Respecting the difficulties we have had in this work, the fixing of the boundaries, and drawing the maps of places:
Be it known, that to those engaged in the affairs of state, no science is so necessary as that of geography. If they are not acquainted with the whole surface of the earth, they ought at least to know the figure of the Turkish empire and the neighbouring states; that, when it may be necessary to undertake a journey, or to send an army into any country, they may be properly directed; and by this knowledge it will be easy to enter the enemy’s territory, and defend their own frontiers. Persons ignorant of this science are not competent to be counsellors, even should they be natives; for there are many natives who are ignorant even of the figure of their own country and its boundaries.
Of the necessity of this science the following will be a sufficient proof; that the Infidels by application to it have discovered America, and become masters of India: and even the despicable Venetians, a nation the chief of which among the Christian kings is confined to the title of Duke, and is known by the epithet of the Fisherman, coming to the frontiers of the Ottoman empire, have opposed their power to that of our august Monarch, who rules from east to west.
In order therefore to illustrate this history of voyages, we shall in the first place give a map of the whole figure of the globe; then of the Mediterranean and Black Seas; and then of the countries of Venice and Germany. Thus, at first sight, a person may obtain a summary knowledge of the figure of the globe and the Turkish dominions; and being able to tell where the city of Venice, the castle of Zadra (Zara), or the island of Corfu, is situated, he will find it useful in commencing the perusal of travels and voyages. All the land and water of the globe are, according to the map, contained in two circles. The first circle represents half of the globe, and the ancient four quarters; and the other circle is the other half, or more recently-discovered part which they call the new world.
EXPLANATION OF THE GLOBE.
The different portions of land on the surface of the globe, which by attraction or repulsion are found projecting through the element of water, are, according to the rules of geography, marked by red and yellow. The yellow represents the continent, the little red spots are islands, and the white shows the water. The line drawn across the two circles is the equator, and the double red line on each side of it is the ecliptic, showing the sun’s extreme ascension and declension. Besides these are the zones, and the lines of latitude and longitude, by which the latitude and longitude of towns and the situation of places are ascertained. These I have explained at full length in my work called the Jehan Nemah,[3] which is the translation of an atlas. Here it will be sufficient to know, that every line is divided into three hundred and sixty degrees, and each degree into three stages (munzil), so that the whole circumference of the globe is 1080 stages; and a person going west and moving forward will return by the east. This assertion has been corroborated by proof. To proceed: geographers divide the whole earth into four regions. They draw an imaginary line from the Mediterranean, the Strait of Constantinople, the Strait of Jenicale, and the south of the river Don as far as the Northern Ocean, and the region that remains on the west of this line they call Europe; that on the east, Asia; and the districts of Ethiopia and Egypt, which divide the Mediterranean and Red Seas, they call Africa. The new world they call America. The Ottoman power, then, has a share in each of the three regions. To exhibit these portions and their boundaries, I have drawn a map of the European portion and the Mediterranean and Black Seas, and described their boundaries. I have also marked the names of the Christian towns, and the Bosnia shores. When necessary it will be sufficient to show their situations.
EXPLANATION OF THE MAP.
The Mediterranean which is drawn on this map is, excepting the ocean, the largest of the six seas in the four quarters. It extends over ten degrees of latitude and thirty of longitude. From the Straits of Gibraltar in the east to the Syrian coast, it is computed to be seventy degrees. On its southern coast are, Fez, Tilimsan, Algiers, Tunis, Mahdiah, Jarba, Tripoli West, Alexandria of Egypt, and Damietta. Its western and Arabian coast terminates at Arish. On the east are, Gaza, Acca, Bairut, Tripoli Sham, and Pias. On the north, Selfeka, Anemur, Alanieh, Antakia, and proceeding by Cape Teker and Smyrna as far as the Strait (of the Dardanelles) are the coasts of Anatolia. It terminates at the island of Boosja. From within the Strait as far as the Strait of Constantinople is a small sea (Marmora) of about seven hundred miles in circumference. On the coasts of this sea are, Kaputagh, Mikhalij, Moudania, Bay of Gemlik, Constantinople, Chekmejeh, and Gallipoli. Within it are the islands of Marmara, Amar-Ali, and Kuzil. Beyond the Straits on the Rumelian shores are, the plain of Aja, Enos, Cavalla, Aianur, Zlonkur, Kesendreh, Gulf of Salonica, the Gulfs of Koolur and Azdin, the Negropont; and in the Morea, Capes Napoli and Menkesheh (or St. Angelo), which, as Cape Teker in Anatolia, form an angle and passage (with Candia). Projecting from the land into the sea, they extend nearly to the east and west points of Candia, and most of the islands of the Mediterranean being within this centre, they call it (Candia) the central island. All these islands have been taken from the Venetians and Genoese, except Istandil (Tino) in the middle, which remains in the hands of the Venetians. That also was formerly captured, but for the sake of policy it was given in exchange for the castle of Menkesheh (St. Angelo).
The names and situations of these islands are marked; but to avoid prolixity, I do not enter into a minute account of them, for my purpose is to explain the Bosnia and Arnaout (Albanian) coasts. Leaving Cape Menkesheh and going round the Morea, we pass Capes Manieh (Matapan), Modon, and Helomej. The coast terminates at Badra (Patras). The whole of it is computed to be two hundred miles.