NARRATIVE OF TRAVELS
IN
EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA,
IN
THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY,

BY

EVLIYA EFENDI.

TRANSLATED FROM THE TURKISH
BY
THE RITTER JOSEPH VON HAMMER,
F.M.R.A.S., &c. &c. &c.

VOL. II.

LONDON:
PRINTED FOR THE ORIENTAL TRANSLATION FUND
OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND;
SOLD BY
WILLIAM H. ALLEN & CO. LEADENHALL STREET.

M.DCCC.L.

LONDON:
PRINTED BY WILLIAM NICOL, 60, PALL MALL.

CONTENTS.

NOTES.

Note 1, [p. 16].—It is a journey of two days from Brússa to the top.

The summit is easily reached in nine hours, on horseback, the journey having been accomplished in that time by the Translator, in the company of Mr. Stratton, the British Minister, and B. Bielfields, the Prussian Chargé d’affaires, in the year 1804. Evliya evidently places the time necessary for rest, and Turkish indolence, to the account of the length and difficulty of the road.

Note 2, [p. 197].—The inhabitants of Tortúm all assembled to form the Istikbál (solemn meeting.)

See Morier’s Travels, First journey through Persia. Bushire to Shiraz: “At two o’Clock we came to Ahmadiéh, at half past two we passed a small fort called Khosh Aub, where a large body of people were waiting our passage. (In the Journey this is the first notice of the Istakball, which so frequently recurs in the future progress of the mission, as an honorary assemblage called forth to receive a distinguished traveller, and to conduct him in his passage.) They were all armed with pikes, matchlocks, swords, and shields; and gave us two vollies as a salute. They then advanced to us and being announced by the Arz-Beg, wished us a prosperous journey. They were answered by the usual civility “Khosh amedeed, you are welcome.” As we proceeded our party was headed by the soldiery. They were commanded by a man on horseback, all in tatters, who with his whip kept them together, and excited them with his voice where he wanted them to run. Two of the chosen of the village performed feats before us on their lean horses, and helped to increase the excessive dust, which involved us. This party kept pace with us, until we were again met by a similar host, the van of the little army who were waiting our reception at Borazjoon: these also fired their muskets.”

Note 3, [p. 211].—The river Khalliz.

This was no doubt originally called Halys, which seems to have formerly been the name, not only of this river, but of the whole Kizil Irmák.

LONDON:
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THE
TRAVELS
OF
EVLIYA EFENDI.

JOURNEY TO BRUSSA.

Praise be to God! for before all things it is the duty of men and genii to praise him, who made the heavens and all the wonders therein, Angels and Eden, Húrís and Rizwán the guardian of Paradise; who created roses and daffodils, nightingales and murmuring fountains, pearls and corals; the moon and the radiant sun: greetings also be to Ahmed the prophet, who by his family accomplished his divine mission! Praise be to the Creator! who out of nothing called me into existence and destined me to obey him, imposing on me the duties of Islám, the prayer, fast, alms and pilgrimage. In accomplishment of this sacred duty, I, his lowly servant Evliyá, left my family, and, with the desire of performing the pilgrimage, first tried my strength by commencing, in the month of Moharrem 1040, a journey on foot through the environs and quarters of Constantinople; the account of which is contained in the first volume of these travels. My ardent wish was to see Jerusalem and Baghdád, Mecca and Medina, Cairo and Damascus, according to my dream related in the introduction to the first volume of these travels, when the prophet appeared to me in the night, and I, by a slip of the tongue, said to him, instead of the usual form, Shifá’at yá ressúl-allah (Intercession, O envoy of God) Siyáhat yá ressúl-allah (Travelling, O envoy of God) and he, graciously smiling, granted my wish.

“Whatever God willeth, he prepares the means for its accomplishment.” Thus ten years after this dream, when I came to the house of my friend Okjí Zádeh Chelebí, I found that preparations were made for a journey to Brússa. He invited me to be his companion according to the maxim, “First the companion, then the road;” and said, “Let us spend a fortnight in visiting all the remarkable monuments at Brússa: the tombs of the Ottoman Sultáns, particularly that of the great Saint Emír Sultán, and by this visit illuminate our hearts.” I accepted this proposal as a divine inspiration, saying, “in God’s name!” to which all present responded, giving us their best wishes for a prosperous journey.

For the first time then, without the knowledge of my family, I set out on this journey, in the year 1050, accompanied by twenty friends in a boat of Modania, leaving the town of Constantinople, the place of my birth, with the intention of seeing other towns and villages. The present volume gives an account of this journey, which I undertook in consequence of the verse of the Korán, “Travel therein safely day and night,” and describes all the hardships I underwent; for according to the tradition of the prophet; “A journey is a fragment of hell.” We weighed anchor at Emírgúneh, on the Bosphorus, and called at Findiklí to take on board as passengers some clever ship-builders; and in the morning on the first Friday of Moharrem of the year 1050, the boatmen finding the time favourable for sailing, unfurled the sails and weathered the point of the Seraglio; laying the ship’s head towards Brússa, the object of our voyage. All the passengers were in high spirits, and some of them implored the Lord’s assistance for a happy voyage by singing spiritual songs. Some Musicians encouraged me to accompany them in their strains, and so, after having preluded awhile, I fixed on the measure girdánieh, and sung three tetrasticks and one sumáyí of the compositions of Dervísh Omerbesteh. Several of the boatmen accompanied us on their instruments, chokúr, with such effect, that water came into the mouths of the hearers with delight. Amidst these amusements we came to the island of Heibelí (Prince’s Islands), eighteen miles distant from Constantinople, and nine in circumference; it contains a famous Convent which is visited every year by many boats from Constantinople. The inhabitants are all wealthy Greeks, captains and masters of ships. The public officers are the Bostánji-báshí (of Constantinople) and an officer of the Janissaries. From hence we weighed anchor with a brisk gale, the vessel cutting the waves with a rapidity as though fire was bursting forth from it, and after five hours’ sailing landed happily on the coast of Modania.

Description of the Town and ancient Fortress of Modania.

It was built by a Greek Princess called Modína. Here I was first enabled to perform my Friday’s prayer, which I did with great devotion, and then went forth to view the town. It is the port of Brússa, and forms a safe harbour, being closed against the wind from seven points and open only to the North. The anchorage is excellent. At the head of the harbour stands the custom-house, the lease of which amounts to a million aspers. The town is built by the sea-shore, on a low rocky ground. Prince Orkhán, with his father Osmán’s permission, conquered this town in the year 721 (1321) and destroyed the walls in several places, that it might no longer afford shelter to the infidels. It is governed by a Voivode, subordinate to Brússa, the chief seat of the Sanjak of Khodávendkiár. The judge is appointed with one hundred and fifty aspers a day. His annual revenue amounts to two thousand piastres. This appointment is sometimes given to the Mollá of Brússa as Páshmáklik (pin-money). The houses are all faced with brick. There are three mosques (jámí) and seven mesjids, three kháns, one bath, two schools for boys, and two hundred small streets; but no room for reading the Korán or tradition, because the greater number of the inhabitants are Greeks. There are fine gardens producing superior figs and grapes. From the excellence of its vinegar, it has acquired the name of Dárkhill (vinegar-house). South-east of the town we passed on horseback continuously through gardens and the cultivated field called Filehdár. The river Nílúfer, not fordable in the beginning of spring, is a clear stream, which issuing from the mountains Rúhbán, Ketelí and Castel, waters the valley of Fillehdár and disembogues into the White Sea. The main road crosses it over a handsome bridge, each arch of which resembles the arch of heaven; its name, as well as that of the river, was received from its builder the Princess Nílúfer, daughter of a Sultán (Orkhán): after continuing our journey among gardens and vineyards for two hours, we reached the town of Brússa, the emporium of silk, the ancient capital of this country (Bithynia).

The town of Brússa having been built towards the North on natural rocks has no ditch, but on the side of the head fountain (Búnár-báshí) and the quarter of the Mills, it has a deep one, which at the time of the Asiatic rebellions of Kará Yazijí, Kallender and Sa’íd Arab was filled up. Some of the stones of the walls are of the size of the cupola of a bath, and some bear Greek inscriptions on them. The town is protected against southerly and easterly winds from its being situated at the foot of Mount Olympus. The houses have a northern aspect and look over the plain of Filehdár. The fortress, the circumference of which is eleven thousand paces, has six thousand battlements, sixty-seven towers, and four gates, viz. the gate of the head fountain, the prison-gate, the hot-baths’-gate to the west, and the gate of the fishmarket. This stronghold was besieged more than once by the Seljúkians, who came with an army of twenty thousand men; the siege lasted between seven and eight months, the besiegers retiring only on the approach of winter. Osmán the founder of the Ottoman dynasty besieged it three times, but was compelled on the last occasion by an attack of the gout to retire to Iconium. He sent his son Orkhán with Sheikh Hájí Begtásh, who renewed the siege, and built two great towers, one at the side of the hot-baths (Kaplijah), and the other on the side of the head fountain (Búnár-báshí), which took seven months to complete. Orkhán posted himself at the hot-bath, his nephew Timúr-beg, at the head-fountain, and Yalabánjik-beg at the mountain’s side. It surrendered in 722 (1322) after a year’s siege, and Osmán died at the moment he received the news. Orkhán his successor entered Brússa with Hájí Begtásh, there fixed his residence, and buried his father’s body in the castle. Osmán conquered seventy towns during the lifetime of his father Ertoghrúl. His first conquest was in Kojá-Ilí by Akcheh Kojá. Near Nicæa at the castle of Wáilakabád, he begat his son Orkhán on Sheikh Edebáli’s daughter, who was related to the prophet, so that the Ottoman Sultáns are Seyyids or Sherífs on the mother’s side. Sheikh Túrsún their first divine was a relation of Sheikh Edebáli, and said the first prayer from the pulpit in Sultán Osmán’s name. Brússa soon became populated by mussulman colonists from all quarters.

Description of the Buildings of Brússa.

The interior of the fortress contains two thousand houses, and many high palaces, but no gardens, there are seven quarters and as many mosques, one bath and twenty shops. The mosque of Sultán Orkhán is one hundred and ten feet square, with a mináreh of one story. Sultán Orkhán lies buried here, and the large drum called Orkhán’s drum is suspended in this mosque; it was used during Sultán Orkhán’s reign. The palace in the castle was the residence of the early Ottoman Emperors to the time of Mohammed II., who removed to Constantinople; Sultán Murád I. having previously resided at Adrianople. Since Brússa has had its own Bóstánjí-bashí (like Constantinople) the streets of the castle are paved with large stones, and in some places stones are found with inscriptions of the time of the Infidels, by which may be ascertained how long the houses have been built; they are all built of stone, faced with brick, and have a kind of sexangular chimneys to let out the smoke, which look very well. In some places also grow cypress-nut trees and vines, and from the elevation of the ground, the air is very wholesome.

The public Officers of Brússa.

The first is the Páshá of the Sanják, Khodavendkiár, appointed with a revenue of 618,079 aspers kháss. There are four hundred and twenty fiefs called ziámet and one thousand and five tímárs. The feudal militia is commanded by an Aláï-beg, Cherí-báshí and Júz-báshí, and assemble at the Páshá’s command in time of war. The Páshá leads five hundred men of his own. The judge (Mollá) is appointed with 500 aspers, and is promoted from hence to the posts of Adrianople and Constantinople, it is a high office, valued annually at forty thousand piastres. Seven Náíbs (deputies) in the town are subordinate to the Mollá. The five other districts are those of Kíná, Fileh, Abolonia, Castel, and Chokúrjeh. The civil officers are, a Chokádár of the janissaries, a chamberlain (Kápújí-báshí); the commanding officer of the janissaries, the colonel of the armourers (Jebejí), the officer of the Sípáhís (Kiayá-yerí); the Muftí, the head of the Sherífs, the inspector of the silk, of the custom-house, the Voivode of the town and the provost, who all have power of life and death.

The lower town was fortified in the time of Mohammed III. the conqueror of Erla against the Anatolian rebels Kará Yazíjí, Kalender-oghlí, Delí Hassán, and Jennet-oghlí, but it is not very strong; it extends from East to West to the foot of Mount Olympus for the length of one farsang and the breadth of half a farsang. The circuit is fifteen hundred paces, the walls are not very high. There is but one ditch near the gate of the Tátárs and no where else, and there is no need of it, because if an enemy were to dig approaches, water would rush up in the trenches. Guns and falconets are mounted on the towers, which are fired on festivals; there is no other garrison than the doorkeepers, but there are six thousand guards in the town. The gates are of iron and above each are towers whence grenades and stones may be thrown on the besiegers. The gate of the Tátárs opens to the East, that of Filehdár to the North; and that of Hassan Páshá towards the Kiblah. There are twenty-thousand large and small houses built in the ancient style; the most conspicuous of all is the ancient residence of the Emperors, in the upper town or fortress, it has three baths and three hundred rooms, but no garden on account of the narrowness of the place. There are in the whole town one hundred and sixty-six quarters of Moslims, seven of Armenians, nine of Greeks, six of Jews, and one of Copts. The quarter of the Meskins (Lepers) is a separate quarter leading to the road of Sultán Murád. The upper part of the town with Mount Olympus rising in the background is beautiful when seen from the plain of Filehdár, an hour’s distance from it, and I can truly say that I have seen nothing like it during my travels. Brússa is a very devout town, abounding with Divines, expounders of the Korán and keepers of tradition, who are found no where else so numerous, excepting at Baghdád. Mount Olympus at the back of the town on the south side is a mine of living water, no less than one thousand and sixty well-known springs flow from it, and supply water in abundance to the palaces and houses. It abounds also in all kinds of flowers, particularly in syringa (Erghiwán), the annual assembly of Emír Sultán held in the season when the syringa is in perfection being much celebrated. The inhabitants being fair, the air good, the water full of holiness, contribute altogether, to render Brússa one of the most delicious spots on earth.

Description of the Imperial and other Mosques.

There are in all one thousand and forty places of worship, three hundred and fifty-seven of which are mosques of Sultáns, Vezírs, and other great men. The first is the great mosque Ulú-jami’í built by Ilderím Báyazíd, on an airy elevated spot of Brússa, it is supported within by large square pillars, the bases of which are gilt and painted to the height of a man, with inscriptions, such as, Yá Hannán, “O all gracious!” Yá Mennán, “O all merciful,” Yá Diyán, “O all faithful!” Yá Hassán, “O all beautiful!” and other names of God. The letters of these inscriptions are three cubits high; nineteen cupolas covered with lead and crowned with golden crescents are supported by these pillars. The twentieth cupola is placed on the centre of the mosque, and is left open so that light and air may enter, but birds and animals are shut out by a grating of brass wire. Directly beneath this cupola is a round basin of water, wherein fish are swimming and whence the Moslim community take the water necessary for their ablutions. The pulpit made of black nut is skilfully carved and chiselled with flowers and arabesques of all kinds. It must be absolutely seen, for it is so wonderful that it cannot easily be described, and has no equal any where except at Sinope on the Black Sea. The mahfil or place where the Muëzzins repeat the proclamation of prayer, is painted with great art. The mosque is lighted by glass windows on the four sides, and the floor covered with carpets which are not found elsewhere because this mosque is so richly endowed. It is nightly lighted by seven hundred lamps, and is crowded with people at all hours, because no less than seventy lectures are read here on scientific subjects to two thousand scholars. The distance from one of the side-gates to the other is three hundred and fifty feet, and from the Kiblah to the mihráb one hundred and eighty feet; it has three gates. On the left side, the gate of the Emperor’s oratory (mahfil), the gate of the Kiblah (opposite to the mihráb), and on the right side, the gate of the Mehkemeh. Outside of the Kiblah-gate is a stone bench; it has no great courtyard like other mosques, but a small one, in the centre of which the Muftí Abdul-azíz Efendí has built a basin with water-pipes.

On the right and left are two high brick mináreh, and at that of the Mehkemeh-gate is a fountain (jet d’eau), the water of which comes from Mount Olympus, but it is now in ruins, the pipes having become decayed by age. When it rains the water collects in the basin of this fountain on the top of the Mináreh, and the birds flock hither to drink. In short there is no more holy mosque than this in Brússa; it is the Ayá Sofía of Brússa, and has therefore been described the first, but the first consecrated in chronological order, was that of Orkhán in the upper castle.

