges those who listen into the depths of meditation. He is a most perfect musician, and is called the Imám of the Janissaries; and if the Muëzzin, a second Belál (the Prophet’s Muëzzin) ascends the minareh, and proclaims with David’s voice Mahommed’s shout, “God is great, God is great,” all hearers begin to tremble, every person leaves his business or repast, and hastens to the mosque. All the inhabitants of Erzerúm are devout, pious men. Ja’afer Efendi’s mosque is a pleasing new built mosque, with a high cupola and gate, a courtyard and a spouting fountain; the windows are guarded with iron gratings. In the inner castle is an old mosque much frequented. Outside of the gate of Erzenján is the Páshá’s mosque, covered with lead, and outside of the gate of Tabríz, on the edge of the ditch, is the mosque of Mohammed Páshá, with one minareh, and with a terrace. Besides these great mosques (Jami’í), there are also seventy-seven mesjíds, one hundred and ten schools for boys, convents, and houses for reading the Korán.

Fountains.

On the market-place, is the Source of Paradise, Jennet-bunár; and outside of the gate of Erzenján is the Camel fountain; on the fountain of Mustafa Páshá on the edge of the ditch, outside the gate of Tabríz is this inscription from the Korán saying:—“there are flowing fountains in it (Paradise).” There are seventy Se-bílkháneh, or places where water is distributed.

Of the Baths, Kháns, Market-places and Markets.

The most elegant bath is that of Ja’afer Efendí, there are seventy kháns, some of them for Caravans (Caravanseraï); some for merchants (Kháns, par excellence); some for unmarried workmen (barracks); of the latter there are ten, where foreign workmen find accommodation. The Bezestán has eight hundred shops, four gates and a stone cupola. The markets of the saddlers, goldsmiths, button-makers and tailors are very elegant. The mint is near the gate of Erzenján.

Of the Inhabitants, Climate, Products, &c.

The inhabitants are all Turkomans and Armenian kurds, of lively complexion, middle size, stout, strong in youth, and vigorous in old age. From ten to twenty-five years of age they are extremely fine, but after that they quickly become hairy men, good natured and brave. The principal men dress in sable furs, the Ulemás in ferrájís of cloth and caftáns of Bogassin; the workmen wear abbas, and sometimes a caftán of Bogassin. During three months the air is mild and pleasant; the water is sweet and extremely wholesome for the women; whoever drinks of the spring called the Source of Paradise in the summer, understands in its full sense, the verse of the Korán, “Water vivifies all things.” Seeds ripen here in sixty days, and bring forth fruit from eighty to one hundred fold; there are seven sorts of corn, one of which is as white as camel’s teeth. The workmanship of the tailors and goldsmiths is very skilful. They make two kinds of pies here, one of chicken and the other of a sort of vegetable called Cheresh; white and excellent pastry (Chorek), white bread called Koláj, and meat roasted on stoves, &c. Their beverages are Sherbet of Ribbes, and excellent Búza.

The walks are the place of the Jeríd; at the mills in the meadow; the place of Gumishlí Kunbed (the silver vault), and the Convent of Abd-ur-rahman Ghází.

Genealogies of Erzerúm.

Outside of the gates of the fortress on the east, west and north sides, is the suburb, inhabited by more than thirty thousand Rayas; on the south side, from the gate of Tabríz to that of Erzenján a wall has been begun, had it been finished, it would have made Erzerúm an amazingly strong fortress. Between this wall and the castle is the suburb divided into seven quarters. The suburb of the Tabríz gate extends from the quarters of Dáragách, and that of Dúlúkler to Gumishlí Kunbed. The suburb of the Georgians on the north side, is the quarter of the rich merchants; here is the custom-house where I was employed as clerk: round it are the houses of Persian, Indian, and Chinese merchants, next to the custom-houses of Constantinople and Smyrna, that of Erzerúm is the most busy. The suburb of Erzenján extends, on the eastern side of the castle-gate, from the Camel fountain to the mill of Alí. This suburb being mostly inhabited by Armenians, there are thirteen churches here. The Infidels wear variegated turbans, and blue coats, and the lower classes wear felt, with coarse shoes called Chárk; their women wrap white sheets round their heads, and the Musselmán women wear pointed caps of gold and silver stuff, velvet trowsers and yellow boots: they are extremely pretty, their teeth as well arranged as their words; with their beautiful hair, dragging a thousand lovers after them as slaves. The men are long-lived, in society may be found many men past seventy years of age, with full use of all their faculties. They generally speak a peculiar dialect, but their divines and poets speak with great eloquence, and their story-tellers delight intelligent people by their tales of Hamza, and by Chinese shades. There are also many Santons and holy men, of whom Allahán-dede was famous for his uxoriousness. Though the air of Erzerúm is cold, yet its vegetables are abundant, its soil being extremely fertile, and blessed with productions of all kind, which makes Erzerúm one of the cheapest places in the world. Though Erzerúm has neither gardens nor vineyards, yet it is famed for roses; some winter apples and pears are the only fruits which are found here. Plane-trees and willows are in abundance in all the walks and in the rose-gardens; on account of their long winter and short summer, the sowing and harvest is over in two months. At the time I was at Erzerúm there happened, in the month of July, when the horses were out at grass, such a storm of lightning, thunder, hail and snow, that all the horses broke away and ran half mad to the neighbouring villages. The length and severity of the winter here is explained by the following tale. They asked a Dervish “from whence he came?” he said, “from the snow of Divine Mercy;” they asked, “what was the name of the place;” “Erzerúm,” said the Dervish, which may be spelled Erezolúm (cruel to man); they continued to ask “whether he had seen any summer there.” The Dervish said, “By God, I remained there eleven months and nine and twenty days, the people said that summer was coming, but I did not see it. It happened, however, that a cat, which ran over the roofs of the houses, became froze there while in the act of running, and remained so for the space of nine months, when the spring arriving, the cat began to thaw, cried ‘Miaú!’ and fell down.” This tale has become a common proverb. It is really a fact, that if a man touches a piece of iron with his wet hand during winter, they freeze together, and cannot be separated without tearing off the skin. I have passed forty days in the coldest weather at Assov, and in the desert of Kipchák, but I never felt cold like this; the people are, however, very healthy. The fruits come from Isper, Tortúm, and Erzenján; peaches, apricots, and grapes are sold at the weight of an occa for a para; a waggon-load of melons or water-melons may be had for ten paras. Eatables are found here in great perfection, but there is no wood, the mountains being naked; wood is nevertheless very cheap, as it is brought from mountains at two journey’s distance; a mast of from thirty to forty cubits length is sold for forty aspers. The Páshá’s wood is brought to the town by the camels of the caravans, which arrive at the custom-house. An agha has the inspection of the wood; the poor people burn cow-dung. The Rayas place the stove in the middle of the house, on the sides of which the cattle stand; the house is as warm as a bath, and they cook their bones and offal on the fire.

