Pilgrimages.
The mountain facing the mosque in the quarter on the opposite bank of the Jorúgh, is called the parrot’s mountain, it is the burying-place of Abd-ul wahháb A’ari, and is a general walk. This high mountain commands the town, but cannon shot cannot reach it from hence, the distance being too great, and the river Jorúgh flowing between. The hill which rises in the town, opposite the mosque, is ascended in half an hour. The Pilgrimage of Osmán Ghází, who is here buried underneath a cupola of bricks. The Pilgrimage of Jághir Kánlidedeh has the greatest credit with the inhabitants of this town, as he is a recent Saint; people yet alive having witnessed his miracles. Near this place, an able architect built a bridge of fir-tree across the river Jorúgh, in the shape of a swallow’s wing, to which the fir bridge over the Duina at Fúja Shehrí in Herzgovina can alone be compared; but this bridge of Baibúrd having only a single arch, is higher and finer than that of Fúja. In the cemetery to the Kiblah of the town, are buried many thousand great men, but I have mentioned only those I visited. After taking a good view of the town, and having collected the number of troops fixed by the firmán, I received from the Súbashí a present of three hundred piastres, and continued my journey accompanied by fifty armed men.
Description of the Castle of Tortúm.
It was built by the old King of Georgia Mamerúl, was conquered by Uzún Hassan, and by Mohammed II., and then fell again into the hands of the Georgians. Selím I. first retook it when Governor of Trebisonde, and Sultán Súleimán lost it again. He despatched his second Vezír Ahmed Páshá to reconquer it, who took it after a siege of seven days and an assault of seven hours, cutting all the Infidels to pieces; and providing it with stores and men. He then advanced further into Georgia, and the two castles of Nejákh and Mírakhor surrendered. From hence he proceeded to Akchekala’a, which being a stronghold was not taken till the seventh day. The Begs of the castles of Penkerd, Asherd, and the little Akchekala’a paid obeisance. The district of Bevána with three hundred villages did the same, and the inhabitants remain Ottoman subjects even to the present time. The castles Isper and Pertekrek yielded to the Ottoman power; so did also the district of Dadánlí with seventy-six villages, and fifteen castles, large and small; the castles of Tekkhíss and the valley of Bersássa were conquered, and Tortúm was put down in the register as the seat of a sanjak Beg belonging to Erzerúm; it furnishes sixty thousand men, and the Páshá’s revenues amount annually to twelve thousand piastres in a fair way: Its judge is appointed with a hundred and fifty aspers, and there are nine well cultivated districts, the principal of which are those of Bervána, Dadánlí and Isper, their annual revenue amounts to three thousand piastres.
Size and Shape of the Castle.
It is built in a square form, on a high rock; an iron gate opens to the east; in the castle is a mosque of Sultán Súleimán’s time, and in the lower town is seven hundred houses and seven mosques, two baths, two kháns, twelve schools and seventy shops, but no stone bezestán, imáret or medresseh. The pears, grapes and peaches are much praised; as it is only two journeys from Erzerúm, the merchants send chests full of fruit to that place; the inhabitants are righteous, hospitable men; the river which flows through it goes into the Black Sea; in the town of Tortúm saltpetre is produced for Government. While I was collecting troops here, and visiting the town, news arrived to Ghází Sídí Ahmed, the Páshá of the place, that the Cossacks had assailed the castle of Gonia; he instantly put on his armour, mounted on horseback, summoned all the Zaims and Timariots who wished to volunteer in this expedition, assembled about a thousand men, and started with his troop under the triple shout of Allah. We marched a whole day and night, reinforcing our number on the road, and halted next morning in a valley. We continued our course to the north for the whole of the second day, passed on to the frontier of Trebisonde and entered that of Gonia: here we met the Mingrelian troops, which came to join the Páshá, and were honourably received, they consisted of three hundred well armed horsemen with lances, and about a thousand riflemen with flying hair, between forty and fifty years of age, with strange figures and ugly faces, whom the Páshá flattered with good words. This night we passed along the river Jorúgh, and arrived next morning at the castle of Gonia on the Black Sea, which we saw filled with Infidel Cossacks, who at the moment they saw us roared out, Jasus! Jasus! (Jesus); seventy Chaikas were moored behind the castle. The Páshá with a hundred and fifty Aghás, and all the troops which had joined him on the way, with loud cries of Allah, attacked the ships lying in the river, cut the cables, and let the boats float out into the Black Sea, cutting down or making prisoners, those who were left to guard the boats, and towing the Chaikas into a bay at a gunshot’s distance from the castle; the Infidels, seeing they could not escape in their boats, acted like swine that are laid hold of, and began to fire. The Moslim troops on their side prepared every thing for an assault; and made ladders of the masts and rigging of the captured ships. The