The Mosque of Khodavendkiár, or Sultán Murád I.

On the west side of Brússa at half an hour’s distance, in a separate suburb called Eski Kaplijah is Sultán Murád’s mosque, built in a peculiar style, because the architect was a Frank. The lower part is devoted to worship, the upper devoted to science, is distributed into rooms for students, so that each may follow the Imám’s directions at prayer. The length from the Kiblah to the mihráb is one hundred feet, and the breadth seventy feet. On one of the columns appears a falcon, which having been recalled by Sultán Murád I. and not obeying, was by his curse changed into stone. This mosque has one gate, and a mináreh one story high, but no courtyard.

Description of the Mosque of Sultán Báyazíd I.

It is a small mosque, situate on the East side of Brússa, surrounded by fields and gardens, and not much frequented on account of its distance from the town; it is one hundred and fifty feet long and one hundred in width, in the old simple style, and remained unfinished during the war of Timúr, but was completed by Mússa Ilderím’s son.

The Mosque of Mohammed I.

This celebrated and elegant mosque, known by the name of Yeshil Imáret (the green building) entirely built of marble, stands upon a hill on the East side of Brússa, and has two cupolas without columns, one hundred and eight feet long and eighty feet in width. It is impossible to give an idea of the mihráb (altar) and minber (pulpit) because the carving is beyond all conception; the only gate is also ornamented with such elegant arabesque carvings, that they could not be represented finer even by the pen on Chinese paper. The stone-cutter who worked this gate, spent full three years on it, during which he received forty thousand ducats from Mohammed I. as is generally reported; in short, there is no mosque of more elegant and exquisite workmanship in the world. The reason of its being named the green building, arises from the cupola and the mináreh being covered with green fayence which radiates like emeralds in sunshine. Tall plane trees surround the outside. I saw no finer mosque in Brússa, and other travellers say no where else.

Description of the Mosque of Murád II. the son of Mohammed I.

On the west side of the town is a certain suburb composed of this mosque and its appurtenances of colleges, kháns and gardens. The builder was Murád II. the son of Mohammed I. and father of Mohammed II. who died at Adrianople and was buried here. It is a holy mosque and has two cupolas. From the gate of the Kiblah to the mihráb the length is one hundred and fifty feet, the width sixty. The (mihráb) altar, (minber) pulpit and station of the Muëzzins (mahfil) are in the ancient simple style, built in the year 850 (1446). Tall plane-trees adorn the courtyard. Many Princes of the Ottoman family are buried here.

The Mosque of Emír Sultán.

This mosque is built on a mound and is the last of the Imperial Mosques which I visited.

On the east side of the town is the mosque of Monlá Arab Jebbárí, a small mosque built after the model of the great mosque Ulú-jami’í, its fine situation invites the people to pray there. The mosque of Uftádí Efendí is in the inner castle. Of the Mesjíds or small mosques (where Khutbeh is not said on Fridays) it is the principal. The Mesjíd Zeiniler, the building of the Muftí Abd-ul-latíf, where I read the Korán from beginning to end in one day, without interruption. Here the Mollá Khosrew composed his famous book. At that time two hundred lead-covered mosques and seven hundred minárehs might be seen from Kází-yailá, a height half way up Mount Olympus.

The Colleges of Brússa.

The colleges are those of Orkhán, Ilderím, Murád, Mohammed I., Emír-sultán, Issa-beg, Kássem páshá, Joneid, Kadrí, Tenárí, Zein-ud-dín Háfí, Báyazíd-páshá, and Hamza-beg.

The Convents, Imárets, Kháns, Fountains, Mills and Sebíls of Brússa.

There are three hundred convents, the most handsome of which are, that of Mevlana Jelál-ud-dín containing eighty cells for Dervíshes, and a place for the dance (sima’a). That of Emír-sultán entirely covered with lead, which stands on a high hill. That of Zeiniler of the sect of Na’amán Ben Thábet. That of Uftádí Efendí, in the inner castle, of Khalvetí dervíshes. That of Abdál Murád Sultán of the Begtáshís, men fervent in piety, who bareheaded and barefooted with open breasts, wait upon the Moslims who frequent this delightful walk; it was built by Orkhán and possesses more than a thousand kettles, pans, and copper vessels; visitors perform their devotions here. That of Sheikh Kílí near the camel-driver’s station, the dervishes are Begtáshís and very poor, having no endowment, it was built by Sultán Orkhán. That of Abdál Sultán Mússa built by the same. That of Ak-bi’ík Sultán of the order of Begtásh. That of Abú Ishak Kasúlí who is buried at Erzerúm within the gate of Tebríz. That of Gulshení; seventeen Convents of Khalvetís; nine of Kadris; three of Nakshbendís; one of Rúfa’áïs; one of Kalenders, and one of wrestlers.

The Imárets (dining establishments for the poor) are those of Murád I. Ilderím Báyazíd, Emír Sultán, and that of Mohammed I., called the green one.

There are one hundred and eight kháns; the principal one is the rice khán, which has iron gates, a large stable, worthy of Antar, with two hundred cells; the silk khán, of the same size, where the inspector of the silk resides; the custom of the silk is let for three hundred purses a year; the butter khán on the gate of which is suspended a cask, which, being filled with búza, was once drank out by a single man who had laid a bet that he would do it. There are also seventy kháns called Mujerred Kháns for unmarried people. The cáravánseráï of Alí Páshá was built by Sinán the famous architect, and has doorkeepers.

The fountains of Brússa amount to the number of two thousand and sixty, every one of which vies with the spring of life. The Muftí Azíz Efendí himself built two hundred, his name appearing on all of them, with an inscription begging for a fátihah from those who drink. Besides these public fountains, each of the twenty-three thousand houses has its own supply. From certain springs water-courses pass from house to house, along the streets, and carry water to many basins, water-pipes, baths and gardens. The town being built at the foot of Mount Olympus, and the houses rising in rows one above the other, the water naturally flows to them. There are seventeen fountains, from which this large quantity of water is derived, the principal one is that called Búnár-báshí, which rushes out of the rock in several places on Mount Olympus and spreads itself over the town. The head fountains of Súnderlí, of Chatál Kainak, of Kepíz, of Náshí Dersí, of Sobrán, of Arejlí, of Chárshú, of Bellor Kainak, of Samánlí Kainak, the latter obtained the name of straw-boiler, because it issues from Mount Olympus, flows for some distance underground, and comes out again at another place, which is proved by the re-appearance of straws that have been put into the upper part of the stream; the Sheker Kainak (sugar-boiler); the Selám Kiassí Kainaghí; the Királ Kainak (king’s boiler); the Murád-dedeh Kainaghí; in short there are seventeen large fountains which yield the clearest and coldest water; but the channels decaying in the course of time, the keepers of the aqueducts, at night, throw horsedung into them, by which the openings are obstructed and the purity of the water is spoiled; they would not dare to do this in the day-time because they would be punished for it by the public officers.

The Water-mills are an hundred and seventy, which succeed one another from the head fountain (Búnár-báshí) to the fish-market and all the way down from Balabánjik; also in the valley of Eghzándí, at the tanners, the quarter of the lepers, the foot of the Castle, the gate of Hassán Páshá, &c. The establishments for distributing water (Sebíls) are six hundred. Although here, as at Brússa, there is such abundance of water that these establishments are superfluous, yet the generosity of the Ottoman Sultáns provided them for the distribution of iced water in the summer months.

Praise of the Baths of Brússa.

The cleanliness and elegance of the bath of Sultán Mohammed is beyond all description; the bath of Ainebegí-Charshú was founded by Ilderím Khán; the bath of Takht-ul-kala’; the bath of Kayaghán Charshú; the bath of Bostání, of the castle of the Cutlers, of Murád, and of Ilderím, have all two rooms each (Chifteh). There are besides three thousand private baths in the palaces, some of which are also devoted by the proprietors to public use. The hot-baths in Turkish are called Ilíjeh; in Arabic, Maíhamím; in Persian, Germáb; in Rúmelí, Kainarjeh (boiling); and at Brússa, Kaplíjeh (from [Greek: kapnos] smoke, which hangs over these hot springs;) in the Mogolic language they are called Kerensa, and in Europe, bagnio. These springs are impregnated with sulphur from mines which they pass through underground, and when mixed with cold water, are equally wholesome for bathing or drinking, but if drank to excess, it is said, they cause the teeth to fall out. There are many hundred hot springs at Brússa, which being neglected in the time of the Infidels, were not covered. The hot-bath of old Kaplíjeh, built by Murád I. has a great cupola covering a large basin ten feet square, on the four sides of which are washing-tubs, with two retired cabinets (Khalvetí), upon entering these the flesh feels soft as an ear-lap and all uncleanliness is boiled as it were from the body. To drink the water is a good remedy for palpitation and throbbing of the heart; but a certain method is prescribed to those using the baths, which if neglected brings on pleurisy.

The following are the rules to be observed:—First, take a common ablution at the edge of the basin, then wash the head with warm water, throwing some over the body preparatory to walking into the bath, till the whole body is covered, do not remain too long, and dress quickly upon coming out, in order to avoid catching cold; this precaution is necessary, and if neglected causes many ailments. The most powerful of all the hot-baths of Brússa is that of Murád I. the dressing-place being built in the old style is not cold.

Description of the hot spring of Chekirgeh Sultán.

The building is small, but its water is very useful in leprosy; lepers who have been afflicted for forty years, are cured if they drink and bathe here forty days. Persons affected with this disease lose their eyebrows and eyelashes, and their breath becomes infectious. God avert it from us! There are for this reason separate quarters for the leprous (Meskin) in all towns in Rúm.

Description of the sulphurous hot spring (Gogurdlí Kaplijeh.)

It is a small building, the spring is very hot and sulphurous; it is principally used as a remedy for itch and scab, and the waiters (Dellák) know how to treat people so affected. Those who can bear to be rubbed by them in the private cabinets for half an hour, will see within twenty-four hours a miraculous alteration; the skin peels off in black scales, and the body appears white as silver. In short, the suburb of old Kaplíjeh, where the above springs exist, consists of three hundred houses with gardens and hot springs, some for men, some for women, some for children, and some for old men. The inhabitants of Brússa, who are acquainted with their qualities, come here to stay a fortnight with their relations, and use the baths.

Description of New Kaplíjeh.

It stands near the town on a rocky place, and all the buildings are covered with lead, like those of old Kaplíjeh. It was formerly a small building, but Sultán Súleimán having been cured of the gout here, he ordered his Vezír, Sárí Rostem Páshá, to build a large bath. The travellers of Múltán, Balkh and Bokhara, say, that they have no where seen a bath so magnificent as this. Its dressing-room is a vast place covered with cupolas, capable of holding a thousand men; on its walls is written in Ta’lík letters, a Turkish verse, saying;

“In life on your apparel lay no stress

As every body must his body here undress.”

In the centre of this dressing-room is a basin, and in the middle of the basin a fountain. There are more than a hundred inspectors walking round in high pattens, besides clean waiters (Dellák). The interior basin (the bath itself) has a cupola which some say is one hundred cubits high, it is covered with lead, and pierced with six hundred glass windows; the basin is like a sea into which you descend by six marble steps; at its four corners are figures of lions and dragons, which spout the water from their mouths. In the cooling place (Súklik) is a fountain (jet d’eau) which reaches to the top of the house. On the side of the basin are eight large vaults, underneath each of them is a bathing trough of stone, where those who perform their ablutions can see those who swim in the basin. The floor of the whole bath is paved with variegated marble, as though enamelled by goldsmiths. It has two private cabinets (Khalvetí), in that on the right is a small basin, the water of which is extremely warm, but when mixed with that of a cold spring which is adjacent, a proper temperature is obtained. Though this hotbath is not in such good repute as the former, yet it is a pleasant place, where lovers delight with their beloved, especially in the long winter nights; when these baths are lighted with candles, a thousand tricks are played by the bathers, some diving, some swimming, some wrestling in the water, some swelling their aprons into sails, others spouting water from their mouths, some lying dead flat on the water, others joining hands and imitating the cries of boatmen, “Tírá Molá,” drive the water round like a whirlpool, which forces all those who are in the water to follow the quick rotation of it.

There is also a private hotbath, called Kainárjeh, which, with many others, I did not see, because I was a stranger, and only setting out on my travels.

Description of the Market of Brússa.

There are nine thousand shops. The Bezestán is a large building with four iron gates secured with iron chains; its cupola is supported by strong columns. It contains three hundred shops (doláb) in each of which merchants reside, who are as rich as the kings of Egypt. The market of the goldsmiths is outside the bezestán, and separate from it; the shops are all of stone. There are also the markets of the tailors, cotton-beaters, capmakers, thread merchants, drapers, linen merchants, cable merchants, and that called the market of the bride, where essence of roses, musk, ambergris, &c. are sold. The brains of the passers by are refreshed with the most delicious odours, and nobody is willing to leave it on account of the fragrance of the perfumes and the politeness of its merchants. These markets are established around the Bezestán, and the shops are arranged in rows. In each corner is a fountain supplying water out of two pipes. In the summer months the servants sprinkle the ground with water, so that the whole market resembles a serdáb or cooling place of Baghdád. The principal men of Brússa sit here during the hottest hours of the day. According to the descriptions of travellers there is no where to be found so pleasant a market place. The market of Haleb and of Alí Páshá at Adrianople are famous, but neither they, nor even those of Constantinople, are to be compared with the markets of Brússa. The saddlers, and the long market are the most crowded; and the one occupied by the sellers of roast meat near the rice khán is very elegant. None of the provisions at Brússa are sold by Infidels but all by true Moslims. The shops of the Sherbet-merchants are adorned with all sorts of cups, and in the summer-time they put flowers into the sherbet and also mix rosewater with it, which is not the custom any where else. The fruit merchants ornament their shops with branches bearing fruit. There are seventy-five coffee-houses each capable of holding a thousand persons, which are frequented by the most elegant and learned of the inhabitants; and three times a day singers and dancers execute a musical concert in them like those of Hossein Bikara. Their poets are so many Hassáns, and their story-tellers (Meddáh) so many Abúl-ma’álí. The one most famous for relating stories from the Hamzeh-námeh is Kúrbání Alí, and Sheríf Chelebí enchanted his hearers by those he told from the Sháh-námeh. Other story-tellers (Kissah Khán) were famous for reciting the tales of Abú Moslem the hatchet-bearer, which may be compared to the memoirs (Seir) of Weissi. All coffee-houses, and particularly those near the great mosque, abound with men skilled in a thousand arts (Hezár-fenn) dancing and pleasure continue the whole night, and in the morning every body goes to the mosque. These coffee-houses became famous only since those of Constantinople were closed by the express command of Sultán Murád IV. There are also no less than ninety-seven Búza-houses, which are not to be equalled in the world; they are wainscoted with fayence, painted, each capable of accommodating one thousand men. In summer the Búza is cooled in ice, like sherbet; the principal men of the town are not ashamed to enter these Búza-houses, although abundance of youths, dancers and singers, girt with Brússa girdles, here entice their lovers to ruin. The roads are paved with large flint-stones, a kind of paving not met with elsewhere; these stones are not the least worn by age, but they are dangerous for horses, who stumble on them because they are so hard and bright.

Description of the bridge of Erghándí.

A market for weavers is established on both sides of the bridge of Erghándí at Gokdereh (the valley of Olympus) the small windows of each shop look on to the torrent of Gokdereh, which flows beneath. The shops are covered with lead, and the bridge is shut in on two sides by iron gates pierced with loopholes. A part of the bridge is reserved for the use of strangers to fasten up their horses. There is no covered bridge like this, either in Arabia, Persia or Turkey. The name of this bridge, Erghándí, is derived from the word Erghalándí, which signifies, “it has been shaken,” and to which the following tradition is attached:—

In the time of Sultán Orkhán, a warrior, going early to the bath here, heard a voice, saying, “Shall I come out or not?” The soldier being a brave fellow, called out, “Come out,” adding a curse or two; when out broke from the place whence the sound came, a rich treasure, with great shaking and trembling of the earth (Erghálandí). The soldier, upon seeing such a quantity of gold coins, went and related the story to Orkhán, who advised him to spend in pious works, what Heaven had thus granted him. He took the treasure to his home, paid a tenth of it to the revenue, and then built this bridge, which took its name from the circumstance. There are forty-eight large and small bridges in and about Brússa. The streets and some of the markets are adorned with festoons of grapes, which grow here in great plenty, and others with tall plane-trees and willows. Brússa is truly a garden-town; the number of gardens is said to be forty-seven thousand, all abundantly supplied with water.