Description of Mount Egerlí.

This is a high mountain, at half an hour’s distance on the south side of Erzerúm, its name is derived from its form, which is like a saddle (Eger); its top is bifurcated, it abounds in medical herbs, particularly in the Tútia flower, the scent of which perfumes the air. Oculists come here to collect the plant Tútia, and with it cure people who have been diseased for forty years. The odour of aromatic plants and scented flowers fills the atmosphere.

Praise of Balaam, the son of Baúr.

I once played Jeríd at the foot of this mountain, when I fell from the horse, and in falling said to myself, “Where art thou now, saddle-mountain (Egerlítág)?” Having recovered my senses I mounted another horse, and galloping full speed towards the mountain, I ascended it. I saw on the top a large tomb, on which I first said a fátihah, and having measured it by my steps, I found it eighty paces in length, with two columns, which marked the situation of the head and the feet. I was looking on the tomb, when a bad smell arose, very disagreeable both to me and my servants, who held the horses; I looked on the grave, and saw that the earth within it, being black and greasy, was boiling like gruel in a pan. I then returned, and having related my adventure in the Páshá’s company in the evening, Ja’afer Efendi of Erzerúm, a learned and elegant writer, warned me not to visit this place any more, because it was the grave of Balaam, the son of Baúr, who had died an Infidel by the curse of Moses, and whose grave was now boiling, both in winter and summer, by subterraneous fire. At the foot of the same mountain, Abd-ur-rahman Ghází, the standard-bearer of the prophet, lies buried. One day I ascended from the south side of the convent about two thousand paces, when I saw on the second top of this bifurcate mountain a tremendous dragon turned into black stone. It measured seven hundred and seventy paces from the head to the tail, the head looks to the field of Erzerúm, the tail to the castle of Meláz Kerd. If snow falls on the mountains, the figure of this black dragon is easily distinguished from the windows of the Páshá’s palace; the circumference of its body is two hundred paces, each of its four feet is as large as ten men put together, and its tail is raised like a minareh. It remained whole until the reign of Selím I. when it was broken by an earthquake, so that its fragments now lay scattered about. The head was then split asunder, and one of the eye-balls rolled down on the south side towards Melázguerd, where it lies on the plain like a cupola; the left eye-ball of the same size, yet remains in the petrified head, and is seen very distinctly with its ears, tongue, nose, and mouth every time it snows, because no snow will remain on this black stone, but melts away, and renders more prominent the black colour of it. In winter the stone becomes hot, and emits vapour; in summer it is cold, and exhales a pleasant odour. The legend reports that this most tremendous dragon was changed into stone by the Prophet’s standard-bearer, when it came to swallow up the inhabitants of Erzerúm as food for its young, who were shut up in a cave of Mount Siján, on the borders of the lake Ván.

Pilgrimages; Tomb of Sheikh Kárzúní.

His name is Ibrahím, his surname Abú Ishak, a native of the town Kárzún, where he was born in the year 352 of the Hejira. In his travels he visited Brússa and Adrianople and returned to Erzerúm, where he settled in a great tower within the gate of Tabríz; his tomb-keeper is a white-bearded woman, whom I saw when I visited the tomb. Shehíd Murteza Páshá, who was shut up seven months in Eriván, is buried at the foot of Abú Ishak Kárzúní, with Abaza Páshá, who was killed by Dishlín Hossein Páshá. Opposite to the Páshá’s palace, in a pointed vault, lies Sultán Kássim, the son of Mahmúd Gazneví, and near him his sister Fírúzeh Khánum. Outside of the gate of Erzenján, above the camel’s fountain, Jánpúland-zadeh, lies Mustafa Páshá, who after the conquest of Eriván was killed by the grand Vezír Mohammed Pásha. He was a protector of my father and myself. Abd-ur-rahman, the standard-bearer of the Prophet, is buried at the foot of Egerlítágh, in a fine convent. Outside of the gate of Tabríz, at the place called Gumishlí Kunbed (the silver vault), because it was once faced with silver, reposes Sultán Mahmúd, the Gasnevide, on whose marble coffin is written only the word Mahmúd. There are besides many other pilgrimages, which I had no opportunity of visiting.

