January 2. The Ambassadors, Old and New, went over to Constantinople, that Morning being assigned by the Kaimacam to give them Audience, the Chiaus Basha and other Officers attending at the Water-side to receive them; Horses being brought thither for them and their Followers to mount. This Kaimakam Jusuph, a little old Man, had formerly been a Page of the Chamber, and chief Falconer, and afterwards Basha of Silistria. He entertained the Ambassadors and their Company with Perfumes, Coffee, and Sherbet, and distributed about fifteen Koftans Orrests among them: after about an Hours stay they took their leave.
Being upon the Coasts of Greece about August or September 69. in the Latitude of 35°. 53´. we found by our Azimouth Compass, that we had Westerly variation there 5°. 22´.
The variety of Colours of the Sea-Water at several times chiefly depends upon the Wind and Weather, and the reflexion of the Light upon it. It's usual and most natural Colour is a deep Green: but in Cloudy and Rainy Weather, the Surface of the Water appears blackish. On the Goodwins upon the Tide of Flood, the Water was white, the Waves by reason of the Shallows, meeting with opposition, and breaking into Foam, till the Flood is well advanced. Sometimes the Water is of a perfect Azure colour, as we observed for several Weeks in the Mediterranean. The Sun shining bright upon the Water, sometimes the upper part of the Waves appears Purplish, sometimes Reddish; though in Shallows perchance it may receive this latter Tincture also from the Sands which lie under it. When the Wind has freshened, and the Ship has been under full Sail, I have observed the Waves to the head, and at the sides of the Ship, to appear with a pale kind of brightness: and at Malaga, and at my return, going on board our Ship, which lay about half a League from the shore, at Night, the Wind then at East, the Boats Crew letting their Oar fall roughly into the Water, diverted us as it were with the sight of a continued Flame, raised by their rowing; which I ascribe rather to the Saline Particles of the Sea-Water, which were then put into a violent Agitation, than to the Spawn of Fish, as some of our Company imagined.
Sailing toward the West of Portland, we saw several Porpisces playing with their Heads above Water; which I mention only, because the Seamen look upon them as fore-runners of a Storm; the Wind soon after blowing very hard at North by East. And afterwards arriving at Constantinople, the Wind blowing a stiff Gale at North, I observed with a pleasing kind of astonishment good part of the Propontis, that is, from the Seraglio Point toward the Islands, which lye against the Bay of Nicomedia, Eastward and South-East from us, as far as we could see, covered as it were with Porpisces, which appeared every where in great abundance. So that I am very apt to believe that Julius Solinus in Chap. 12. of his Polykister is to be understood of Porpisces, and not of Dolphins, now properly so called, though that be his Word, speaking of the Bosphorus and Propontis: Hæc profunda Delphinas plurimos habent: and soon after, ante omnia nihil velocius habent maria, sic ut plerunque transvolent vela navium. I could not hear that any Dolphins are caught in those Seas by the Greeks, whose Poverty, added to the love which their Nation has for Fish, and the advantage arising thence, upon the account of their solemn Fasts and Abstinences from all Flesh, even to a wonderful strictness and scrupulosity, has made them excellent Fishermen: nor did I ever see any in their Fish-Markets, or see one of them brought to the Ambassador's Table by the Proveditor for curiosity: Though otherwise it is an excellently well tasted Fish, especially when soused. I allow, that they will swim very swiftly, as do the Porpisces; and that they will follow a Ship for several Leagues together: but then they Swim somewhat deep in the Water, sometimes are catch'd, though not often. The Seamen have reached them with a Fisgig, a kind of barbed Iron, at the End of a Pole tied fast to a Rope, and have made good Chear with them. But this is only my Conjecture, with which I end my Journal.
Deo Servatori Laus.
Historical Observations relating to Constantinople. By the Reverend and Learned Tho. Smith, D. D. Fellow of Magd. Coll. Oxon. and of the Royal Society.
Constantinople, formerly Byzantium, was[1] by Constantine the Great, called so after his own Name, who being mightily pleased with the beautiful and advantageous situation of the Place between two Seas, and defended by narrow Streights on both sides, removed the Seat of the Empire hither, and laid the foundation of its future Splendor and Greatness. It was also by a[2]special Edict or Law of the same Emperor, which he caused to be engraven on a Marble Pillar, placed near his own Statue on Horse-back, in one of the Piazza's of his new built City called Strategium, where the Soldiers used to Muster, as in the Campus Martius, called second or new Rome, in emulation of old Rome, which he designed and endeavoured this should equal in all things. Accordingly he endowed it with the same Priviledges and Immunities, and established the same number of Magistrates and Orders of People, and divided the whole extent of it into fourteen Precincts or[3]Regions, according to the division of Rome. And the Greek Writers were as elegant and extravagant in their commendations of it; but the usual Title in their ordinary Discourses and Writings, when they had occasion to mention it without any flourish, was ἡ βασιλευούσα, ἡ βασιλίς, that is, the Imperial City, to the same sense with that of[4]Sidonius Apollinaris,
Salve sceptrorum columen, Regina orientis,
Orbis Roma tui.