Description of the Walks and pleasure-places of Brússa.

Of these there are no less than three hundred and sixty-five, so that there is one for every day in the year. The finest is that of Búnár-báshí, where if you eat roast meat and drink of the water, you feel hungry again immediately; of such digestive power is the water: a mosque adorns this famous walk. The walk of the Mevleví-kháneh, or convent of Dervishes, built by Orkhán, where twice a week the Mevlevís assemble for their religious dances (sima’á), and afterwards take their pleasure in the fields. The walk of Abdál Murád Sultán is situate in a valley high up on Mount Olympus, whence the finest view of Brússa is obtained. The verdure is so luxuriant, that the earth seems covered with green velvet. There are plane-trees, willows, cypresses and box-trees, of an immense height, under the shade of which ten thousand men may procure shelter. Swings are fastened with ropes to some of these trees, where lovers and their beloved swing each other. There are benches for company and benches for prayer; it is a most delightful place, and extends as far as the eye can reach. The walk of Fissdíklí is adorned with pine-trees, and is a secluded but very pleasant corner. The walk of Karanfillí, on the way to Kaplíjah, is a resting-place. The walk of Kaplí Kiaya is a fine spot without any buildings, and surrounded by woods, and that of Abd-ul-múmen is above all praise. Outside of the town, to the east, in a chesnut-wood, half an hour’s distance from the foot of Mount Olympus, stands the fountain of A’ssá, which is said to have rushed forth by a miracle, when the great Saint Emír Sultán struck his staff (a’ssá) into the ground on this spot. The chesnuts are grafted trees, each not weighing above forty drachms. The walk of Sobrán is also adorned with chesnut-trees. The place of Ulumest is a convent for the accommodation of strangers. The pleasure-place of Kazí-yailá (the judge’s Alp) is situate half-way up Mount Olympus, and is ascended from below in five hours. The Okmeïdán, or archery-ground, is so pleasant a place, that it is beyond all description. The walk of the Monks’ mountain (Olympus) obtained its name from its having been the retreat of Greek Monks.

A Dissertation on Mountains.

God created one hundred and forty-eight mountains, as locks of the earth, which is held together by them when shaken by earthquakes; this is hinted in the verses of the Korán, “His (God’s) are the keys of the earth and Heaven;” and again, “and the mountains as pales”. According to geographers there are in the first climate, nineteen; in the second, twenty-seven; in the third, thirty-one; in the fourth, twenty-four; in the fifth, twenty-nine; in the sixth, thirty-six; and in the seventh, thirty-seven great mountains. The root of all mountains is mount Káf, thus designated by the verse of the Korán, “Káf and the glorious Korán;” it surrounds the earth and is reached by the Kalmúks beyond the ice-sea; they call it in their language Yaldarák Ták. If it pleases God, I shall describe it when I undertake that journey. Since the time of Alexander none but the Kalmúks have seen Mount Káf, they assemble every forty or fifty years to the number of seventy, or eighty thousand, in order to visit it. The Caucasus (Kúh-al-burz) faces the desert of Tartary called Heihát, the great mountain of Germany (Riesengeburg), and the mountain of the moon twenty farsangs beyond the equator, where the Nile originates. Mount Olympus was the first of these mountains which I ascended with a goodly company; we took litters, tents and all necessary preparations with us, and set out from Búnár-báshí ascending during five hours. The first height, Ghází Yailá, is so called because the Moslim victors (Ghází) had a station here during the siege of Brússa, which lasted a whole year. It is a pleasant spot with meadows and chesnut-trees, a small rivulet running through it is full of trout. From this place a full view of the town of Brússa is obtained. Five hours further on is the table-land called Sobrán Yailássí, a large plain with chesnut-woods; trout are also found in the lakes of it; we took a great many of them, and ate them fried with fresh butter; each fish seemed like one of the dishes Jesus multiplied amongst the people (six thousand men). Some hundred thousand sheep graze here, descended from the forty thousand sheep of Sultán Osmán: the shepherds are Turks, they brought us some sheep as a present, which we immediately roasted, and passed the night in the open air. Next day we mounted again in a south-east direction (Kibláh) the road lined with hyacinths, roses, basilicon, and other flowers, the scent of which perfumed our brains. We refreshed ourselves with water from the living spring, and came after three hour’s travelling to the place called Menzíl Bakajak, where we halted three days and three nights in the woods, delighting in fresh fish and roasted sheep. This place is called Bakajak, or look-out, because from hence on the nights previous to Ramazán they watch for the new moon, and, as soon as they see it, light a fire to give notice to the town, where the guns are fired to announce the commencement of the fast. This look-out is on the top of an isolated rock, which stretches towards the town like an elephant’s proboscis and hangs over so deep a precipice that nobody dares look down. From it the plain Filehdár, with all its villages, fields, and cultivated grounds appear, like a picture on paper. It is so steep and prominent that the great mosque, the castle and bezestán of Brússa seem as it were sinking into the base of the mountain, and from the summit cannot be seen at all. Rocks towering to the sky take the appearance here of many strange shapes, such as dragons, elephants and eagles. We mounted still further in the direction of the Kiblah through flowery meadows, where no tall trees were to be seen, and after five hours came to the station of Sultán Suleïmán’s fountain-head. A delightful spot with a spring of water so cold that a man cannot take out of it three stones in succession. There is here a large mass of rock the size of the cupola of a bath, which vibrates on being touched, and also many rivulets containing trout of one or two becas each. These rivulets and brooks being frozen in the winter, the head ice-man, (Kárjí-báshí) sends two or three hundred persons to cut the ice, which, transparent as crystal and brilliant as diamonds, is used in summer to cool their sherbet by the inhabitants of Constantinople and Brússa. Some hundred ass-loads are every day embarked at Modania for the use of the coffee-houses, Imperial kitchens, and the Imperial Harím; for the Vezírs, the Kází-askers, and the Muftis.

Description of the Ice-worm.

This is a worm, which is found in the midst of ice and snow as old as the creation, but is difficult to find; it has forty feet, and forty black spots on its back, with two eyes as red as rubies, all ice, without a tongue, and its interior filled with an icy fluid; it shines like a diamond but melts quickly away, because it is all ice. In size, it is like those cucumbers which are sold for seed at Lángabestán, sometimes larger, sometimes smaller. The ice-worm I brought to Sultán Ibrahím was smaller than a cucumber. It is an aphrodisiac, sharpens the sight, and makes a man as healthy and vigorous as a new-born child. It is rarely found, and falls but to the lot of kings! It is said that on the Caucasus they are of the size of dogs, with four feet, living and walking among the ice and snow. Faith be upon the teller! I have not seen them.

Above the station of Súleimán vegetation ceases and the mountain is barren. Kulleí Jehán, the tower of the world, is on the topmost peak of the monk’s mountain (Olympus) whence beneath your feet the clouds may be seen passing over the town. It is a journey of two days from Brússa to the top; being so very high it is entirely barren; the mountains of Cútahía are seen from the south side; the mountains of Sogúd from the East, and from the west side the mountains of Galipolis, beyond the White Sea. The summits of the Seven Towers and of the Minárehs of Sultán Ahmed, may be discerned from hence when the sun shines on Constantinople. From its height, it is so much exposed to the wind, that if men did not cling to, or shelter themselves behind, the rocks, the wind would blow them away like cotton. On the highest spot is a burying place, the four sides composed of immense stones; it is the tomb of Sa’dán the son of Landha, who is said to have taken refuge here from fear of Hamzah. Near it is a deep dark cave which leads to seventy or eighty small cells, where Monks resided in the time of the Byzantine Empire; on some of them are inscriptions in Greek and Latin, two thousand years old. People who come to the top also write their names in this place. We again mounted our horses and came after ten hours ride, ascending and descending, to the Victor’s height, Ghází Yailá, from whence, after another ride of ten hours, we arrived at Brússa.

Language, Dress, and Manufactures of the Inhabitants of Brússa.

There are many thousand rich merchants and learned divines who dress in sable pelisses. Being in Asia, the language is related to the Turkish, hence they say Ahmed Chepú instead of Ahmed Chelebí; Memet Chepú instead of Mohammed Chelebí; Assmíl instead of Ismaíl; Jafár instead of Ja’fer, besides some words and expressions entirely unknown; young men of the town however speak with great purity. Their principal occupation is the cultivation of silk, the manufacture of velvets and other stuffs of Brússa called Sereng and Chátma, it is also famed for the manufacture of cushions for sofas.

The Climate of Brússa.

The longest day is fifteen hours: the inhabitants are fresh-coloured on account of the healthy air, but as Mount Olympus intercepts the southerly winds, the air is dull and heavy when they blow. The youth are numerous and have been celebrated in many a town-revolt (Shehrengíz). The women are exquisite beauties, with well-arranged teeth, and well-arranged words; their hair curled and dressed in tresses is celebrated in the poetical expression Kessúí merghúleh. The men attain a very old age; in short the pleasant advantages which this town affords are not to be met with elsewhere. The people are of a graceful stature, silver bodies, cautious, and so eloquent that when they speak they never fail to produce the greatest effect on their hearers.

The Eatables, Beverages and Fruits of Brússa.

The first is white bread of the kind called Súmún, which is as good as the best of Constantinople; then that sort of bread called Chákil, like white roses; the Gozlemeh, the Kerdeh, a kind of roast mutton dressed over a stove (Tennúr). The sheep which are very fat come from Mount Olympus. The white Halvá of Brússa is also celebrated.

The beverages are the delicious water of the head fountain Búnár-báshí and seventeen other principal springs; excellent coffee from Yemen, very good búza, the sherbet Khanedán-beg (smiling Prince), that of Tírelí-oghlí, Karan-fillí and Shujáb.

The fruits are forty-day pears, exquisite grapes, apricots, cherries, and chesnuts famous all over the world. These chesnuts, weighing forty drachms each, are put on spits with the meat, the juice of which penetrates them; they grow so succulent that it is almost impossible to leave off eating them till one dies. The seven day mulberries are also famous. The plain of Filehdár is laid out in mulberry plantations, because the chief product of Brússa is silk, which is said not to be equalled by the Persian silk of Shirwán.

The manufactures are those of ruby-coloured velvet, like that made at Genoa, Brússa linen of different colours, aprons called Kirk-kalem, purses of silk, silken nets, and finally cushions of cut velvet called Chátma munakkash katífeh.

Visit to the Monuments and Tombs of the first Ottoman Sultáns.

The Seljúk family arrived in the country of Rúm (the Asiatic provinces of the Roman Empire) in the year 476 (1083). They first allied themselves with the Danishmend family, and occupied with them the districts of Malatia, Cæsarea, Alayeh, and Konia. The Seljúkians took up their residence in the latter town, while the Danishmend family resided in those of Sivás and Erzerúm. Melek Ghází died at Nigissár and is buried there; Ala-ud-dín the prince of the Seljúk family, called Toghrúl-beg, the ancestor of the Ottoman family from Mahán was a relation of his, and created him a Beg; he made some inroads from Konia on Nicæa, Brússa and Nicomedia. Ertoghrúl-beg, who was invested with drum and banner, had not yet the right of striking coins and of the Friday prayer, he was buried at Sogudjek near Nicæa. His son Osmán-beg was the first absolute monarch of the Ottoman family whose name was struck on the coin, and prayer said by Túrsún Fakíh, 699 (1299). He married the daughter of Sheikh Edebálí who became the mother of Orkhán, and through whom the Ottoman Sultáns are related to the prophet. Until the time of Mohammed II. these princes were called Beg. Mohammed II. was the first called Sultán by Akshems-ud-dín and whose name was struck upon coins. Selím I. was then proclaimed servant of Mecca and Medina by Kemál-páshá-zadeh, and Ebúsúd Efendí the famous Muftí added to the title of Sultán Súleimán, that of Sultán of two lands, and Khakán of two seas, because he had conquered Baghdád and Rodos, but if he lost either of them he was to lose the title also.

Short account of the Conquests of Osmán Khán.

He conquered the castles of Bílejik, Ainegol, Kara-hissár, Inogí, Iznik, Kopru-hissár, Elibád-hissár, Castel, Kítah, Bígha, &c. Osmán-beg reigned twenty-one years after the death of Sultán Ala-ud-dín, and died at the age of sixty-nine, after having reigned twenty-six years, at the moment Brússa fell into the hands of his son.

Conquests of Sultán Orkhán.

The Castles of Yází, Kogreh, and in Rúmelí, Yanbolí, Galibolí, Moderní, Kojá Elí, Iznikmid, Belakabád, Brússa, Taraklí, Goinek, Karassí, Bálikersí, Bergama, Adremyt, Ashlúna, Rodosto, and Búlair; the last was conquered by Súleimán-páshá, Orkhán’s son, who lies buried there.

Visit to Sultán Orkhán’s Tomb.

Sultán Orkhán died in the year 771 (1369), he is buried with his father Osmán beneath a cupola in the mosque of the inner castle; he died, after a reign of forty-one years, at the age of sixty-four; he was a mild monarch, a father to the poor, and a warrior in the ways of God. The divines of his time were David Kaissarí of Caramania, he was named Kaissarí because he was brought up at Cæsarea, he commented on the text of Mohay-ud-dín Arabí and was a second Taftazání in mystic science. He was the first Professor (Muderris) of the College which Sultán Orkhán built at Nicæa. Molá Ala-ud-dín commonly called Eswed Khojá (the black master) who commented doctrinally on the work Moghní-ul-lebíb and also on the book, Wikayit. Molá Jenderelí Kará Khalíl, who was first created Kází-asker of Anatolia by Orkhán. Molá Hassan Kaissarí, one of the greatest Jurisconsults; he wrote a good commentary on Andalusian prosody, he was a disciple of Mohay-ud-dín, and completed his education at Damascus.

Notice of Hájí Begtásh, the great Saint.

When young he never mixed with other boys but sought retirement and scorned all worldly pursuits. He refused to accept the dignity of Sultán which was offered him by his father, who died a Prince in Khorassán. Forty years long he did nothing but pray and fast, and arrived at such a degree of perfection, that in the night, during his sleep, his soul migrated from his body into the world of spirits, and he became filled with the mystic science of spirits, and divine knowledge. One Day the men of Khorassán asked him to perform a miracle as a proof of his sanctity; he then performed many miracles, and was acknowledged by all the great men of Khorassán to be their superior. My ancestor, the pole of poles, the Sultán of learning, the fountain head of science, the chief of the Sheikhs of Turkistán, Khojá Ahmed Yessúí Ibn Mohammed Hanefí, was his disciple, and hinted that he had received from him even the gift of direction to bliss (Irshád), and of true Dervishship, which Gabriel brought from Paradise, with its symbols, the crown, the habit, the carpet, the lamp, the table, and the banner, to Mohammed the true fountain-head of all Dervishship. The prophet delivered the direction to Imám Alí, from whom it came to his son Hossein, who bequeathed it to Imám Zein-ul-ábedín, who left it to Ibrahím Almokerrem, who when in the prison of Merván handed over to Abú Moslim, the crown and gown, carpet and table, lamp and banner, the symbols of Dervishship. From him they came to the Imám Mohammed Báker, then to his son Imám Ja’fer, and to his son Mússa Kázím, and from him to Ahmed Yessúí the head of the Sheikhs of Turkistán, who being asked by his disciples to leave to them the aforesaid symbols, never consented till Hájí Begtásh made his appearance, who became by the possession of it, the pole of the poles (Kutbal-atkáb).