Stations of our military expedition to the Castle of Shúshík.

Letters of complaint arrived from Genj Alí Khán, the Khán of Eriván, stating that the rebellious Beg of the Castle of Shúshík had broken the peace by inroads into the Persian districts of Eriván. The sanjak Begs, Timariots and Zaims were summoned to take the field with half of their contingents, and to assemble at the Silver vault. The Páshá himself fixed his tent there, with seventy banners of Segbán or Seimen and Sárija (irregular troops), and four thousand regulars. The Beglerbegs assembled around him, pitching their tents according to the orders issued. It was an army of seventy-six thousand men. When the Persian Envoy saw this immense army collected, he repented of his complaint against the Beg of Shúshík, because he was afraid that this army might receive orders to lay siege to Eriván. Alaja Atlí Hassan Agha, with a thousand horse, was named Quarter-master (Konákjí-bashí); he took the van with the tails and tens. Sídí Ahmed Páshá was named Chárkají, or leader of the vanguard, and Bákí Páshá, Dúmdár, or leader of the rearguard. The army set out from the Silver vault in such order that the Persian Envoys and Khans remained quite perplexed. After four hours march it reached the place called the Camel’s Neck (Deve-boiní), where the Páshá, commander-in-chief, gave an entertainment to all the Begs and Beglerbegs, after which every one retired to his tent; this is a pleasant meadow, where our horses were refreshed with excellent trefoil, it is also the commencement of the field of Pássin. In winter time snow lies here to the height of a minareh, and many caravans have been lost in it. It was the snow that prevented Tabáni Yassí Mohammed Páshá from passing the Deve-boiní, and as he did not arrive before Eriván soon enough, that fortress was taken from the Osmanlís after seven months siege by the Persians. Three hours further towards the east, we arrived at the village Ja’afer Efendí, where Ja’afer Efendí, its owner, gave a splendid entertainment to the Páshá, with a present of three horses, and three boys. It is a well cultivated Armenian village of three hundred houses. We marched five hours across the plain of Pássin to the strong fortress of Rúm Hassan, renovated by Uzún Hassan, the Sultán of Azerbeiján; it is a lofty castle which was taken by Sultán Súleimán out of the hands of the children of Kara Yússúf, and is now the seat of the sanjak Beg of Pássin, in the province of Erzerúm. The khass amounts, according to the canon of Sultán Súleimán, to twelve thousand four hundred aspers; there are six Zaims, and three hundred and twenty-five Timariots. An Alaï Beg, Cherí-bashí, and Yuz-bashí (Colonel, Captain, and Lieutenant), are the officers of the feudal militia. In the time of war, the number of the troops amounts to fifteen hundred, the half of which now joined the Páshá’s army. The castle saluted the Páshá, as soon as his tent was fixed, with a great noise of guns and muskets. The Páshá sent an order to the commander to place the whole garrison under arms on the walls, as he wished to enter in state. When we entered it shouts of Allah rent the skies, and the reports of the guns shook them, so that the Persian Envoy was quite perplexed, putting the finger of astonishment to his lips. In the inside of the castle, the space between the outer and inner gate was set round with armour and different kinds of weapons, and beginning from the hot-bath gate, both sides of the road were lined, two deep, by armed men, who gave the salute. The prayer of Friday was performed in the mosque, and when we left it all the walls were covered with flags and banners of different colours. The Páshá entered the inner castle, where the guns of Sultán Súleimán, of forty four spans length, were fired, and the balls were thrown as far as the Bridge of the Shepherds, Shobán Jissrí. Here the company sat down to a splendid dinner, after which the Beg and Dizdár were invested with robes of honour. The Páshá returned to his tent, where he received the visit of the judge (appointed with one hundred and fifty aspers), the Serdár of the Janissaries, the Kiaya-yerí of the Sipáhís, of the Muftí, the Nakib-ul-ishráf, and other principal men (Ayán.)

Size and Form of the Fortress Hassan.

It is situated on the northern side of the field of Pássin, on an isolated high cliff, so high, that to look down from the side of the hot-bath makes the head giddy. Inside there is nobody but the Imám, the Múezzin, and the Dizdár, or commander. Horses and asses cannot get up to this place. There is a small Koshk built for Murad IV. by our protector Melek Ahmed Páshá, who, at the time of the expedition to Eriván, was the imperial sword-bearer, having succeeded the former sword-bearer, who was removed from his office because the coverlet of the Sultán’s bed was set fire to by a spark one night. The circumference of the castle is one thousand paces, without a ditch; an iron gate opens to the west. On the north side, below the upper or innermost castle, is another castle with two walls, whose circumference is six thousand paces. It is an oblong square, of a shining whiteness. The walls are but eighteen yards high, but they are double, and on three sides the ditch is very deep, so that there is no fear of an enemy; the ground being marshy, no trenches can be opened. Its three gates are: on the west side, the gate of Erzerúm, a great gate with iron wings; the gate of the hot-bath, and a secret gate, shut to the east side; there is a garrison of seven hundred men, with a well-filled arsenal, and sixty large and small guns. Towards the south opens the plain of Pássin, which is seven journies long. The houses, five hundred and ninety in number, are all stone-built winter houses: the town consists of nine quarters, with as many mosques. The mosque of Súleimán is a low terraced mosque, with one minareh in the ancient style; there is no Bezestán or Medresse, but six schools for boys, a khán, and a bath. The inhabitants are a brave set of people, kind to foreigners. There are some men of wit and learning. The great poet Nefií Efendí was born here; no gardens exist round the castle, because it is too cold, nevertheless, vegetables are found here in abundance. Bread and honey are rather to be suspected, for I, myself, poor Evliyá, having eaten some honey in the commander’s house, became in half an hour so giddy that I thought of throwing myself down from the castle.