Mingrelian and Georgian troops entered the trenches in broad daylight, the walls were fired upon, and the assault was made from all sides. The Páshá led the assault himself with such courage and spirit, that the Infidels had not time to recollect themselves, but fled to some ships, which were left on the Jorúgh. Some of these boats being overloaded went to the bottom, those who by swimming reached the opposite shore were received by the muskets of the Moslims and went to Hell: seventeen of the ships on the Jorúgh were burnt, and two hundred Infidels, who could not re-enter the castle, were taken prisoners; seventy Moslims fell martyrs in this triple assault. The Páshá now pressed the arrival of the troops from the district of Sanjak Batúm. Finally there arrived some thousand Lázes armed with lances, casques, muskets, and sounding their war fifes, called Zígúla, with white banners waving; they joined the Páshá, halting on the bank of the river. The Páshá left them not a moment’s rest, but encouraged them by addressing them in the Circassian language. Thus a crowd was collected who threw up earth and faggots in mounds before the castle, on which the storming ladders were fixed. The neighbouring mountains re-echoed the shouts of Allah! the Moslims heaped bundles on bundles of twigs, and began to climb the ladders like spiders and goats of Isper; the bundles heaped up before the gate were set on fire. Ghází Ahmed Páshá himself mounted on the tower at the eastern corner, and by his example encouraged the general assault. From early dawn till the afternoon, neither the Páshá nor his troops had tasted a bit of bread; in the afternoon the castle was conquered, and I, poor Evliya, had the advantage of first proclaiming on its walls the sound of Ottoman prayer. The castle being now filed with victors, seven hundred Infidels were taken prisoners, and eight hundred heads cut off, and planted on the walls; the seventy-seven boats were towed back to the castle, and moored ready with all provisions and munition. The rejoicings lasted three days and three nights, during which the castle was illuminated. God be praised that I witnessed such a conquest. At the moment when prayer was first proclaimed on the wall, there appeared, on the eastern side of the Jorúgh, some thousand standards and banners, who answered the report of the salutes fired with the shouts of Allah; these were the troops of the Páshá of Karss, who had arrived before Gonia after a flying march from Erzerúm, and now encamped on the bank of the Jorúgh.
Gonia now became the meeting-place of the whole army summoned by the governor of Erzerúm; forty or fifty boats of Láz Mengesile, who descended the river of Jorúgh, took to flight as soon as they were aware, that the castle was again in the hands of the Moslims, and that an Ottoman army was encamped along the shore of the river. They were pursued by Sídí Ghází Páshá, who captured forty-seven boats, made three hundred Mingrelians prisoners, and drowned about six hundred in the river. This expedition was thus crowned with three victories: 1. The conquest of the boats; 2. that of the castle; 3. the conquest of the Mingrelian boats, which had arrived to the assistance of the Cossacks with provisions. Sídí Ahmed Páshá distributed those provisions amongst the Moslim victors, so that plenty now prevailed in the Ottoman camp. The night was again passed with illuminations and feasting; the shouts of Allah, and the sounds of the Ottoman drum interrupting the silence of the night. The next day clouds of dust rising on the side of the Jorúgh announced the arrival of a new army, whose glittering armour dazzled the eyes; it was that of Koja Sefer Páshá, the Vezír of Chaldir, who summoned by the command of our Lord the Páshá of Erzerúm, arrived with the Georgian army in great speed to the assistance of the Castle of Gonia; Sídí Ahmed Páshá went with the other Páshás to meet them, and it was a grand sight to see these troops on fine horses, well armed with spears, swords, shields, and muskets, with flying hair and strange figures. When Sefer Páshá himself came with the train of his guards (Matarají, Tufenkjí, and Shátir), he received Sídí Páshá’s salute, and then rode on his right, Báki Páshá keeping on the left. When they approached the castle a general salute of guns and musketry gave them welcome. Provisions now arrived in abundance at the Imperial camp from Georgia, Mingrelia, Láz, and Batúm. Next day fresh troops appeared to the south of Gonia, it was the Páshá of Trebisonde, who came with three thousand good troops; in seventy boats (sandal) and a hundred ships of the Lázes, called Mengesila, he carried plenty of provisions, and ten guns. Sídí Ahmed Páshá being acquainted with his arrival neither went himself to meet him, nor sent any troops to perform that ceremony. He halted with his troops on one side of the castle. Having waited on Sídí Ahmed Páshá he received him without the least honour, but with the following speech.
“I am the Páshá of Tortúm, which is from four to five journeys distant from Gonia, and it was not my duty to hasten to its assistance; but I did it for the sake of the faith and the Empire. You, Páshá, who are the Governor of Trebisonde, and Begler-beg of two tails, and at only two journies from Gonia, why did you not arrive till within these seven days to its assistance. Quick, executioner!”