Hájí Begtásh of Khorassán was the son of the Seyyid Ibrahím Mokerrem, who died in the prison of Merván, as it has been just said, and there is no doubt of his descent in direct lineage from the Prophet; the history of Ain Alí gives, however, the following genealogy: Seyyid Mohammed Hájí Begtásh, the son of Seyyid Músá Nishabúrí, son of Seyyid Ishak Essákin, son of Seyyid Ibrahím Mokerrem El-askerí, son of Seyyid Mússa Ebí Sebha, son of Seyyid Ibrahím Elmurteza, son of Imám Músa Alkázim, who had thirty-seven children. Hájí Begtásh’s father left Khorassán after his father’s death and established himself at Nishabúr, where he married Khatmeh the daughter of Sheikh Ahmed and by her had Hájí Begtásh. While yet a boy he was distinguished for his devotion, and was entrusted to the care of Lokmán, one of the disciples of Ahmed Yessúí, from whom he learned the exoteric and esoteric sciences. Lokmán had been invested with the religious habit of Imám Ja’fer by the hand of Báyazíd Bostámí. With this habit Lokmán invested Hájí Begtásh. This is the crown or turban which has twelve folds in remembrance of the twelve Imáms, and the white abbá with sleeves like a jubbeh, which is worn by the Dervishes of the order of Begtásh. By order of Ahmed Yessúí he accompanied Mohammed Bokhara Sáltik with seven hundred men, Shems-ud-dín Tebrízí, Mohay-ud-dín Al-arebí, Kárí Ahmed Sultán, and other pious men and Saints into Rúm, where the Ottoman dynasty took its rise.

Hájí Begtásh instituted the new militia called Yenícherí, and having established his seven hundred disciples in the towns conquered by Sultán Orkhán, he sent Mohammed Bokhara Sárí Sáltik into Dobrúja, Wallachia, Moldavia, Poland and Russia. The seven hundred convents of Dervishes, Begtáshí, which actually exist in Turkey, are derived from the seven hundred disciples of Hájí Begtásh. Hájí Begtásh died in Sultán Orkhán’s reign, and was buried in his presence in the capital of Crimea, where a Tátár princess raised a monument over his tomb. This monument having fallen into decay Sheitán Murád, a Beg of Cæsarea of Sultán Súleimán’s time, restored and covered it with lead. If it please God we shall describe it in its proper place. Sheikh Seyyid Ahmed Ruffa’í, buried at Ladika near Amasia. Sheikh Hassan Rufa’í, buried at Tokát near Sunbullí, was the nephew of the former. Sheikh Geigli Bábá was a Dervish of the Begtáshís. Sheikh Kárá Ahmed Sultán a Persian prince, who when on his travels came to Sultán Orkhán, was initiated by Hájí Begtásh, and is buried at Ak-hissár. Sheikh Abdál Mússa Súltán, and Sheikh Abdál Murád, both of Sultán Orkhán’s time.

Short account of Sultán Murád I.

He gave caps (Úskúfa) to the janissaries, embroidered with gold; built a mosque at Bilejk, another mosque at Brússa and a convent for Postín Púsh Bábá. He was assassinated in the year 791, after the battle of Khassova, by Milosh Kúblakí. A cupola is erected over the spot, which was renewed by my gracious Lord Melek Ahmed Páshá.

Tomb of Sultán Murád I. Khodavendkiár.

He is buried on the west side of Brússa near old Kaplíjah, beneath a large cupola. His arrow, bow and quiver are suspended over his tomb, with the bloody garment in which he was killed, which fills with awe all who enter this monument. He was seventy years of age at his death, and had reigned thirty.

Short account of Ilderím Báyazíd.

Besides numerous conquests in Anatolia, he passed seven times in one year from Anatolia into Wallachia, and from the rapidity of his movements obtained the name of Ilderím (lightning). He besieged Constantinople, and established a judge there and seven hundred Mussulmán houses, from the Flour-hall (Ún-kapán,) to the Rose mosque, also the tribunal of Sirkejí-tekkieh. In the year 805, following bad advice, he waged war against Timúr, and was taken prisoner by the Tátárs after a long struggle on foot, his horse having been thrown down. Brought into Timúr’s presence, he was well received, but Timúr asking what he would have done to him had he been taken prisoner; Báyazíd answered, that he would have put him into an iron cage and carried him to Brússa; Timúr being enraged, ordered Báyazíd to be put into an iron cage, intending to carry him into Persia, but he died on the third day of a violent fever.

His son, Mohammed Chelebí pursued Timúr’s army towards Amasia, and had tents made of the skins of the slain Tátárs, beneath which he sheltered himself from the sun. The field of the above defeat is called to this day, in derision, Táshak-ová-sí. He took his father’s corpse from the enemy, and buried it in the mosque he had built at Brússa. Sultán Murád IV. when he visited this tomb gave it a kick with his foot, saying: “What, do you lie here like a monarch,—you, who have destroyed the Ottoman honour, and have been made prisoner by the Tátárs?” At the moment he kicked the coffin, he cried, “Oh! my foot!” and from that day was attacked by the gout, which carried him off. He lived sixty-seven years, and reigned fourteen; he was a great Emperor, but could not war against fate.

The Divines of his time were Sheikh Sheháb-ud-dín Sivássí, who composed a valuable commentary, and is buried at Aya Solúk (Ephesus); Khosb-ud-dín of Nicæa, who contended much with Timúr; Simánezadeh Sheikh Bedr-ud-dín Ben Mahmúd Ben Abd-ul-azíz; the Mevlená Fakhr-ud-dín the Persian, buried at Adrianople; Sheikh Abd-ur-rahím Ben Emír Azíz Merzifúní, and the Sheikh Pír Elías, who is buried at Amasia.

Short account of Sultán Mohammed I.

He first shared the Empire with his brethren Súleimán, Mússa, and Issa Chelebí, whom he subdued in one year and became absolute monarch. He built Yerkoí (Gimgera) on the banks of the Danube. He died in 824, and lies buried beneath a painted cupola before his mosque called the green building, (Yeshil Imáret), he was forty-seven years old, and had reigned seven years. He was the first who sent a Surreh, or present of money, by the caravan of pilgrims, to the poor of Mecca and Medina. He finished the old mosque at Adrianople, the foundations of which had been laid by his brother Mússa, and built a cupola near Philippolis over the tomb of Ghází Mohammed Beg, at the place called Kúnis.

The divines and learned men of his time were Kara Shems-ud-dín Semaví, famed for his works and travels, who was exiled from Brússa to Zaghrah in Rúmelí, where he is buried. Sheikh Abd-ul-latíf Mokadessí Ben Abd-ur-rahmán Ben Alí Ben Ghánem.

Short account of the Reign of Murád II.

The soldiers having revolted, dethroned him under the pretext that he had grown too old, and put his son Mohammed II., who was only thirteen years of age in his place; but being found incapable to hold the reins, the janissaries again displaced Mohammed II. sending him to Magnesia, and recalled old Murád to the throne. Afterward in the year 855 they deposed Murád II. for the second time, and Mahomed II., then twenty-one years old, obtained absolute sway, and took up his residence at Constantinople. His father died the next year (856) at Adrianople, but was buried at Brússa. He lies in more magnificent state than any of the Sultáns buried at Brússa, his tomb being covered with a golden stuff. He was thirty-nine years old when he died, and had reigned twenty-eight years. He built the mosque Ujsherfelí at Adrianople, two other mosques, a Dar-ul-hadíth, a Bezestán, and the bridge of Erkeneh with a mosque. He was the first who assigned a salary to the Seyyíds or Sherífs.

The Divines and Sheikhs of his time were Zekeriah Khalvetí, the disciple of Pír Elías, who is buried near him, and Sheikh Abd-ur-rahmán Ben Hassám-ud-dín, commonly called Gumishlí-zádeh; he was the son-in-law of Pír Elías, and having had the honour of kissing the hands of the three sons of Murád II., he foretold to Mohammed II. that he would conquer Constantinople, and establish the true faith there.

Tombs of Ottoman Princes.

Ala-ud-dín Páshá, son of Osmán, who died in 804, lies near his brother Orkhán; Shehinshah, son of Báyazíd, Governor of Brússa; Mohammed, son of Báyazíd, and eight princes, brethren of Sultán Selím I. whom he killed when going to war against Prince Ahmed, are all buried near Orkhán; also their brother Ahmed, who was strangled by Sultán Selím, and sent hither. Ahmed’s son Murád fled into Persia to Sháh Ismaíl, where, at the end of three years, he died, and was buried at Erdebíl near Sháh Safí. Two of his brothers, who had been spared at the intercession of the Ulemas, died soon after at Constantinople of the plague, and are also buried here. Korkúd, who, persecuted by Selím I., was taken at Tekkah in a cavern with his governor Piáleh and killed (909), is buried beneath a private cupola near Murád II. Prince Hassan, the son of the latter and brother of Mohammed II., and who was strangled soon after his brother had ascended the throne, also lies buried here near his father; so also does the unfortunate Jem, brother of Báyazíd II. He left a cup, which, on being emptied, filled itself again, an ape who played at chess, and a white parrot, which was dyed black by Sa’dí the poet of Jem, and presented to the Sultán, saying the words, “We belong to God, and return to him.” In the year 1074 (1663) at the time I, poor Evliyá, was on my journey to Vienna, Prague and Lúnjat (?), I conversed with many monks and patriarchs, who all agreed that Jem was the son of a French princess, who being taken by Mohammed II. at the point of the Seraglio, became the mother of Báyazíd and Jem. The three brethren of Mohammed I., Issa, Mússa and Súleimán are buried beside their father Báyazíd at his mosque. There are many hundred princes and princesses buried at the mosque of Sultán Murád II. at Brússa. Chelebí Sultán Mustafa, the son of Súleimán I., who, on the invidious report of his enemies, was strangled by his father, also lies buried in the tomb of Sultán Murád II., though some pretend that he is interred on the east side of the courtyard gate of Eyyúb, but that is another Mustafa, who was killed by his father Súleimán, he having had two sons of that name. The first six Ottoman emperors are also interred at Adrianople, at the heads of their coffins a particular kind of turban is placed, with folds and farthingales, after the fashion of Mahán, the town of Khorassán. The art of folding them has descended from father to son in one family, from the time of the Seljúkians. Mahommed II. wore the Urf (a kind of round turban), and the conqueror of Egypt wore the Selímí; may it last for ever!

Visit to the Tombs of Saints at Brússa.

Sheikh Geiklí Bábá Sultán was one of the followers of Ahmed Yessúí, and came from Azerbeiján. He used to ride on wild roes in the woods, and load gazelles with his baggage after he had harnessed them. He planted a tree near the Seráï in the castle at Brússa, which has now arrived at a great height. His tomb at Brússa in the great convent was built by Orkhán.

Abdál Mússa, also a disciple of Ahmed Yessúí, came from Khorassán with Hájí Begtásh to Rúm. He was a companion of Geiklí Bábá, and was present with him at the conquest of Brússa, where he was buried in a convent.

Abdál Murád Sultán, one of the Saints lost in abstraction (Santons), who was present at the conquest of Brússa. He is buried in a convent facing the town on the South side, in a pleasant place, which is at the same time a pleasure garden for the inhabitants of Brússa. A sword, three cubits long is shown here from which Sultán Ahmed I. cut off one cubit’s length, which he placed in his treasury.

Molá Shems-ud-dín Mohammed Ben Mohammed Ben Hamza Ben Mohammed Fanarí, the sun of hidden things, and the moon of life, one of the first divines of Sultán Ilderím, has left works on seventy different scientific subjects, but by God’s will became blind at last. It is related that having opened the grave of his master Kara Ala-ud-dín, a voice was heard saying: “Art thou there? God deprive thee of sight!” and a whirlwind rising at the same moment blew all the dust of the grave into his eyes, by which he became blind. He was one of the divines who denied the verse; “The earth does not eat the flesh of the Ulema.” Aúz-páshá, Sultán Orkhán’s Vezír, having a spite against Fanárí, said, “May I see the day on which I shall perform the prayer for the dead over this blind Mollá’s grave.” This being told to the Mollá, he said “God Almighty can yet take away the sight of the Páshá, and give me back mine to perform prayer on his grave;” and it so happened that Aúz-páshá having had his eyes put out by command of Sultán Orkhán for a badly executed commission, Fanarí had his sight restored to him the same night, and performed the prayer of death on the Páshá. He died in the year 833, and reposes at Brússa near his college.

Shems-ud-dín Mahommed Ben Alí, called Emír Sultán, born at Bokhára, came first to Mecca, and then to Medina, where the Sherífs refused to give him the portion allotted to the Sherífs, though he was entitled to it by his descent from the prophet through Hossein. The Saint appealed to the decision of the prophet himself, and went to his tomb accompanied by his adversaries, where, having saluted the grave, a voice was heard, saying: “Health to you my child, Mohammed Ben Ali, go to Rúm with the lamp;” upon hearing which the Sherífs instantly threw themselves at his feet, and Emír Sultán undertook the journey to Rúm, whereupon a lamp suspended in heaven became his guide to show him the way, and was only extinguished when he entered the town of Brússa. He took this as an evident sign that he was to fix his residence there, where he had four hundred thousand disciples. The inhabitants of Brússa had seen the lamp for three days, and knew by that miracle that he was a great saint. They all became Dervishes under his direction. Báyazíd Ilderím not only walked on foot by the side of his stirrup, but also gave him his daughter Nilúfer Khánum in marriage. Ilderím having built the great mosque Úlújámí at Brússa, and having asked Emír Sultán whether it was not a perfect mosque, the Saint answered; “Yes, it is a very elegant mosque, but some cups of wine for the refreshment of the pious are wanting in the middle.” The Sultán replied with surprise; “How, would it be possible to stain God’s house with the liquor forbidden by the law.” “Well,” said the Saint, “thou hast built a mosque, Báyazíd, and, find it strange to put cups of wine therein; and thou whose body is God’s house, more excellent than a talisman composed of the divine names, or the throne of God, how is it thou art not afraid of staining the purity of this godlike house with wine day and night.” From that moment Báyazíd, repenting, left off drinking wine. When Timúr marched against Brússa the inhabitants being alarmed, inquired of Emír Sultán what was now to become of the town. The Saint said, “the commander of the town having recommended it to the care of Eskejí Kojá and Khizr, they must be informed of it.” Ilderím being defeated, Emír Sultán wrote a note which he sent by one of his Dervishes into the camp of Timúr, with an order to deliver it to Eskejí Kojá, that is to the chief of the tailors who mend old clothes. Having read the Saint’s note, he said, “Emír Sultán shall be instantly obeyed;” he stuck his needle in his turban, and before he could put up his things in his bag, all the tents of the camp were broke up by the power of his command, because this old tailor happened also to be a pole of poles, or great Saint. Emír Sultán died in the year 833 (1429), and is buried outside of Brússa to the East, beneath a high cupola; the gates are inlaid with silver, so also is the entrance, by which you descend six steps. The walls are covered with variegated china (Chíní). The four windows looking westward to the field of Brússa are brass; four others look towards the Kiblah into the yard of the mosque. The great number of suspended ornaments which adorn the interior of the mosque are equalled only by those of Medina; the silk carpets are richer than are found elsewhere. The tomb is encircled by gold and silver lamps, candlesticks, candelabras, and vases for perfumes and rosewater. On the coffin lay Koráns by the hands of Yakút Mostea’-assemí, Sheikh Bekrí, Abd-allah Krími Kháledí, Timúrjí Kúlí, Zehebí, Ibn Sheikh-dedeh Mohammed, Kará Hissári, Hassan Chelebí, &c. The coffin is covered with silk embroidered with gold, and at the head a large turban reposes majestically. Those who enter are struck with such awe, that many do not dare attempt it, but only look into it by the window at the head, and recite a Fátihah. On the south side of the tomb is a very elegant mosque, the four sides of which are laid out in cells for the poor, who dine here at the Imáret. When Sultán Selím I., after the death of his brother Ahmed, visited the tomb of Emír Sultán, a voice was heard, saying: “Enter Egypt in security,” which was interpreted as news of the conquest of Egypt, which Emír Sultán promised to Selím I., and on that intimation Kemál-páshá-zádeh instantly said a Fátihah.

The Muftí of divine secrets, the champion of mystic illumination, Sheikh Abd-ur-rahmán Ben Alí Ben Ahmed Al-bostámí, a great lawyer, who was also a good poet, is buried at Brússa. Sheikh Abd-ul-latíf Mokadessí Ibn Abd-ur-rahmán Ibn Alí Ibn Ghánem Al-anssarí, having visited the tomb of Sadr-ud-dín at Konia, the dead saint stretched out his hand from the tomb, drew the Sheikh to him on the grave, and ordered him to read the Súrá Yass. He then built the convent Zeiniler, where he is buried. There lived not a greater Saint than him in the time of Sultán Mohammed I.