Description of the Hot-baths.

On the south side of the lower town (Robáth), on the Kiblah side, are several hot-baths; seven of them are covered with small cupolas, and in eight other places the water is boiling in the open air, each place being used for different animals, such as horses, mules, camels, sheep, and others. The water of these hot-baths is carried to distant places on camels, and those who are afflicted with leprosy are cured if they drink of it.

Three hours to the east from hence, we came to the village of Sefer Agha, consisting of one hundred Armenian houses, in the field of Pássin. Three hours further on, is the great Bridge of the Shepherds (Chobán Koprissí). It is called so because it was built by Melek Sultán, of the dynasty of the shepherds (Chobán). It is vaulted like a rainbow over the river Aras, which comes from the great Gok-yaila, and flows to the east; passes under Melázjerd, before the village of Artof, the castle of Khinis, beneath the bridge of Altún Khalkalí, supplies water to many hundred villages below the Bridge of the Shepherds, joins the Zengi river below Eriván, which falls into the Kúr (Cyrus), and with it disembogues into the Caspian Sea. The river Aras (Aranes) is an impetuous river, which, at the melting of the snow, rages like the sea. The army passed during three days over the bridge, with the Páshá himself in grand state. After seven hours we came to the village of Great Artof, in the sanjak of Khinis, a village of one hundred Armenian houses. Eight hours further to the east, is the village of Kúzúlí Sultán Baba, belonging to Khinis. The castle, which lies six hours further on, was built by Shah Shapúr, the uncle of Uzún Hassan, the Prince of Azerbeiján. It was conquered by Sultán Súleimán, and is now the seat of a sanjak Beg belonging to Erzerúm. The khass is forty-eight thousand four hundred aspers, two ziamets, and four hundred and twenty-five timárs, with the Jebellís, two thousand men, besides one thousand men of the Páshá’s troops, all Kurds of the tribe Mahmudí. The judge is appointed with one hundred and fifty aspers; there is no Serdár, Kiaya-yerí, Muftí, or Nakíb, but there is a Disdár.

Size and Form of the Castle of Khinis.

It is three journies distance (if you walk fast) from Erzerúm, and is a square, strong built castle, in the centre of a piece of high table land, surrounded on all sides by lofty mountains. The height of the castle wall is ten cubits, it is six thousand paces in circumference, with a gate to the north. In the eastern quarter of the castle is a clear fountain. Below the castle, at the foot of the wall, is an iron grating, which intercepts the stream, and distributes its water into the gardens. The gate of the castle is near this spring; there are within the castle twelve hundred Kurdish houses, and seven mosques, a khán, a bath, and some small streets; the houses are all covered with earth, and no bricks are to be seen. The inhabitants are all Mahmúdí Kurds, rich in sheep and goats; every year they repair with their cattle to the mountains of Boyúk-gol-yaila. Here the Beg of Melázjerd, in his quality of sanjak Beg of Erzerúm, came with three thousand well-armed Mahmúdí Kurds. He was invested with a robe of honour, and presented with a Chelenk, and took the van of the army. Ghazí Sídí Ahmed Páshá, commanding an army of fifty-three thousand men, with twelve guns and two culverins, directed his march from Khinis to Shúshík, and the Páshá, our master, remained with twelve hundred men on the field of Khinis. We now marched to the east, through precipices, for six hours, till we came to Khássík, a Kurdish village of two hundred houses, and I, poor Evliyá, advanced with two hundred horse to the castle of Zia-ud-dín, nine hours further; it is a strong castle in the territory of Azerbeiján, built by the Princes of that name. It is the frontier of the sanjak of Khinis; its keys were surrendered to the Ottomans after the conquest of Ván, and the inhabitants were exempted from all duties. There is no Serdár and Kiaya-yerí; there is a mosque and six hundred houses, with terraces and lower stories only, a khán, a bath, and from forty to fifty shops. The inhabitants are brave and honest.

Description of the Hot-bath.

Between the river Aras, the lake of Ván, and the castle of Arjesh, is a famous hot-bath, in the neighbourhood of the castle Zia-ud-dín. It is a curious fact that the springs rise in five or six different places; at some of them the water is as cold as ice, in others it boils like gruel. Here is a spring so cold that the hand cannot bear it, and close to it one in which eggs and sheep’s feet are cooked. Only one of these hot springs is covered with a cupola, the rest are exposed to the open air; every one is large enough to drive a mill. We now turned to the west, along the mountains of Súnjáb-Ainí, and arrived after nine hours at the castle of Atík, built like the former, by Zia-ud-dín, the Prince of Azerbeiján; it is a square castle on a rock.

Description of the Castle of Shúshek or Shúshík.