The Páshás of Pássín, Akhiska and Kaighí interfered, saying, that it was against constitutional law, that he being only a Páshá of one tail, should kill one of two. He replied, “By God! if it is righteous, according to religious duties, I’ll cut off his head, even if he be a Páshá of seven tails; in consideration, however, of your intercession, I won’t kill him, but relate the business to the Emperor; call quickly for the Diván Efendí (Secretary).” While the dispatch was being drawn up, orders were given to put seventy of the principal officers of the troops of Trebisonde into prison, and they were accordingly shut up in the castle, for not having urged the Páshá to hasten to the deliverance of Gonia. The Diván Efendí made out the account of the conquest of Gonia, and the accusation against the Páshá of Trebisonde; it was signed and sealed by the three Begler-Begs, by the Judges of Gonia and Trebisonde, and was ready to be sent off, when the inhabitants of Trebisonde threw themselves at the feet of Sídí Ahmed Páshá, supplicating not to be accused to the Porte. Sídí Páshá persisting in his resolution, showed all the obstinacy of a Circassian. The principal men of Trebisonde however, solicited the Páshás to intercede with the Commander-in-chief Sídí Ahmed; and it was ultimately arranged, after three days negotiation, that the Páshá and principal men of Trebisonde should give forty-three purses of money, three sable pelisses, twelve beautiful boys, twelve girls with eyes like Narcissuses, and of sweet language, a silken tent richly embroidered with gold, a sword set with jewels, a mare, seven quivers, vases of silver, the work of goldsmiths of Trebisonde, bridles, hatchets, candlesticks of silver, three strings of camels, three of mules, and a hundred and twenty horses. By these gifts they obtained the favour of not being named in the report to the Emperor; to whom only were mentioned the Begler Begs, Alaï and Sanjak Begs, who had hastened to the deliverance of Gonia, and this report was sent by Gurji Beg Zadeh to Constantinople. Another Kapijí Báshí was despatched with the same news to the governor of Erzerúm, but at the moment he was setting out, clouds of dust announced the arrival of fresh troops on the banks of the Jorúgh; these were the troops of Erzerúm sent to the succour of Gonia, under the command of Hassan Atlí Aghá. The Zaims, Timariots and Jebellis of Erzerúm with half the garrison, and the guards of the Páshá, forty banners of Segbán and Sáríja (irregular levies of the Páshá), led by their colonels (Bolúk Báshí). They were followed by a squadron of Delí, by another of Gonullí (Volunteers), six squadrons of Tatar horsemen, a squadron of six hundred Moteferrika, a squadron of two hundred Cháshnegírs (carvers), a squadron of two hundred Serraj (saddle-men), squadron of two hundred Kílarjí (men of the cellar), and lastly a squadron of two hundred Ichaga (indoor servants), led by the Key-keeper (Miftáh ghúlám agassí). They were also followed by forty chamberlains, each one surrounded by from forty to fifty men clad in armour, on horses of the finest breed, caparisoned with silver, and ornamented with sea-horses bristles; they rode two and two, and immediately after them came Hassan Atlí Aghá himself, with trumpets sounding, and took up his encampment on the border of the fortress. All these chamberlains were men, who had seen service in the quality of Kiayas (substitutes), Kaima Káms (Lieutenants), Motessellims (Vice-governors) and Administrators of provinces. Sídí Ahmed Páshá gave them a great repast, and next day assembled all the architects of the country to repair the castle of Gonia. The Turkish music played from seven sides, seventy tables were spread, and day and night was spent in festivities. The side of the castle that was damaged by the fire, and the mosque of Bayazíd II. was first put in repair. Seven hundred men forming a new garrison, with a new Beg, as Commander, were put into it with sufficient stores, and all the arms taken from the enemy. Thus the castle of Gonia shone forth in greater splendor than before. God be praised that I, poor Evliyá, was so fortunate as to proclaim the first prayer on its newly conquered walls!
The troops of the sanjaks of Trebisonde and Bátúm were left for the safety of the castle of Gonia, and the whole army of sixty thousand men, then began to march along the banks of the river Jorúgh towards Erzerúm. The army having halted on the bank of the river Jorúgh on a large meadow surrounded with trees, a council was held, and Sídí Ahmed Páshá, said:—“The Mingrelians, though belonging to the Province of Trebisonde have rebelled, and I have related to the Emperor, that we took their boats; which, together with those of the Russians, may now wait in the port of Gonia for the Emperor’s decision. I have also acquainted His Majesty that so many thousand Cossacks and Mingrelians have fallen to the share of the Ottoman victors, as prisoners, and I now intend to take vengeance on the Mingrelian infidels with this army, ready for expedition, that it may gain some booty as compensation for its journey.” The governor of Georgia, Sefer Páshá, who was very angry at the Mingrelians, proposed that all the horsemen should join the foot and undertake an inroad for booty, the Moslims of Akhiska and Georgia leading the way, who were then also to share the spoil. The Council broke up with this resolution, for the happy execution of which I said a Fátihah. The cryers gave notice, that all Moslims who wished for breeches and horses, for boys and girls, for money and booty, should be ready in arms. This notice produced an astonishing effect, the Moslim victors roared like lions, armed and washed themselves, and waited for the orders of the Commander.