Mevlana Mohammed Shah Ibn Mollá Yegán, one of the Úlemas of Murád I., buried at Zeiniler. Mevlana Yússúf Bálí Ibn Yegán, who wrote notes on the Telvíh. Mevlana Seyyid Ahmed Ibn Abd-allah who also wrote notes on the Telvíh. Mevlana Elias Ben Ibrahím, who wrote an abridgement of the Kodúrí Sheik Ak Bi’ík Sultán of the Dervishes Bairámí. Sheikh Uzún Mosslah-ud-dín, who died at Táj-ud-dín’s tomb at Brússa, after having read the Korán for the space of forty days. The pole of the spiritual world, the mine of divine science, Fanárí, a great divine of the time of Murád and Mohammed II., died 834. The Santon (Mejzúb) Abdál Mohammed on the great road. Sheikh Sultán Ramazán Bábá, buried in a pleasant meadow at Brússa in a convent of Begtáshís.

Sheikh Abú Ishak Kazúní, his name was Ibrahím, his surname Abú Ishak. His mother, Shehriár, was an Armenian princess and married to one of the princes of the white sheep (Baiandurí.) He was born in the year 352, in the month of Ramazán, and was the pole of poles in his day; he is buried at Erzerúm, inside the gate of Tebríz, beneath the same cupola with Murteza Páshá, who gave up Eriván to the Persians. When I visited this place the keeper was an old woman with a white beard, whose story is as follows. At the time of the rebellion of Abáza Páshá some of his Segbán came to the village Kánkoí, with the intention of ravishing a beautiful Armenian girl, she being aware of her danger, turned her face to heaven and said, “O Abu Ishak deliver me from these rioters, and I for the remainder of my life will watch thy tomb.” At that moment a white beard grew from her chin, and she thus escaped the pursuit of the Segbán. I have myself seen her three times. The chapel in memory of Kazúní, which exists at Brússa, was built by Ilderím; it is opposite to the burying place of the Camel-drivers.

Chekirkeh Sultán at Eskí Kaplíjah, before the monument of Murád I. Shádí Sultán near Emír Sultán. Abd-allah Efendí. Sheikh Emír Alí Efendí of the order of Khalvetís. Karaja Mejid-ud-din. Karanfillí-dedeh at Hassan Páshá’s gate. Sunbullí-dedeh at the Tátárs’ gate. Sheikh Alí Mest in the same place. Mollá Arab Jebbári at the foot of the mountain. Mollá Ashjí-dedeh, Hassám-ud-dín Chelebí, Kháliss-dedeh, &c. Mollá Khosreu Ibn Khizr, the author of the celebrated canonical work, “Durer-u-gurer;” he is buried near Zein-ud-dín Háfi. There is a small dark cell, wherein he composed this precious work, which I did not leave until I had finished the lecture of the whole Korán in it, as an offering to the blessed spirit of Mollá Khosreu. Sheikh Abd-ul-latíf Mokadessí the Imám of Ilderím Khán. Sáurimssakjí-zadeh Súleimán Efendí buried near the old Kaplíjah, he is the author of the “Mevlúd-námeh,” or hymns on the Prophet’s birth sung on his birth-day. Mollá Bagdádí-zadeh Hassan Chelebí Ibn Yússúf Albagdádí is buried at the convent of Zeiniler, where he lived and died. Mollá Hassám-ud-dín Hossein Ben Mohammed, known by the name of Kara Chelebí-zadeh, buried before the mosque of Emír Sultán. Sheikh Mohammed Uftádeh Efendí of the order of Jelvetís, buried in the mosque of the inner castle, with a large convent near it. Mollá Kemál-ud-dín known by the name of Karadedeh, born at the village Súvinsa near Amasia; he was a tanner, and did not begin to study until he was sixty years old, seven years afterwards he became Professor of the college of Murád at Brússa; he lived many years after this, and wrote a great number of books; the work “Dedeh-júngí” is of his composition. He is buried near Emír Sultán. The Muftí Azíz Efendí who was Sheikh-ul-Islám in Sultán Súleimán’s time, and being exiled to Brússa died there. Mollá Alí Ben Sáleh celebrated by the name of Vassí Alí, the author of the “Húmaiún-námeh” (the Turkish translation of Pilpay’s Fables). Sheikh Núr-allah Ben Ak-Shems-ud-dín, who having fled from his father to Brússa, accidentally killed himself with his pen-knife, and is buried near Zeiniler. Mevlana Abd-ul-ghaní Emír Sháh, his birth-place was Bolí and he is buried at Zeiniler.

There are besides, some hundred thousand great and holy men buried at Brússa. Many of their tombs I visited and said a Fátihah in remembrance of their noble spirits, but I do not know their names. In remembrance of those whom I have named, I said the Súra Yass, and recommended myself to their favour and assistance. I began my travels with visits to many great Saints, and said a Fátihah on behalf of all the Faithful. Health to you, and God’s mercy upon them all! During forty days and nights I enjoyed all kinds of pleasure at Brússa, and with my companions took leave of our friends on the 20th of Safer 1050; Okjí-zadeh Aghá accompanied us as far as the bridge of Nilúfer, from whence we reached Modania in four hours. Here we sent back our horses, embarked in a light boat, were tossed about by a stormy sea, and at last reached Bozborún with the greatest difficulty at the end of twenty-four hours. It was formerly a good harbour but was neglected because it did not afford sufficient shelter. There is a khán and a small mosque, some bakers and búza seller’s shops, and no other trace of good buildings, but it is surrounded with fine gardens. The walls of the mosque are covered with inscriptions by passengers complaining of this wretched place, there is no possibility of saying a word for it, because all who reach this point storm-beaten, have the same cause of complaint. The inscriptions are in different languages, all lamenting or cursing this place of Bozborún. One cannot refrain from laughing at some of these odd inscriptions, which are both in prose and verse. I was obliged to wait here two days, which I spent with ten or fifteen gay companions walking amongst the gardens and vineyards, which lie to the East, and eating pears. We walked about three thousand paces into the district of Armúdlí belonging to Brússa, from whence a Súbáshí is established here. It derives its name from the quantity of pears (Armúd) which grow on all the hills, in the valleys, gardens and vineyards. It is a village of three hundred neat houses, faced with brick, a mosque, a bath, three mesjíds, a khán and ten shops, the air is very pleasant. We spent a night here, and in the morning the boatmen advised us to make haste because the wind was favourable, which, God be praised, carried us out of this sad whirlpool of Bozborún. At cape Bábá-borún at the foot of Kátirlí-tágh we said a Fátihah in honour of Bábá Sultán, and beat up towards Constantinople. We arrived at last at Agios Stephanos (St. Stefano) which is ruled by a Súbáshí, under the Bostánjí-báshí of Constantinople, and by a guard of janissaries (Yassakjí Kúllúghí), it is in the district belonging to the Mollá of Eyyúb. In the time of the Infidels it was a large town, which was ruined at the siege of the Arabs by Omar Ibn-ul-azíz in the Khalifat of Súleimán Ibn Abd-allah. It is now a large Greek village of five hundred houses faced with brick. It has a convent, some small streets and two churches. We disembarked here and passed the night, walking next day along the sea shore for three hours to the garden of Iskander Chelebí, which belonged to the Defterdár of Sultán Selím II., who having died without children, the garden became an Imperial one. There is an Ustá or master with two hundred Bostánjí. The Muftí Hossein Efendí, who had been accused by his enemies of ambitious and dangerous schemes was first exiled to this place by Sultán Murád IV. and was afterwards seized by the Bostánjí-báshí, strangled and buried here. He is the first Muftí in the Ottoman history, who like the martyrs of Kerbela died a violent death; he could repeat forty thousand Fetwas by heart. We took horse here and rode along the shore in sight of our ship advancing by the aid of oars, with our baggage.

Thus returned I, poor Evliya, on the 25th Safer of the year 1050, to Constantinople, went the same day to my paternal house, and kissed the hands of my father and my mother. My father crossing his hands said: “Welcome, welcome, traveller of Brússa!” I was astonished to hear this as I had not told anybody where I was going to, but my father said: “In the night of A’shúra the 10th of Moharrem, when I was anxious about thy being lost, I performed many efficacious prayers, and read the Suna (Ena Atainak) a thousand times. The same night I saw in my dream that thou wast gone to Brússa to implore Emír Sultán’s assistance in thy travels. That same night I gave thee leave to go this journey, which may God bless! but now, my son, sit thee down, touch my left ear with thy right hand, and hear my paternal advice.” I did so, and he gave me many moral maxims, and much good advice on the manner of my travels, enjoining me to compose a faithful and detailed account of them; when he had finished he gave me a strong box on the ear, concluding his lesson with a Fátihah. I kissed my father’s hand, who then gave me twelve valuable books and two hundred well-coined ducats to provide for my travels, and gave me leave to set out for whatever place I liked. I then also kissed the hands of twelve great Sheikhs, and to my unspeakable joy obtained their blessings on my undertaking. This gave me great satisfaction, and the same week in the first days of Rebí-ul-evvel, I agreed with one of my relations Kúl Oghlí Mohammed Reis for a voyage to Ismíd (Nicomedia).

JOURNEY TO NICOMEDIA.

“May God bless and make easy the voyage, Amen!” On Friday at Yemish-iskeleh, after having performed the Friday prayer in the mosque of Akhí Chelebí, where I remembered the vision I had had there of the Prophet, whose hand I kissed, saying, “Siyáhat (travels)” instead of “Shifá’at (intercession) O prophet of God!” and having given thanks and prayed for health and faith, we embarked on our voyage, saying “In God’s name!” (Bis millah). With a fresh breeze we weathered the point of the Seraglio, passed Chalcedonia, the point of Tener-baghjeh and ran straight before the wind to Darija, a square castle on a chalk cliff eighty miles from Constantinople. This castle is built of stone, has one gate, which looks on the harbour, thirty houses faced with brick, one mosque, but no market or bath, and neither commander nor garrison. It is said to have derived its name from the children of Darius, who were imprisoned here in a cave; it was conquered by Mahommed I. in the year 827 (1423), is ruled by a Súbashí and belongs to the district of Gebízeh. Below the castle there are three hundred neat houses faced with brick, a mosque, a khán, a bath, and small streets; its harbour is the port of Gebízeh. At an hour’s distance from here the road to Erzerúm and Baghdád passes through mountains. The wind not being favourable we rowed to the passage where travellers to Konia, Haleb, Damascus and Mecca embark in flat-bottom boats to pass over to Hersek-dílí on the opposite shore, in order to save the going round the gulf which is eighty miles long, and at the end of which is situated Nicomedia. In the harbour of Gebízeh-dílí (the passage on this side) are two old kháns, two bakers-shops, a búza-shop, two grocers-shops and a fountain, erected by Mustafa Aghá the Bostánjí-báshí of Sultán Murád IV. 1048 (1638). Here we again embarked and after rowing three hours arrived at the mineral spring (Ichmesú), where we disembarked with all our friends, pitched our tents on the shore, and gave ourselves up to quiet and pleasure.

Qualities of a Mineral Spring.

In the month of July annually, many thousand men from Constantinople assemble here, and live merrily under tents during the space of forty days and nights, amusing themselves with firing muskets and guns. Sick persons drink of the water from the well for three days, which causes vomiting, and relieves the stomach of a quantity of offensive bile, while the lower evacuations cleanse the intestines of worms and similar matters. It is a white, clear water, with a slight bitter taste, and issues from a chalk cliff. The regulations prescribed for its use enjoin a three days fast as a preliminary, no meat or any thing salt must be eaten; on the fourth day the patient drinks a cup of water morning and evening, taking care to keep himself warm: he continues to drink the water for the next three days, taking for food chicken-broth without salt. When the water has had its effect fifteen times, further operation is stopped, by drinking soup seasoned with lemon-juice. After this regimen the patients embark and go to the hot-bath of Yalova directly opposite, where they rest themselves, washing and cleansing their bodies.

We then re-embarked, and after half an hour’s rowing arrived at the village of Ainehájí on the sea-coast, a Turkish village with a mosque and sixty houses. Eight hours further rowing brought us to the village of Zeitún-burní (Olive Cape) a port of Nicomedia, where the ships belonging to the Aghá of the Janissaries take in their cargoes; we were pleased with the cultivated appearance of the country on either side the gulf, and at the end of eight hours more came to the large town of Nicomedia. It was formerly a strong built and populous place, the ruins of which still remain; and is said to have been built by Alexander, to whom the foundation of Scutari is also ascribed; and the canal which was cut from the lake of Sábanja to the gulf on one side, and from the river Sakaria to the Black Sea on the other, causing Kojá Ilí and Nicomedia to be completely insulated; but that communication was choked up by Constantine, and Nicomedia ceased to be an island. It would be an easy thing to re-establish this canal, by which means wood might be procured at a very low price. Nicomedia was conquered by Sultán Orkhán in the year 731 (1330) and destroyed, in order that it should never again afford shelter to the Infidels. A large square tower of that period is still standing on the sea-coast, garrisoned by seamen, which is now a repository for wood and timber. When Orkhán besieged this town he gave the first command of his troops to Kojá Baí, to whom he said, “Isnim vár git,” (You have my leave, go,) which became the name of the town, by contraction of Isnim-git into Ismit. After the conquest of Nicomedia, and Kojá-Baí had subdued the adjacent country, it was called after his name Kojá Ilí and Nicomedia was made the capital of it; but by the order of Sultán Mohammed II., Nicomedia was added to Anatoli, and many times since has been given as Arpalik to Vezírs of three tails. The imperial Khass amounts to twenty-six thousand, five hundred and twenty-six aspers, twenty-five ziámets, one hundred and eighty-seven timárs. The judge is appointed with three hundred aspers a day, but his annual revenue may be reckoned at five thousand, and that of the Páshá at twenty thousand piastres. The port is much frequented by great merchants; its public officers are, a commander of the janissaries and Sipahís, a Muftí and Nakíb-ul-ishráf. The merchants, most of whom trade in wool, are richly dressed; the invalids of the janissaries (Otúrák) and Kúrijí are wealthy. The town contains three thousand five hundred elegant houses with gardens. The largest is the Seráï of Sultán Murád IV. which is appropriated to the Emperors, and guarded by two hundred Bostánjís; the next is the Seráï of the Páshá. There are altogether twenty-three quarters, three of which are occupied by Infidels, and one by Jews; and twenty-three mosques. At the old market is the mosque of the tribunal with one minareh; the mosque of Pertev-Páshá, with a leaden cupola and one mináreh, stands on the sea-shore, it was erected by order of Pertev-Páshá who was governor here for seven years in the time of Sultán Súleimán. It is an elegant, bright mosque built by Kojá Sinán. There is no establishment for reading the Korán or tradition. The best bath is also that of Pertev-Páshá, it is a fine building, there is good air and water, and attentive waiters. The bath of Rostem-Páshá, like the former, is Sinán’s work. The best khán is that of Pertev-Páshá with seventy fire-places. Besides the kháns, two hundred magazines for wood and other materials are in the port, one thousand one hundred shops of handicraftsmen, and forty coffee-houses, the most brilliant of which is that of the Serdár, famous for its waiters. This town has no stone-built Bezestán, but many valuable things are notwithstanding to be met with in the kháns and shops. Near the palace of the Emperor is the Imperial arsenal. The houses of the town are all on the side of the mountain, with the windows looking towards the sea. The streets are all paved with white stone. At the back of the houses the mountain is laid out in gardens. The inhabitants are healthy, the air and water being very good; their complexion is white. The woody mountains East of the town are called Aghá Danesí (sea of trees), an immense forest in which it is very easy to lose one’s way; here are trees towering into the skies, under which ten thousand sheep find shelter in their shade, which the sun’s rays cannot pierce. In these thick forests are many saw-mills and works which must be seen, for they cannot be described; they cut trees of one hundred cubits length, and the trees of Yalova are famous all over the world. At the end of the gulf are salt-marshes which afford pure salt, and are under the direction of a salt-inspector. The white cherries and red apples of Nicomedia are famous.

Pilgrimages of Nicomedia.