It was built by Zia-ud-dín, the son of Sultán Hassan, and is a square castle, on the top of a high rock. The camp was fixed at the distance of a gunshot from the castle, and the siege began immediately. As soon as the Mussulman victors opened the trenches, all the guns were fired from the castle, and seventy men fell to the ground as martyrs. The Commander, Sídí Ahmed Páshá, exhorting the Begs, Beglerbegs, and other officers, with sweet words and presents and himself making all possible exertions, brought four cannons on to the heights opposite the eastern side of the castle, which being fired, killed Chendán Beg, the nephew of the Beg of the castle. At the same moment a great lamentation arose in the castle, and the Ottoman victors began to ascend the breaches by ladders; in short, the siege lasted twenty-four hours, and the next day the flags of truce were planted on the battlements, and all the Kurds were crying Amán! Amán! O chosen family of Osmán! The commander, Sídí Ahmed Páshá, with his first Colonel, went to the gates of the castle, from which came out seven Kurdish Begs as hostages; they said, “On this night Mustafa Beg, our Beg, deserted the castle and fled to the Persians.” Sídí Ahmed Páshá gave no credit to this report, and told them to find their Beg, lest they might have their hands cut like sheeps’ feet; he fettered them, put seven hundred men into the castle, confiscated all the goods found in the palace of the Beg, disarmed the Kurds, collected three thousand muskets and six thousand swords and other arms, and sent the merry news to my Lord, Mohammed Páshá. The same day the Mohammedan shout (Allah) was proclaimed in the castle; two thousand muskets and many guns were fired as a salute; the whole district of Shúshík, up to the Persian frontier, was ravaged and pillaged, and the Moslím victors enriched with the booty of some hundred thousand sheep, oxen and mules. Men were sent into the interior of the country in search of the Beg, but only found a spy, whose nose and ears were in the first place slit, but at the moment the executioner was about to cut off his head, he implored the Páshá’s mercy, saying that he had something of importance to communicate to him. He said that the Beg of Shúshík had fallen into the hands of the Persian Khán of Magú, and was imprisoned there. Bákí Páshá, Katgáj Páshá, and Dilawer Páshá, with the Beg of Melázjerd, Mohammed Beg, with three thousand men, were ordered to go in search of the Beg of Shúshík at the castle of Magú. I, poor Evliyá, was also in the expedition. We marched across the Minváldereh amidst the mountains, and at the end of eight hours, reached the tomb of Tahmúrass Khán, a Persian, who was killed in the war of Cighálezadeh, and buried at this spot; here are two hundred Armenian houses, which pay tribute to the Beg of Shúshík, and to the Persians. We advanced for seven hours through a woody country, and for two more through flowery fields, and arrived at the castle of Magú, built by Núshirván. The Kurds submitted to Súleimán, who made a present of this castle to the Beg of the Mahmúdí tribe. The Persians took it from them, and it is now subordinate to the governor of Melázjerd. In the time of the grand Vezír of Sultan Murad IV. Kara Mustafa Páshá, after the conquest of Baghdád, went to Derne and Derteng, in order to settle the boundary; my lord, Melek Ahmed Páshá, my gracious protector, was then Governor of Diarbekr, and named on this commission for settling the frontiers and renewing the peace. The Ottomans had laid waste the castle of Zálim, in the province of Shehrzol, and the Persians that of Kotúr, in the province of Ván. The Ottomans also took possession of Magú, and transferred the Beg and the garrison to Melázjerd. Under the pretext of the rebellion of the Beg of Shúshík, the Persians laid hold of Magú, which is a fortress, like the castles of Ván, Márdín, Shuban Kara, Afiún Kara Hissár, A’adil Jiwás, Tokát, and Amasia.

Size and Form of Magú.

It is situated on a high and steep rock, the base of which is thin and narrow, and towers into the skies, being inaccessible on all sides. There is but one gate to which you ascend by a small staircase cut in the rock like a minareh. Seven hundred houses afford lodgings to two thousand musketeers of Mazenderán, commanded by a Sultán (Beg) subordinate to the Khán (Páshá, governor) of Eriván. The drawbridge which leads over the river, to the Castle, is raised every night, and it thus becomes entirely isolated; the water is raised by ropes of one hundred fathoms length. The Khán descended with one thousand of his serving men (Dízchoken Túlúnkí), and gave a grand entertainment to Bákí Páshá, who, after dinner, requested that the Beg of Shúshík might be given up to him: this was done accordingly, and he was carried to Sídí Ahmed Páshá, who came on the seventh day to Khinis, and delivered him to Mohammed Páshá the governor of Erzerúm, who spared his life, but put him into prison. Forty thousand sheep, forty horses, seventeen strings of mules, twenty Georgian slaves, and fifty purses were taken from him, he was afterwards released, but his castle was given to Mohammed the Beg of Melázjerd, who furnished twenty purses, twenty strings of mules, a great number of furs and skins of lynxes and leopards; the Moslím victors returned in safety with their booty to Erzerúm. On the same day after seven hours, we reached the village of Alajalar; it is situated on the border of Aras, under the command of the castle of Bayazíd, and consists of three hundred Armenian houses. Here our gracious Lord gave a grand entertainment to the Persian Envoys of the Kháns of Eriván, Nakhshiván and Tabríz, and gave each of them letters of amity, with a couple of Arabian horses, beads of coral, bow and arrows, and Genoese and Venetian cloth. He told them in his speech, that in order to satisfy the Khán of Eriván he had reduced the Beg of Shúshík, but that he hoped now that the Persians on their side would fulfil with equal faithfulness the conditions of the peace, and therefore evacuate the castle of Shúshík, and give it back to the Ottomans, if not, that he as Commander-in-Chief would ravage the districts of Eriván and Nakhshiván. The three envoys kissed the ground and were invested with Persian sable pelisses. The Kelárjí Velí Agha was sent with the Envoy to Eriván; Alaja Atlí Hassan with the second to Nakhshiván, and I poor Evliyá in quality of Clerk of the Custom-house was named to go with letters and presents in the third Envoy’s company to Tabríz, to arrange the commercial affairs. I took two horses richly caparisoned to the Khán, handkerchiefs, beads of pearl, and a magnificent quiver. I received myself, on setting out on my journey, a purse of money, and a robe of honour, and was accompanied by ten servants, and ten men of all arms, altogether forty-five men. I took leave of the Páshá, and set out trusting in the Lord for Nakhshiván and Eriván.

Description of our journey along the Aras to Persia.

On the first day, we travelled for the space of eight hours along the Aras, towards the east, and arrived at the village Yailajak, partly Armenian and partly Moslím, subordinate to the Castle of Anek. Further eastward we came to Barúd Kháneh belonging to the Castle Shúshík, consisting of three hundred houses; saltpetre is produced here. Sixteen hours further is the station of Kendúsh Kia, on the banks of a torrent called Okhdere; we pitched our tents here in a flowery meadow amidst beds of tulips. Twelve hours further on is the station of Chághla-ghúrna, the inhabitants are Kurds. We saw the castle of Shúshík, on our left on high rocks, and were saluted by it with seven guns. The new Beg also sent us a quantity of provisions. Here we parted company with Kássim Khán, the Envoy of Eriván, who went to the left, while I poor Evliyá took the road on the right to Nakhshiván. After having travelled thirteen hours through a mountainous tract, we came to Karish, the first town in Persia. It was built by Shárokh, the son of Timúr, and then came into the power of Uzún Hassan the Prince of Azerbeiján. Its castle is situated on a high peak, is square and built of stone, an elegant yet strong fortress, garrisoned by one thousand Dizchoken Túlúnkí. They saluted us contrary to our wishes, by firing eighteen guns, the report of which was re-echoed among the neighbouring hills. We encamped at the foot of the castle, and visited the town at our leisure. It was formerly a large town, but is now in ruins, in consequence of the pillage it suffered at the time of the expedition to Eriván by Sultán Murad IV. when the troops of Erzerúm, Achika and Karrs revolted, and plundered this town of Karish. There are seven mosques with minarehs, three baths, and gardens and vineyards in abundance. The town is situated on the banks of the river Karish, which issues from Mount Súkún, and flows to the Aras. The Agha of the Castle invited me with the envoy to a feast, and our horses with difficulty ascended to the castle in half an hour. The Agha of the garrison dressed in an odd way, and giving us welcome, invited us to his house, from which a beautiful view may be enjoyed. He treated us to eleven sorts of pilaw and a great number of other good dishes; he presented me, the envoy, and Alaja Atlí Hassan, with leopard skins, and sent after us when we had returned to our tents, a present of fifty sheep, one thousand loaves of white bread, and from seven to eight mule-loads of delicious fruits, with several sorts of sherbet. We kept the great feast (Bairám) here, remained a couple of days, and were then entertained with a sumptuous dinner in a garden. Returning from the garden we took a view of the outside of the mosque of Evhad Allah, it is an incomparable mosque with a well-proportioned minareh; near it is the bath of Táj-ud-dín Munshí, and seven Kháns. The beautiful women of the place have such fine and brilliant eyes, that one glance from them delights the heart more than a thousand from others. The next morning three hundred Persian horsemen joined us, and accompanied us on our way, which led through a mountainous tract, thirteen hours towards the east, to the station of the village of Kend Massír; Kend is the Persian word signifying the same as the Turkish Kassaba (small town). It is situated on the border of Mount Massír, and consists of one thousand houses with earthen roofs, surrounded with gardens, seven mosques, three baths, and three hundred shops. It is the seat of a Kelenter (provost) subordinate to Eriván. We advanced fourteen hours to Kend Zúh Khán, on the frontier of Nakhshiván belonging to its khass, it is a flourishing small town. Here we took two Persian boys, who delighted us with their songs. We now proceeded for seven hours through a wide valley, where we saw immense trees, to Uch Kilisse. On the top of a mountain are three great convents, in each of which lodge a couple of hundred priests and monks. Fine youths serve the strangers who divert themselves here. One of these three convents was built by Núrshirván, the second by the Greek Emperor, the third by an Armenian lady, which is now inhabited by more than five hundred nuns, who eat nothing but dry roots; but they serve milk, dates and sweetmeats to stranger’s, and take care of their goods and horses. These three Armenian convents are celebrated amongst all Christians, and are therefore well endowed. In each of them are from five to ten guest-masters, and from forty to fifty cooks. The Abbot of these convents gave to me and the envoys, a grand entertainment, and presents after dinner.

Curiosities of Uch Kilisse.