On the west side of the town is the tomb of Sheikh-zadeh Mohammed Efendí, a great Sheikh of the order of Khalvetís, and a great alchemist. He distributed food and clothes amongst the brethren of his order, though he never had any fixed revenue. I was entertained for ten days in the house of my relation Kúl-oghlí Mohammed Chelebí in this town; then embarked and went to the opposite shore only three miles distance, whence after a journey of thirty miles, we reached the port of Deal, the further side of which is called Gebízeh’s Deal, while this side is called Hersek’s Deal or tongue. The origin of this tongue of land is ascribed to a Dervish, who having been refused a passage by the ferryman, took up earth in his apron, and threw it into the water, where it grew out immediately into a point, on which he walked to the length of twelve thousand paces, to the great fright of the ferrymen, who saw that he was going to unite the two shores and stop their living. They ran after him, and did not desist from entreating him, till he left the remainder of the sea open, and entered their boat. He is buried at the Deal of Gebízeh, on the spot called Deal-bábá. At Hersek Deal is a large Khán for travellers who wait there for a passage; Hersek-oghlí Ahmed Páshá was Vezír to Mohammed II., and this Khán, built by him, bears his name. We set sail, and at the end of fifty miles reached the castle of Kara Yalaváj, built by a Greek princess, and named Kara Yalaváj-oghlí, who conquered it in the time of Osmán. The castle was destroyed at the siege, which was difficult and prolonged, the ruins still remain; in the time of Ilderím this castle was said to belong to the sanjak of Brússa. The judge is appointed with one hundred and fifty aspers. There is a commanding officer of the janissaries and a Súbashi, the town has seven-hundred houses, faced with brick, and seven mihrabs. In the Market-place is a mosque with a minareh capable of holding a great number of people, one bath, three kháns and from forty to fifty shops, but the air being very heavy, agues frequently prevail. Its yoghúrd and fruits are excellent. Having visited all that was worth seeing here, we entered our chariots (araba) took a south east direction, and at the end of five hours arrived at Germáb Jihán-námah, a pleasure spot in the midst of thick forests, where we found a couple of hundred tents. We pitched ours and entered into conversation with the guests, who come here after taking a course of the purgative waters at Deal, to cleanse themselves in the hotbath, which was built in the time of Yanko Ben Madián. Helena, the daughter of Yanko, being leprous and exiled to these mountains, discovered by accident the marvellous quality of these waters; by bathing in them, she became cured of her leprosy in forty days, which was the cause of this building being erected. Her father built six cupolas, of which two are yet existing, with a large basin beneath, the water of which is extremely hot, but is pleasant when mixed with cold. These baths are frequented by a great many people in the cherry season. We remained here a whole week, after which we again started, and at the end of a five hours journey, came to the castle of Samánlí, which was conquered in Sultán Osmán’s time by Samánlí-oghlí from whom it took its name. Its castle is in ruins, and there are but an hundred and fifty houses with gardens, a mosque and three mesjids, belonging to the district of Yalova. The air is heavy. We embarked for the island of Heibelí, distant twenty miles, which is nine miles in circumference, and which we have already mentioned in our journey to Brússa. Six miles further on is the island Táshánlí, which derives its name (Hare island) from the infinite number of hares, found there; it is only one mile in circumference, and is uncultivated. The tree Rakíta (?) grows on this island. After rowing eight miles we came to the island of Búrgházlí with a strong but small castle, situate on the chalk cliffs by the sea-shore. The island is eleven miles in circumference, and is called Búrgház from its castle ([Greek: pyrgos]) it has three hundred houses with fine gardens and good wells, and is ruled by a Súbashí and Yassakjí, the inhabitants are all Greeks, and are rich masters of boats. The island abounds in goats and hares. Their wealth is ascribed by the author of the Taríkhí Yalován, to the loss of a richly laden Spanish fleet which was wrecked among the Prince’s Islands in the time of the Greek Emperors, the cargo of which being thrown on shore or fished up by divers, enriched the inhabitants of Kizilata (Prince’s Island), Heibelí (Khalki), Borgházlí (Antigone), Táshánlí (Platys or Oxia), and Kanálí (Proti). The latter island is eight miles in circumference, has a convent and a village of one hundred houses. Ten miles distant from it is Kizilata (the Prince’s Island), a cultivated island of twenty miles in circumference, with a village of two hundred Greek houses. It is called Kizilata or the red island, from the appearance of its mountains, and is near Scutari. On its four sides Daliáns (look-outs for catching fish) are established. These islands are seven altogether, ruled by the Bostanjí-báshí, and form part of the Captain Páshá’s province, who appoints the Súbashí and a Yassakjí. These seven islands are eighteen miles distance from Constantinople, in a line between Constantinople and Yelova. I passed seven days visiting these isles, the weather being unfavourable. At last the wind became fair, and I entered Constantinople on the first of Rebi-ul-ákhir, after a month’s absence, landing at Wood-gate. I kissed the hands of my father and mother, presented them with some gifts from Nicomedia, and received their benediction. Ketánjí Omer Páshá, an old and particular friend of my father having been named governor of Trebisonde, he appointed my father as his Kapú Kiaya or agent at Constantinople, and I accompanied him on the journey to his government.

JOURNEY TO BATUM AND TREBISONDE.

In the beginning of Jemazi-ul-akhir, 1050, after having taken leave of my friends, I embarked at the Flour-hall in the ship called Kara-mursal of Fertíl-oghlí of Trebisonde, and in three hours time arrived at Yenikoí on the Bosphorus, which has been already described in the first volume. We there took in five hundred quintals of biscuit, and ten boat-loads of ballast. In seven hours more we reached the castle of Kavák, which was built by Sultán Murád IV. as stated in the first volume. Here we read a Fátihah for a prosperous voyage through the mouth of the Bosphorus, and, trusting in God, we sailed along the Asiatic rocks, and arrived at the harbour of Irva on the frontiers of Kojá-Ilí, a district with a Súbashí, a mosque, a khán, from forty to fifty magazines, and one hundred houses faced with brick and surrounded with gardens. The south and south-east sides are all gardens. We took in water, and advanced by rowing, along the Asiatic shore. At the end of thirty-six miles we came to Shila, a jurisdiction of Kojá-Ilí, here are six hundred houses faced with brick, with a garden to each, and a mosque at the head of the harbour. The small town of Kefken has a bath, some shops and a khán. One hundred miles further on we arrived at the island of Kerpe, which is twenty miles in circumference, but is uninhabited; it is but a mile distant from the continent of Kojá-Ilí. The small town of Kándria, with gardens, mosque, khán and bath, is in the mountains of Kándrí at four hours distance from the island. The river Sakaria here disembogues into the Black Sea; it rises from the mountains of Cútahia, goes to Kiva, a place belonging to the district of Nicomedia, and falls into the Black Sea near Kerpe. There being no wind we rowed ten miles further on, and came to Akcheshár, a Voivode’s residence in Kojá-Ilí, here is a judge with an income of one hundred and fifty aspers. It was formerly a fine town, but burnt by the accursed Cossacks in the reign of Ahmed I. There are now only six hundred Turkish houses, some faced with brick, and others of wood; on the market-place stands a brick-built mosque, forty shops but no Bezestán, a bath and three kháns, one of which was formerly covered with lead. The cultivation of the place is now in a very low state. It is the harbour of Bolí; on the shore are seventy magazines full of wood and timber. Mountain on mountain rises on the east side of the town, and gardens appear one above the other; the people are healthy on account of the purity of the air. We passed Ereglí (Heraclea) and the tower of the shepherds (Chobán Kúlessí) a small castle on a lime cliff, but not garrisoned. Near it is the statue of the builder, very like life. We passed the rivers Túfadár and Bárten, the last of which is a great river, where Egyptian ships enter to be loaded. The Castle of Bárten was built by the Genoese; and is situated at the end of a gulf eighteen miles in depth. We went from hence eighteen miles further north, and arrived at Amassra (Amastris) built by the Greek Emperors, the seat of a Voivode belonging to the sanjak of Bolí. The castle is a strong square building on a high hill, it was attacked at different times by the Russians, who were always compelled to retreat. It has no Dizdár, but a judge with an income of one hundred and fifty aspers, and a commanding officer of the janissaries. In the castle is a mosque and some mesjíds, but no dining or reading establishment. Amassra is situated on the east of Sinope, distant five days journey by land, and one hundred miles by sea. It is also on the east side of Heraclea, at a distance of four days journey by land, and fifty miles by sea. The climate and fruits of this place are much praised. On the east and west side are two excellent ports, the safest refuge in the world; at the eastern harbour is a bath, and good magazines. The river Kayú forms the frontier between the sanjak of Bolí and Kastemúní. It is forty miles from here to the harbour of Kadoz; at the distance of seventy miles is reached the point of Kerenbe, a cape like that of Sinope; on the rocks are some remarkable inscriptions.

The castle of Ainebolí was built by the Genoese, and is now the seat of a Súbashí, subordinate to Kastemúní; the judge is appointed with one hundred and fifty aspers. There is a commanding officer of the janissaries, a Dizdár and garrison. The castle is a strong pentagon on the seashore; its gate looks to the east, the houses are all faced with brick, in the market-place are mosques and mesjíds, a bath and shops, it is the landing-place of Kastemúní, but has no good harbour. We rowed from hence till we came in sight of the cape of Sinope, and anchored before Shátir-koí, a pleasant village, where all the passengers went on shore. The high mountains (Balkán) are covered with tall trees, which afford excellent timber for the large ships that are built here. The inhabitants are all ship-builders. Sixty miles to the north, along the seashore, lies the village of Istefan belonging to Kastemúní; the houses are faced with brick, and seven miles beyond is the town of Sinope.

Description of the Ancient Town of Sinope.

Omer Ben Abd-ul-assíz, the nephew of Súleimán Ben Abd-ullah of the Ommiades, having laid siege to Constantinople without effect, also besieged this castle, but retreated without taking it. It was conquered by Úlú-Beg the Lord of Kastemúní, and again in the year 796 by Ilderím. As it is an extremely strong fortress, it was with difficulty taken after the third siege. It is a free fief entirely separated from Kastemúní; a Dizdár, Serdár, a judge, Muftí, and Nákíb-ul-ishráf, are the authorities of the place.

The inhabitants are a commercial people, being mechanics and merchants, with some Sheikhs and Ulemas. They commonly wear ferrájís of cloth and caftáns of Bogassin. The mountains on the east and Kiblah side of the town are laid out in gardens. The town of Kastemúní is three journies distant on the east side. Sinope is situated on a cape of the Black sea, which bears the same name. Opposite to it on the European shore of the Black sea are the rocks of Kilghra Sultán, and the Black sea appears between them like a straight, which widens towards Constantinople and Trebisonde. Sinope is five hundred miles distant from Constantinople, and lies on the west side of Samsún at four journies distance. The castle stands on a high hill with triple walls of Shedád (gigantic or cyclopean) and was built by the Greeks. It is seven thousand paces in circumference, and has six thousand six hundred battlements, and eight gates, viz. the sand-gate, the place-gate, the arsenal-gate, the new-gate, the hospital-gate, the gate of the inner castle, (Lonjá), the Oghran gate, and the gate of the inner castle towards the sea. All these gates are of iron and double. The lower part of the castle on the seashore is washed by the waves on the two sides, its form is an oblong square; viewed from the top of Mount Búzdepeh it appears like a ship’s deck divided into three parts. The commander is a constant prisoner, for the inhabitants are empowered by an Imperial rescript to kill him if he goes further from the castle than the distance of a cannon’s shot. The garrison consists of six hundred brave warlike men. In the time of Sultán Ahmed, on a dark night, the Cossacks took the town by escalade, and the great Vizír Nassif Páshá, was put to death for having concealed it from the Sultán. It was retaken from the Infidels and garrisoned with fifty additional men, and provided with one thousand quintals of powder, a great number of large and small guns, and other arms. From that period the watch has been kept nightly by two hundred officers and Chaúches, and after the music of sunset the guards, cry their “all’s well,” (Yeg dir Allah). The Infidels tried several times to retake it, but were routed and driven back in great confusion, and God be thanked! they have made no new attempt since the reign of Sultán Murád IV. The town is divided into twenty-four quarters, those of the Infidels are on the sea-beach; one thousand one hundred Infidels pay the tribute (Kharráj) and one hundred are exempted because they are employed in renewing the fortifications; there are five thousand and sixty ancient houses of stone, with slated roofs, facing the sea to the west. The oldest mosque is that in the castle of Ala-ud-dín which has a lead-covered cupola, and a mináreh one hundred paces long, in a fair proportion, with three gates. The mihráb and the place of the Muëzzins are of exquisite workmanship, but the minber is so elegant that angels alone could adequately describe it; I will make the attempt, but it will be like a drop in the ocean or a mote in the sun. It was composed by ancient masters of six different kinds of marble, which are so well put together that even the cleverest artists, such as Jemshíd would be unable to discover the joints. All the flowers and blossoms of the earth are here skilfully engraved and carved, so that in all Islám there is no minber to be compared with this, unless it be that of the great mosque at Brússa, which, nevertheless, cannot compete with it in the abundance of floral ornament; in short, all travellers and artists who behold this minber, place the finger of astonishment on their mouths, for it seems more like a supernatural than a human work. Being situated in the suburb of the Castle, it is always crowded with people whose prayers are put up to Heaven. The remaining mosques are the Súleimánie in the inner castle with one mínáreh; the new mosque near the gate of the Meidán (Almeida); the Ayá Sofiáh, an old mosque faced with brick, the mosque Kefelí outside of the gate of the Meidán, and that of Mohammed Aghá with a well proportioned mínáreh.

The Baths are as follows:—The bath in the upper part of the market is a double one, that of the lower is a single one like that on the sea-shore, Yallí, the building, the air and the water are equally pleasant and agreeable. There is the college of Sultán Ala-ud-dín and sixty abecedarian schools. When I visited this town, the inhabitants boasted, that there were two thousand boys and girls who had learned reading and knew the Korán by heart. There is an Imaret, a house for lectures on Tradition, and three for reading the Korán, and one thousand shops, full of valuable goods; provisions, the white bread especially, and beverages are good. The harbour is excellent, affording shelter for ships against all quarters of the wind; there is no better port in the Black sea unless it be that of Báliklava; the best water is found here, and the beautiful symmetry of the Turkish youth of both sexes is to be attributed to the mildness of the climate.

I visited the tombs of Sídí Belál Sultán, Súbhan Khojá, that of Jují Sultán, in the green monument within the Castle; that of Kází-Beg Sultán in the college of Ala-ud-dín, that of Bekir Khojá below it, that of Imrza Efendí at the Sand-gate, and those of Hamza and Emír Efendi near it.

South of the town is the high mountain called, Búzdepeh (ice peak) opposite to which the rocks of Kilghra are seen on the European shore; foxes, jackals and bears abound on this mountain. We spent three days in this town, then re-embarked and at the end of three miles came to Findíják-ághzí, whose inhabitants are all boatmen and ship-builders. The river Kizil Irmák here enters the sea, it rises from a mountain in the sanjak of Angora, passes under the bridge of Cháshnegvír to the castle of Osmánjík, and to Hájí Hamza near Túsia, it derives the name red river from its reddish colour. Higher up the river in the mountains are found cornelians large enough for handles of knives and daggers; no village in the neighbourhood is cultivated through fear of the Cossacks; forty miles further on we came to Báfra, the seat of a Súbashí subordinate to the sanjak of Jáník. The judge is appointed with one hundred and fifty aspers a day; there is a separate Serdár (officer of the janissaries). The distance from Samsún is a day’s journey. Báfra lies south-west of Samsún and at two farsangs distance from the Black sea. The Kizíl-Irmák, which comes from the district of Gunánabád flows on the west side of Báfra, and near this place it is crossed by a bridge of fir-trees, which forms a wooden arch from one side of the shore to the other; it is well worth seeing. There are two mosques and two baths at Báfra, and the houses are all built of fir.

Description of the Castle of Samsún.