At the grand convent built by Núrshirván, every year forty or fifty thousand Infidels assemble from all countries of Christianity, to witness the solemnity of an old carpet being spread on the top of the mountain. They collect all useful and medical herbs growing on these mountains, and throw them into a boiling kettle which stands upon this carpet; these herbs remain boiling more than an hour in the kettle on the carpet, which receives no harm, to the great astonishment of many thousand spectators. The herbs are then distributed amongst the people, some of whom carry them to their own countries, others eat them on the spot. I talked with the monks about this, who assured me that the carpet was the same on which Jesus fell when issuing from Mary’s womb; when shut up in a cave with his twelve disciples for fear of the Israelites, they cooked their herbs on this carpet, which to witness the miraculous power of Jesus, restored a dead man to life. It is the same carpet on which Jesus gave a dinner to the Israelites. The carpet then passed into the hands of Núrshirván, who when building the Convent gave it to it as an endowment. When Sultán Súleimán went to the siege of Eriván he performed a double prayer on this carpet. It is neither cotton nor silk, but of variegated colours and very heavy. I, poor Evliyá, am of opinion that it is of asbestos, a stone which is found in the island of Cyprus, and worked into linen and paper, handkerchiefs, shirts, &c., which are brought as presents to the great men of Constantinople. Sultán Murád said to his sister Kia Sultán (Kia signifies rock) the Lady of my gracious Lord, Melek Ahmed Páshá. “Lady Rockby! as your name is rocky, I’ll give you a shirt of stone,” and really gave her a shirt, which, when dirty, was cleansed by throwing it into the fire. Great men have abundance of asbestos linen; Captain Hassám-zadeh gave me such a handkerchief, which having become dirty, in the presence of Melek Páshá, I threw into the fire, when it became as pure as a white rose. God knows whether this carpet is not also made of this Cyprian stone. We left Uch Kilisse and passed towards the east through cultivated fields and populous villages, so that we did not see a cubit of ground which was not productive or cultivated, and arrived after eight hours march at a well cultivated village on the border of Mount Sokún, like a small town. We counted no less than eleven minarehs, but as I was indisposed I did not examine it well.

Pilgrimage to Mohammed Sháh’s Tomb.

It is a great Convent of Begtáshís; more than three hundred came with drums beating and banners flying to give us welcome: a crowd of poor fellows all in raptures of divine love, by the prayers of whom I was restored to health. Next day we crossed a plain for thirteen hours, and halted three times on it. At the southern end of this field we pitched our tents on the bank of the great river Zengí, where the people of all the Kents of the neighbourhood, flocking together, brought us abundance of provisions as presents, so that our servants feasted as if they were as many Ma’adí Karbs, and our horses feasted on trefoil and other luxuriant herbs, so that their bellies swelled like wine-skins. The river Zengí issues on the south from the mountains of Khárán, flows to the North, supplying water to many thousand Kents, and then joins the Aras, which falling into the Kúr (Cyrus) runs into the Caspian sea. We continued our journey hunting hares, and came at the end of ten hours to the Kent Sídreghí, a Wakf of Imám Riza in the territory of Nakhshiván. It is a flourishing Kent of about one thousand houses surrounded with gardens. The inhabitants are all Shi’ís. The hot-spring of Sídreghí is outside of the town close to the vineyards; this hot-spring is covered with a large cupola, and in the large basin the Persian youths swim like silver fishes; they amuse themselves by disporting in the water, and singing with melodious voices. Fourteen hours further to the east, we came to Zavieí Ahmed Beg, consisting of five hundred houses, in the territory of Nakhshiván. Here are three mosques, one of which was built by Zál Páshá-zadeh Ahmed, when governor of Nakhshiván, in the style of the mosques at Constantinople. This is the reason why the Persians called this Kent (borough) the cell (zavie) of Ahmed Páshá; the whole borough is appropriated to the endowment of this mosque. We passed during sixteen hours through many cultivated Kents (boroughs) until we reached the large town Kara-bághlar, first built by Menúchehr, it is the seat of a Sultán (Beg) in the territory of Nakhshiván, it was wrested from the Ottomans by the Persians in the time of Mohammed III. and laid waste by the army of Sultán Murád IV., so that now ruins are only to be seen. Timúr passed a winter in perfect quietness at Karabághlar; Suleimán Khán and other commanders-in-chief were stationed here at different times for five or six months in the greatest affluence. This place is now recovering from the havoc made by Sultán Murad IV., but in comparison with its former state, it is not as an atom in the sun, nor a drop in the ocean. Our servants counted forty minarehs, and according to the report of our Mihmándár it consisted of ten thousand houses with gardens and vineyards, and seventy mosques (forty of which have minarehs), a great number of Kháns, baths and markets. The mildness of the air contributes to the beauty of the inhabitants; the variety of fruits which abound here, is no where else to be met with. Taking a walk with the Envoy in a garden, the gardener brought us twenty-six different kinds of pears, the best are the Meleje, Abbássí, Ordúbaí, which when eaten, inundates the mouth and hands with rich juice, like jelly or sirup; there are also ruby-coloured pomegranates. In the cleanly cookshops you find pilaw of Eriván, with excellent herísse (fricassee). The cooks are extremely clean because they are all Moslíms, and in the whole of Persia eatables are never sold by Armenians or Greeks; indeed there are no Greeks at all in Persia, except a few travelling merchants, but there are a great many Shi’ítes and Jews being the sect of the Teberraites and Karaites. There are also Mulhads (impious); Zindíks, (atheists); Ja’aferites, Jeberites, Kadrites, Húrúfites, Zimínites, and other such heretics. After having taken a good view of the gardens at Karabágh we departed, and in seven hours reached the fortress of Nakhshiván, which by some is spelt Nakhjíván, (the cosmetic water of all the towns of Irán;) it is the seat of a Khán (answering to the Turkish Páshá) on the frontier of Azerbeiján and Avján. Its officers are an Itimád-ud-devlet (minister); Kelenter, (provost, in Turkish Súbashí); a Múnshí, (secretary, otherwise Kiatib); a Dárogha, an Agha of the Dízchoken (the troops) a judge and a muftí. It was originally built by Sháh Efrasiáb, and the cupolas are shewn where his ancestors are said to be buried; in their times it was extremely populous and cultivated: it was then pillaged by the Moghols, who levelled the castle with the dust; Sháh Ismaíl rebuilt it, and in the reign of Mohammed III. it was taken possession of by Zúltakár Khán, and again conquered in the time of Sultán Murad IV. by Tabán Yassí Mohammed Páshá. Such is the state of the world where nothing remains unchanged, but every thing perishes except His (God’s) face. After Sultán Murad’s conquest it consisted of twelve thousand houses with terraces, seventy mosques, forty mesjíds, twenty kháns, seven baths, and one thousand shops. The air is mild, but as it has few gardens, it has also but few fruits, one of its best products, is cotton of seven colours, black, yellow, ruby-coloured and of the purest white. The corn and wheat of Nakshiván is praised every where. Above all its painted linen and its Chít (chintz) deserve to be recommended. Its barley is so rich, that if a horse eats four grains of it, it is satiated; its gardens are repositories of melons and water-melons. The youth are all fair and white on account of its excellent air, they wear the Persian turban, Táj, and robes of painted cotton and Chít (chintz) breeches of different colours, and green, red and orange-coloured papúshes. The women wear pointed caps on which they wrap white muslin, and boots of various colours. The fashionable young men wear pelisses of Isfahán, and walk with great pomp and dignity, but they are wholly attached to women. The people pretend to be of the orthodox sect of Sháfií although they are Persians, but this is a foul lie, they are Ja’aferites, who, however, keep the regular prayer hours five times a day, but never in company. They have some very fine mosques, every one of which may be compared to Eden, they are lined with painted pottery, and at some, the cupolas are covered in the same manner, there are thirty-three minarehs in the style of those of Constantinople; that of Ahmed Páshá exactly resembles that of Rostán Páshá at Constantinople. The bath of Jenání is very pleasant, the walls are faced with porcelain, and the floor is paved; the waiters are black-eyed youths from Khoten, whose crystal white bodies are set off by the dark blue of their aprons. Near the house where we lodged, as guests, is the bath of Zál Páshá, which is also a soul-delighting bath, owing to its fine water and excellent attendance; the walls are faced with porcelain, and the floor paved with jasper, marble, and granite of various hues. In the large basin ten feet square, which is underneath the cupola, the young people swim like angels of the sea: the bath-keeper every day pours into the basin, a basket of rose-leaves, which attaching themselves to the bodies of the bathers forms a kind of veil which is very becoming; thus they sport and play like peacocks and doves, their nakedness being covered by rose-leaves; in short this bath is so delightful that such poets as Hassán and Selmán could not sufficiently praise it, how then could it be possible for me, poor Evliyá, to succeed.