It was first taken from the Greeks, who built it, by Ala-ud-dín a prince of the Seljúk family, and afterwards by Sultán Ilderím; it is the seat of a voivode subordinate to the sanjak of Jáník. The judge’s provision is fixed at one hundred and fifty aspers. Order is kept by a commanding officer of the janissaries (Serdár Kiayayerí), and the commander of the castle, Dizdár, but there is neither Muftí nor Nakíb-ul-ishráf. The inhabitants are all packers and boatmen, no great rich men (Awán) but a number of Ulemás. Every body dresses according to his means. The distance between Sinope and Samsún is by sea one hundred and fifty miles, and five days journey by land. Sinope lies to the south of Samsún, which is a strong fortress on the seashore. In the time of Mohammed III. the conqueror of Erla, the Cossacks took this castle and destroyed the fortifications in some places, which, after they were driven away, were repaired, and the garrison strengthened, with great store of ammunition; it is now five thousand paces in circumference, has seventy towers, two thousand battlements and four gates. The river of Chárshenbe-Bazárí, which passes before Amasia, disembogues in the Black Sea on the east side of Samsún. It is a large river, not fordable, rises in the sanjak of Bolí, goes to Tokát, and then passes before Amasia; hence originates the proverb coarsely applied by the inhabitants of Tokát to those of Amasia; “you drink what we have defiled.” The water of Samsún is called bad, it is however clear and transparent. The houses are faced with brick and surrounded with gardens, it has a mosque and kháns, but no college or reading establishment, seven abecedarian schools, a bath, and a market, but no port. It is an open place but the anchoring ground good. The grapes and pears of Samsún are pickled (túrshí) and sent in casks to Constantinople; its cables, ropes and resin are famous. The town is situated on the edge of a gulf. We visited all that was to be seen at this place and then re-embarked with our companions.

Description of the Castle of Onia.

It was built by one of the Emperors of Trebisonde, was first conquered by Keikúbád of the Seljúk family, and afterwards by Orkhán. It is the seat of a Voivode subordinate to the sanjak of Jáník. The judge is appointed with one hundred and fifty aspers: a Serdár and Dizdár are in possession of the military power, but there is no Muftí nor Nakíb-ul-ishráf. The castle is a square stone building on the seashore; the houses well inhabited, the mosques light, and the markets populous. Having seen all this we re-embarked, and proceeding a few miles with a favourable wind, came to Fátsha on the seashore, consisting of three hundred houses, a mosque, a khán and a bath. It is a ziámet belonging to Janík; the inhabitants are for the most part Greeks. The cape of Stephan is a sharp point advancing ten miles into the sea. The mountains are interspersed with well cultivated Greek villages. We passed it and came more northward to the castle of Wúna, built by the Genoese, and conquered by Úzún Hassan the lord of Azerbeiján, who took this castle together with those of Gumish Khání, Baiburd and Jánkha, at a later period it was taken by Mohammed II. It is the seat of a Súbashí from the sanjak of Janík. The castle is of a round shape, and stands on a hill by the seashore, but it is not strongly garrisoned; the gate looks to the east. It is ruled by a Serdár, and a judge with an income of one hundred and fifty aspers. It has mosques, kháns and baths. The inhabitants are known by the name of Wúna Greeks and Turks. It is a good port, where the largest ships can anchor at any time. We went from hence, straight before the wind, one hundred miles to the castle of Gíressin built by Constantine the founder of Constantinople. It fell into the hands of Úzún Hassan, was afterwards taken by the Genoese, and lastly by Mohammed II., who ordered his general Mahmúd Pashá to enter the castle in the night, the name of the castle is said to have originated from this order, “giressin” (thou shalt enter). It is on the frontier of the Pashalik of Trebisonde, to the Khass of which it belongs; its public officers are, a judge with one hundred and fifty aspers, a Serdár of the janissaries, a Dizdár of the castle, an inspector of the custom-house, a Muftí and Nakíb-ul-ishráf. It is situated on the seashore between Janík and Trebisonde, to the east of the latter. By the appearance of the ruins, it was a large town when in the possession of the Genoese, but it is now only a small one, with mosques and kháns, a bath and a market; the gardens yield fruit plentifully. Though the anchorage is excellent, yet the harbour affords no shelter against contrary winds. On the west side of it is a small island, where the Cossacks concealed themselves when they burnt and plundered this town, which is not defended by the Castle. As it belongs to the government of Trebisonde, some hundred men of Omer-Páshá’s suite took horse here and continued their journey to Trebisonde by land. We then steered our boat to the north, and arrived at the castle of Purpolúm, which is a small square castle, situated on a hill by the sea-shore, with a commander (Dizdár) and a garrison; the inhabitants are Greeks. We weathered the Cape of Zemreh, where villages are to be seen in the mountains. The castle of Kúrelí is a district belonging to Trebisonde. The castle is situated on a hill by the seashore. Further on we came to the station of Popolí on a great gulf, where traces of ruined castles are to be seen in many places. Further to the north is the castle of Kelpe, a district belonging to Trebisonde. The castle stands on a high hill by the seashore, and was built by the Genoese. The castle of Bozúr-búrní is a small square castle on a rocky cape, called the point of Bozúr, which was the name of a monk who built it. The castle of Akche-abád, a large district belonging to Trebisonde. The castle is a strong pentagon on the seashore, also built by the Greeks. Pulta Bazárí is the seat of a Súbashí and Naíb subordinate to Trebisonde. A fair is held here every week which is visited by many thousand inhabitants from the neighbouring villages; it belongs as Wakf to the foundations of Khatúnieh the mother of Selim I., the Súbashí is at the same time the Mutevellí or administrator of the Wakf. The port is one of the most celebrated in the Black sea on account of its safety. The torrent of Kalatímána, which rises in the mountains of Trebisonde, enters the Black sea near the harbour of Púlta. The valley of Seredere is enlivened by cultivated villages, whose inhabitants go in boats to the market of Trebisonde, to the south of which these places are situated.

Description of the Town and ancient Fortress of Trebisonde, the Capital of the Lezgians; God guard it from all mischief!

It was built by the Greeks and was conquered by Úzún Hassan, the Prince of Azerbeiján, but retaken by the Greek Emperors at the time of Timúr’s invasion, until, in the year 878 (1473), it fell into the power of Mohammed II. He brought forward an immense army by way of Jánkha, and gave battle to Úzún Hassan in the field of Terjián, where forty thousand of Úzún Hassan’s men were slain, and he himself fled to the Castle of Azerbeiján. Since the victory at Kossova of Sultán Murád I. no greater victory had been gained. Mohammed II. conquered the town of Trebisonde thirteen years before; its name was spelt Tarbefzún (joy increasing). Mohámmed II. fixed his residence here, coined money, had public prayer performed in his name, and remained here three years. He subjected the northern provinces of Georgia, Mingrelia, and Abaza, established his son Báyazíd here as commander, and went himself to his third residence, Constantinople. Báyazíd II. having ascended the throne in his father’s place, gave the government of Trebisonde to his son Selím I. who twice passed over to the Crimea, and heading the Tátárs led them against his father. Being defeated in battle, once at Varna, and once at Adrianople, he left his son Súleimán his Lieutenant at Trebisonde, and retired in disguise into Persia, where he played at chess with Sháh Ismaíl, then travelled over Baghdád, Meshhed, Mecca and Medina to Egypt, conversed there with Ebú Sa’úd Járehí, and Mezrúk Kafákí, who said “O Selím go into Rúm and Persia, and then come to Egypt.” After three years travel he returned to Trebisonde, from whence, keeping up secret intelligence with the janissaries and with Menglí Geraí Khán, he led a Tátár army against his father, whom he vanquished at Chorlí, and banished to Dimitoka, where he died at the village of Hawsa. Sultán Selím remained absolute monarch, and immortalised himself by the victories of Chaldir and Egypt.

Súleimán was brought up at Trebisonde, which has been the seat of four Ottoman Emperors. In remembrance of his youth spent here, he sent his mother to this place and raised it to a separate province, with the addition of the sanjak of Batúm. It is a Beglerbeglik of two tails, but was given more than once to Vezírs of three tails as arpalik, in the reign of Murád IV. and Ibrahím. The Khass of the Páshá consists according to the Kanún (law) of forty thousand aspers. Two Súbashí are attached to this place, and the Páshá may get, in a fair way, every year, nineteen thousand piastres, but if he is severe, even thirty thousand piastres. There are five sanjaks, viz. Jánkha, Batúm, Zír, Gonia, and Trebisonde, which is the chief place. The feudal officers are a Defterdár of the Timárs, a Kiayá of the Defter, an Inspector of the rolls (Defter-emíní), and a Kiayá of the Chaúshes; an inspector of the Chaúshes is also appointed here. There are forty-three ziámets, two hundred and twenty-six timárs in the sanjak of Trebisonde, and thirteen ziámets with seventy-two timárs in the sanjak of Batúm, altogether one thousand eight hundred well-armed men, besides a thousand Jebelis of the Páshá, so that the whole including the officers amounts to three thousand men. They hold villages and land on condition that they should go to war under the command of the Páshá, which if they do not they forfeit their leases.

Begs of Abaza Tribes.

The tribe of Jájlar, of Erlán, of Chándalar, of great Chándalar, of Kechilar, of A’rtlar, of Kámishlar, of Sújelar, of Bozúrúk, of Kúnassí, of Ashuflí, of Yokarúlí, of Jembeh, and of Súntija. There are seventy Abaza tribes, who have made obeisance since the time of Sultán Súleimán, and who every year in token thereof, send in a tribute consisting of boys and girls, camphor, candles, pelisses, and a thousand pieces of coarse linen for towels for the Imperial kitchen, to the Páshá of Trebisonde, who then renews the treaty of protection with them. Envoys come every year from Mingrelia with this tribute to Trebisonde, according to the constitution of Sultán Súleimán. The Judge, a Mollá with five hundred aspers, extends his jurisdiction to forty-one districts, and makes annually a revenue of eight thousand piastres.

The Commanding Officers and Magistrates of Trebisonde.

These are the Páshá, Muftí, Nakíb, and instead of the Serdár of the janissaries a Chaúsh of high authority, a Kiaya-yerí of the Sipáhís, a Súbashí, an Ayák Náíb, a Mohtessib, an inspector of the Custom-house and of the fish-market, a Sháh Bender or chief of the merchants, an inspector of the dyers, of the wine, and wax, in short seventeen public magistrates appointed by an Imperial rescript. The inhabitants also possess an Imperial privilege which allows them to kill the Jews who enter the town, the reason of their being thus empowered shall, if it pleases God! be detailed in another place. The town is situate on the eastern side of the Black sea and is surrounded by delightful gardens. The distance from Constantinople is exactly a thousand miles. The mountains of the Lezgís are towards the south and the east; the name Lezgí has been corrupted into Laz. Mohammed II. having conquered this town, colonized it from all quarters and rendered it a populous place; the inhabitants are Lezgís and Janissaries, who inherit this right from father to son. Their names are, Alí, Welí, Khodaverdí, Ja’fer, Peshír, Feslí, Memí, Meizer, Fakhzád, and Memet, with the word báshá added to the end, which is pronounced here páshá. The surnames are, son of Fertúl, Fodúl, Fazár, Kashúmbúr, Katráz, Kalafát, Kosdúd, Júndah, Alialí, Súrmenelí, Pípolí, Kashíd-bárí, Siámí, Jorkájí, Khángí-chíchú, Kotúzmeslí, A’álí, Gúnelí; the names of the women, Omkhán, Esma Khán, Rábieh, Assieh, Hánifeh, Afífa, Saikha, Fátima, Khúftí, Túntí, Gulshákhí, Mihrmáh, Khiva, Khúma, Zákhila, and Ánifah; the names of the slaves, Ússuf, Paiván, Kananan, Allah-kúlí, Rostem, Apártí, &c. These names were originally pure Arabic names, but are spelt in such a way by the Lezgians, that they appear quite strange. Many of the inhabitants of the order of the Dervíshes Gulshení wear necklaces of coral, jasper and turquoise. Both Prose and Poetry are cultivated to a high degree, and there are in our age no less than eleven poets, every one of whom is the author of a Diván or alphabetical collection of Ghazels (Odes).

Praise of the Poets of Trebisonde.

Ghanayí Efendí was Secretary to Tayem-Páshá, and afterwards to Melek Ahmed Páshá. He knew the dictionaries of Kamús and Shemií by heart, as well as the discourses of Urfí and Túzúlí. Ghanayí went with Melek Ahmed Páshá to his government of Rúmelí, and is buried at Sofía in the mosque of Dervish Mohammed Páshá 1021 (1612). Alí-jání succeeded to his father’s office. He left three volumes in verse and prose, in comparison with which Weissi himself is but a stammering child.

Form and Size of the Town, and Description of its Monuments.

It consists of two great castles between the edge of Mount Bozdepeh and the shore of the Black sea, and is divided into three parts; the first is the lower castle, the second the middle castle, and the innermost or tower castle, it is extremely strong being protected by mount Bozdepeh. The ditch is very deep, and seventy paces broad, all cut in lime-stone; inside this castle is a mosque, barracks for the garrison, magazines and storehouses. On the north side a gate leads to the middle castle, which is the only open gate; a second secret gate (Oghrún Kapú) is always kept closed. The middle castle is an oblong square enclosed by walls. The gate on the east side which leads from the tower or innermost castle is called the New Friday’s gate, the second gate is also at the end of the same wall. The tanneries are outside of it, and it is therefore called the tanner’s gate. In front of it flows a rivulet which rises in the mountains of Bozdepeh and the Lezgían mountains on the east, and passes through the tanneries into the sea; it sometimes swells into a furious torrent. In the centre of the tanner’s market is a large bridge built of stone by Úzún Hassan the lord of the castle, it lies to the east of Erzerúm. The third gate of the middle castle is on the western wall and is called the prison gate, where the malefactors and debtors are confined. From this gate you pass over a stone bridge to the gate Za’anús. The fourth gate is on the northern side of the wall, and leads to the lower castle, or third division of the town, and is therefore called the lower castle gate.

Description of the Lower Castle.

The north wall abuts on the sea, the castle is of a square form, nineteen thousand paces in circumference. It has also four gates, viz.—the gate of Za’anús next the prison gate close to the walls, leading to a long bridge; the gate of Sútkháneh leading to the quarters of the Christians; the gate of Mevlúz which signifies in Greek (?) a small stone, from the abundance of pebbles that lie on the shore. In the language of the Lazes, Mevlúz is the name of spurs or piers which are raised to support ruined walls. The walls of the lower castle extend on both sides to the sea, so that the town is closed against hostile invasion, by a wall running along the seashore. The fourth gate is that of Múm Kháneh or the wax fabric, because all the candles, of which a great number are made at Trebisonde are manufactured outside of this gate. Three quarters of the town are inhabited by Moslims and Christians, but by no Jews. The houses rising one above the other are all faced with brick and look to the north or west.

Description of the Mosques.

In the centre of the castle was an old Christian church, Mohammed II. having conquered the town in the year 865, turned the mihráb from the east towards the Kiblah. Its mihráb and minber are of ancient workmanship, and on the east side is an oratory (mahfil) of most elegant carving. The wood is cypress, nut, and box; it is always closed, and reserved entirely for the Emperor’s use. There are besides three other mahfils or oratories supported by pillars in this mosque, where people are also allowed to pray when there is a great crowd. It has two gates, an elegant mináreh, and cells for students in the courtyard outside; it is covered with lead. In the west suburb are also four mosques, and two in the eastern; the mosque of the tower castle is a beautiful structure with a mináreh much ornamented. The mosque of Khatúnieh was built by the mother of Selím I. who was born here, it is extremely well endowed, the market called Púlta-bazárí belongs to its foundation, with many cultivated villages. The cupola is illuminated by candles every night, its elegant mináreh pierces the sky. The gate and walls of this mosque are built of black polished stone, and white marble, in alternate rows; it was built in the year 920. The mosque of Súleimán Beg on the west of the mosque of Khatúnieh, but at a mile distance from it on the place of Kawák, has one mináreh covered with lead.

The mosque of Ayá Sofiyáh is on the seashore on the west side, it was built in the time of the Infidels. Kúrd Alí-beg took it out of the hands of the Christians, in the year 951 (1573), and adorned it with a fine minber and mahfil; it is beautified with many marble and granite columns, which cannot be described with sufficient praise. The mihráb and minber are in the ancient style, and it is surrounded by vineyards and plantations of olives.

The mosque of Wárdogdi-Beg stands half a mile distance south of the mosque of Khatúnieh in the quarter of Tekfúr-seraï, it was raised from a mesjíd into a mosque by Torghúd-beg in 985 (1577). It has a well proportioned gate and mináreh. The new mosque was formerly a church, and stands in a lofty situation. The mosque of Iskender Páshá, known by the name of Káfir-Meidání, (the Infidel’s place) has its cupola entirely covered with lead, with a well proportioned mináreh.

Description of the Scientific Colleges, Baths, Market-places, &c.