Rich merchants are established in the market, who trade by land and sea, each of whom is as rich as Karún; the inhabitants are all given to pleasure, and pass part of every day in each other’s gardens. The Khán of Nakhshiván, Rísa-ud-din, after having met us, carried us directly to one of his gardens, where he read our letters to the principal men of Nakhshiván, and gave us an entertainment, attended by so many singers and musicians, that it was equal to the feast of Hossein Bikara. The Khán, a person of great repute, had been the treasurer of Sultán Sifí, who had delivered the castle of Baghdád to Sultán Murad; he was a man of great judgment, of Georgian extraction, and his name was Devlet Murád Khán. After dinner he gave to Alaja Atlí Hassan, who came as envoy from the Páshá, and to me, brilliant robes of honour, ten tománs of Abbássí, and a horse, investing his own envoy also with a caftán. He has from forty to fifty delightful companions excelling in various arts. The inhabitants of this town generally speak the dialect Dihkáni, or of peasants, but they have poets who speak the Pehleví and Moghol languages with elegance. The languages that are spoken here, are the Dihkání or rough Persian; the Derí, or court language; the Farsí, or pure but less elegant Persian; the Ghází and the Pehleví, two ancient dialects.

In the commentary of Dilemí, it is reported that the Prophet asked Michael “whether God ever spoke any thing in Persian;” and Michael replied, “yes, that there were some passages in the books which Abraham received from Heaven:” and the Prophet answered, “whoever ridicules the Ghází dialect is an Infidel”.

The Turkomans, Gokdúlák and Moghols, who are settled in the different districts, again speak other dialects. All these districts are defended by strong castles, some of which I passed on hunting parties, without having leisure to examine them properly. The names of these castles are:—Alánjak Ván, built by Molla Kotb-ud-dín; Serán, Sersú, and Semaraván, built by Merván Ibn-al-himár. The names of Persian towns almost all terminate as follows:—in Tartary the castles are named, Cherkers Kermán, Kiresh Kermán, Sháhin Kermán, Irbát Kermán, In Kermán, Ghází Kermán, Uzí Kermán, and Ak Kermán. The names of Polish fortresses are Kamanija (Kaminiuk), and Alúnjissa. The names of fortresses in Transylvania terminate in ár, as Sakmár, Sakswár, Oivár, &c. The German fortresses are Iran, Comoin, Tata, Papa, Santmarton, Posonium, Bedj (Vienna), the latter is the residence of the German Emperor. Amongst the names of Ottoman towns, those of the Holy land are the most sounding. The whole Ottoman Empire consists of seventy seats of Begler-Begs, three hundred and sixty sanjak Begs, and thirteen hundred and eighty strong castles. May they all remain in the power of the Ottoman family until the end of the World. Amen! The names of Persian castles will be given in the course of our travels.

---