Outside of the courtyard of the mosque of the middle castle is the college of Mohammed II. with a great number of cells and students. There is a general lecture (Dersí-a’ám), the lecturer holds the degree of a Molla; it is a mine of poets, and meeting-place of wits. The college of Katúnieh is adorned with cells on four sides; the students receive fixed quantities of meat and wax for their subsistence. The college of Iskender Páshá on the north side of the mosque, that bears the same name, is richly endowed with stipends for the students. The reading-houses of Trebisonde are those of the middle castle, at the mosque of Mohammed II., where reading after the manner of Ibn Kether is introduced; that of Khatúnieh, where works on the Korán are read after the seven established methods of Jeserí and Shátebieh; and that of Iskender Páshá close to its mosque. The abecedarian schools for boys are that of Mohammed II. in the middle castle; the school of the new mosque, a school so blessed, that a boy who has been taught here to read the Bismillah (in God’s name!) cannot fail to be a learned man; the elegant school of Khatúnieh on the west side of the mosque is built of stone, with a cupola, where orphans are supplied with mental and bodily food, with dresses on great festivals and presents besides; and the schools of Iskender Páshá; these are the most celebrated.

There is a pleasant double bath for the use of both sexes, in the middle castle near the gate which leads to the lower castle.

The bath of the tower is on the north wall of the innermost or tower castle; it is a single one, and is said to have existed in the time of the Infidels. The bath of the Imáret, built by Khatúnieh mother of Selím I. The bath of the lower castle is a single one, that of Iskender Páshá is double; the bath of the Infidels is between the New Friday quarter and the Infidels’ place, and the bath of Tekfúr-seraï. There are besides at Trebisonde two hundred and forty-five private baths, and a great number of Kháns. The Khán of Khátúnieh has a stable equal to that of Antar, which will accommodate one hundred horses; besides many other Kháns for merchants and single persons.

Of the Market-places, the first is outside of the gate of the wax-manufactory. There is a well-built Bezestán where the Arabian and Persian merchants reside, who are extremely rich and wealthy. In the middle castle the market called the small market, is furnished with every thing; its shops amount to the number of eighty.

The Imárets are those of Mohammed II. in the middle castle, accommodating both rich and poor. The Imáret of Khátúnieh, close to the mosque, is not to be equalled, even at Trebisonde; passengers and boatmen may dine here at their pleasure; there is an oven for baking white bread, and a cellar (kílár) for keeping the provisions of the Imáret. Near the kitchen is the eating-place for the poor, and the students have a proper dining-hall. Every day, in the morning, and at noon a dish of soup and a piece of bread is provided for each, and every Friday a Zerde Pilaw, and Yakhní (stewed meat); these regulations are to remain in force, as long as it pleases God.

Description of the complexion of the Inhabitants of Trebisonde.

The climate and the air being extremely favourable, the inhabitants are all jolly merry fellows, who think of nothing but eating and drinking, of amusement and pleasure. Being all idle amorous fellows, their colour is red, and the women are fair, coming from Abaza, Georgia and Circassia; every one a moon or a portion of the sun.

Occupations, Guilds, &c.

The inhabitants are divided from the earliest period into seven classes. The first are the great and mighty Princes and sons of Princes (Beg and Beg-zadeh), who are dressed in magnificent pelisses of sables. The second are the Ulemás, the sheikhs and pious men, who dress according to their condition and live on endowments. The third are the merchants, who trade by sea and land to Ozakov, into the country of the Cossacks, into Mingrelia, Circassia, Abaza and the Crimea; they dress in ferrájís of cloth and dolimáns called kontosh. The fourth are the handicraftsmen, who dress themselves in ferrájís of cloth and bogássín. The fifth are the boatmen of the Black Sea; they have their peculiar dress, with iron buckles, shalwárs, dolímáns of cloth, and a kind of lining (astár) wrapped round the head, ready, thus accoutred, to trade or to fight at sea. The sixth class are the men of the vineyards, because the mountains of Bozdepeh are all planted with vines, and in the register are set down no less than thirty-one thousand gardens and vineyards, so that if only one man is reckoned to each garden, there are thirty-one thousand gardeners, but in some there are two and three. The seventh class are the fishermen, a calling in which many thousand men are employed.

Description of the principal Arts and Handicrafts.

The goldsmiths of Trebisonde are the first in the world. Selím I. being brought up in this town was taught the art of a goldsmith, and cut dies for the coin of his father Báyazíd, so skilfully, that they appeared as if engraved in marble; I saw some of this coin at Trebisonde. Súleimán (the great) himself was the apprentice of a Greek called Constantine, who was the foster brother of Yahya Efendí, who is buried at Beshik-tásh. From this time the goldsmiths of Trebisonde became the most famous in the world, and work vases for rose-water and incense, swords, daggers and knife-handles in most wonderful perfection. The knives of Ghorghúr-oghlí are the most famous of all; the hatchets of Trebisonde are a new and clever invention. The inlaid work of pearl-shells, with which tables, pulpits, inkstands, sand-boxes and chairs are ornamented in such perfection, that they cannot be equalled in any country, except it be by the pearl-shell work of India.

Eatables and Beverages.

The water of Trebisonde is fresh as the spring of life; the must of the raisins of Bozdepeh is sweet, and gives no headache to those who drink it; the sherbets called the triple, the muscat, and the clove wine are the best. The gardens produce most exquisite fruit; fine flavoured grapes, cherries red as woman’s lips, pears of different kinds, apples called Sinope, figs called Bádinjíán-Injúr, which are not found so sweet any where else, different kinds of lemons, oranges of a deep purple colour, pomegranates and olives, of which alone there are seven sorts to be found nowhere else except at Damascus and Jerusalem. One of the small sorts is eaten before it is quite ripe and resembles a black cherry; this is also an exclusive production of Trebisonde. Another fruit, which is called the date of Trebisonde is roasted on stoves, and is exported to many places; it is a sweet fruit, and has two or three kernels. The ruby-coloured pink which grows here, is peculiar to this place, each blossom is like a red rose, and perfumes the brain with the sweetest scent, and weighs, without the stalk, from five to six drachms.

The fish which are worthy of mention are Lorek-bálighí, Kefál-bálighí (Cephalus), the Kalkán-balighí (Rhombus), which if eaten by women renders them prolific; the fish called Kiziljeh-tekerbálik, with a red head and delicious to taste; the gold fish, the Sgombro which is taken in the season Erbain (forty days). But the most precious of all, which frequently causes bloody strifes and quarrels in the Market-place, is the Khamsí-bálighí taken in the season of Khamsan, (the fifty days when southerly winds blow); these fish were formerly thrown on the shore at Trebisonde by virtue of a talisman erected, as is said, by Alexander, before the gate of the town, representing a fish of this kind in brass on a column of stone; but on the birth-night of the prophet, when all talismans lost their power, the same happened to this at Trebisonde; thus the fish are no longer thrown on the shore, but the sea abounds with them during the said fifty days. At this season boats loaded with these fish arrive in the harbour, and the dealers in fish cry them in a peculiar manner, at the same time sounding a kind of horn or trumpet; as soon as this sound is heard, the whole town is in an uproar, and people who hear it, even when at prayer, instantly cease, and run like madmen after it. It is a shining white fish of a span’s length, and is an aphrodisiac of extraordinary potency; strengthening and easy of digestion, does not smell like fish, creates no fever in those who eat it, and also cures sore mouths. If the head of this fish, Khamsí-bálighí, pronounced Khápsi-bálighí, is burnt, serpents and other venomous reptiles are killed by the smoke. The people use it during forty days in all their dishes, to which it gives a peculiar flavour, it is thus used with yakhní, roasts, pies, and baklava (mixed pies), a dish called pílegí is made of it in the following manner, the fish is first cleaned, then cut into slices on which is laid parsley and celery, then another layer of fish, the best oil is then poured on it, and it is cooked over the fire for one hour, it thus becomes quite a luminous dish, which may be said to illuminate those who eat it. But however this fish may be dressed and eaten, it is extremely useful to the stomach and the eyes, and is a dish of friendship and love. God the Almighty has blessed this town with all kinds of rare trees, including box, cypress, and Turkish nut. It is wonderful that in the mountains of Erzerúm, situated a great deal further to the south, all is winter and storm, while here are roses, syringas, lemons, oranges, and other sweet fruits. The winter and the air is mild, and the nature of the people partakes of this happy equality of the seasons; they are kind to strangers, but the Greeks and the Lezgians, the Chichú and Chifta are extremely troublesome people; the language of the Lezgís cannot be written or expressed in Turkish orthography; they have a peculiar dialect, which even the inhabitants of Trebisonde do not understand without an interpreter; they are for the most part boatmen, who navigate the river Chorúgh to Mingrelia, carrying boxwood and slaves, with which they trade to the harbour of Trebisonde, one of the best of anchoring grounds and ports; it is open to the west, and looks towards the harbour of Kaffa in Crimea, three hundred miles distance.

Walks of Trebisonde.

On the place of Kawák outside of the gate of Za’anús, the Páshás play jeríd with their troops on days of recreation. Three masts are erected in the centre, one of them having a golden top which is shot at by arrows. There have been no Jews at Trebisonde since the time of Sultán Selím, who was governor of the town, the following circumstance was the cause; a Dervish discovered on a piece of leather (saffian), that was handed about for sale, an inscription, written in a way not to be observed by every body, which implored the assistance of all righteous Moslims, to deliver two innocent Moslim youths tyrannically shut up in the Jewish tanneries. The Dervish having explained the inscription to Prince Selím, a general search of all the Jewish tanneries took place by an armed force, when not only the two brothers, lost many years before, but many other Moslim boys were found, on whose backs the Jewish tanners had worked in tanning their skins. This discovery occasioned a general slaughter and banishment of the Jews, none of whom have since dared to show their faces at Trebisonde, the inhabitants of which town are a religious and devout people.

Praise of the River Khosh-oghlán.

It rises in the province of Erzerúm, in the southern part of the District Kerkdeh, from the mountain called Yailak-mesjidí, and after supplying water to many gardens, passes on the right side of Trebisonde into the sea. On the mountain whence it issues, stands a castle built by one Khosh-oglán of the Chobanián family, but the mountain itself is called Agháj-bashtághí by the inhabitants; it is passed on the way from this town to Baiburd by a gate.

Visit to the Monuments of Sultáns and Saints.

The mother of Selím I. is buried before the gate of Za’anús beneath a high cupola, ninety men are appointed there to be monument-keepers and readers of the Koran, which is read through three times a day. She was a pious lady, a second Rabia Adúyeh. The cupola is covered with lead as well as the mosque near the monument. God’s mercy upon her! I remained three months at Erzerúm making the acquaintance of all learned and distinguished men, and then accompanied Hossein-aghá, the kiaya of Ketánjí Omer Páshá, who set out with presents on an embassy to Mingrelia.

JOURNEY TO GEORGIA AND MINGRELIA.

We embarked in Lezgian boats with an escort of two hundred men, and, trusting in the Lord, sailed from the harbour of Trebisonde to the north. The station of Menzil Degermen Deressí is near Trebisonde, and is a large harbour. From thence we sailed northward to Shána where there is a harbour called Rútha. The forests are principally hazel, the nuts of which are everywhere famous. At the end of some miles from this place we arrived at the castle of Súrmena, built by the infidel Greeks, and conquered by Mohammed II. from whom it was taken by Hersek-oghlí; there is a Súbashí, a judge with an income of one hundred and fifty aspers, a Dizdár and a garrison; it has an excellent harbour sheltered against the wind from all quarters except the north-west, but when the wind blows from that quarter three or four anchors are required to enable ships to ride in safety. The district of Mahnúz consists of sixty villages belonging to Trebisonde, the whole mountain is covered with box-trees, the wood of which is made into handles for spoons. There is the large village Kalipravúlí, whose inhabitants are all Chíchú, and the large place of Khobán on the seashore, surrounded with gardens; the inhabitants of which are Lezgians. The strong town of Konia in the sanjak Batúm belonging to Trebisonde has thirteen ziámets and seventy-two timárs, the militia is ruled by a Cherí-bashí and Alaï-Beg, who in war time commands eight hundred men, three hundred are the Páshá’s private troop; the garrison of the fortresses on the frontier consist of a Dizdár and five hundred men. The judge has a salary of one hundred and fifty aspers, but his revenues are in partibus, because the inhabitants are all Chíchú Lezgís, who can only be controlled at the point of the lance. The revenues of the judge may amount to one thousand, those of the Beg to seven thousand piastres; the castle originally built by the Infidels, stands on a high square hill, it was conquered by Mohammed II. and has been many times plundered by the Cossacks. The houses are faced with brick, as are also the mosque and kháns. It lies on the river Júrúgh, the spelling of this word is corrupted from Júí-rúh, which rises in the mountains of Jánkha-Kawilí-hissár and Shín-kara on the west side of Erzerúm, passes through Baiburd, waters the country of the Lezgians, and enters the Black Sea near the castle of Konia.

It has neither ferry nor bridge, but is a river like a sea, covered with many thousand Lezgian boats, trading on this river to Mingrelia with salt, iron, and different sorts of linen, and bringing box, wax, honey, with slaves of both sexes, from Mingrelia and Georgia to Trebisonde. From Konia we advanced to the north, and only disembarked at the place Kemerler, then entered the river Júrúgh, and sailed eastward for one day.

Description of Mingrelia.

The sanjak of Konia ends at Khánedá the frontier of the tribe Ada Khosh of Mingrelia. The mountains are covered with box, and the gardens are planted with box-trees. We slept one night in the village of the Beg, who did every thing to treat us kindly. We saw more than seventy Mingrelian villages, each one like a town, and then returned to Konia; our companions went back to Trebisonde, but I was commanded to go with the company of the Zenberekjí-báshí of Konia to the siege of Assov.

JOURNEY TO AZAK (ASSOV) 1050.

We embarked with three hundred fusileers of the janissaries, and five rowing boys of my own, in ten Lezgian barks called Munkesileh. These boats are made of the large plane-trees growing on the river Júrúgh, and consist of three planks, two of which form the sides, and the third forms the bottom; the sides are lined with reed twice as thick as a man’s wrist; this lining of reed keeps them afloat in the storms of the Black Sea, and they swim like sponges; they have neither stern nor forecastle, but are equal on both sides, and are called Munkesileh. On these boats I left Konia with a good wind, passed the river Júrúgh and arrived at the harbour Sofárí on the frontier of Mingrelia. The landing-place (iskele) of Khandra has no port (limán). The landing-place Súri has an old ruined port. The landing-place Yarissa is a ruined castle where goats are now kept. The landing-place Raijeh is without a port, but has an old ruined castle. These five landing-places are all on the frontiers of Mingrelia, they are only visited in the summer time by the merchants who carry on the slave trade. The mountains are inhabited by forty or fifty thousand warlike Mingrelians. We passed the said five landing places, and came next day, at a hundred miles distance from Konia, to the great river Fáshechai (Phasus). The Fásha (Phasus) is a great river like the Danube, in some places a mile, in others but half a mile broad, and from eight to ten fathoms deep, fresh as the spring of life; it disembogues in a gulf at the north end of the Black Sea, one thousand three hundred miles from Constantinople. It rises between Mingrelia, Georgia, Thágistán, Kabartaí, and Circassia, from Mount Caucasus (Kúhal-burz), Ubúr, and Sadasha, and passes between Mingrelia and Abáza into the Black Sea. On the east side are the Mingrelian villages, on the west the Abáza; and both shores being covered with thick forests, the two people mutually steal their children of both sexes and sell them as slaves. We passed the Phasus, marching to the west, and for a whole day went along the shore of the Black Sea.

Description of the Land of the Abáza.

It forms the northern shore of the Black Sea, begins at the mouth of the Phasus, and ends at the castle of Anapa near the island of Tamán. The following tradition is related of the origin of Abáza. According to the most authentic historians Adam was created in Paradise in the true Tátár form, and having after his exile met Eva on mount A’arafát, they begat forty thousand children all in the form of Tátárs. Adam having spoken Arabic in Paradise, forgot it when on earth, and began to speak Hebrew, Syrian, Dehkilí (?) and Persian, which languages were spoken till the deluge, after which mankind divided into seventy-two nations and as many languages. The first who invented new languages was Edrís (Enoch) who first wrote and bound books, and hid them in the pyramids, whence they were taken out after the deluge by the philosophers, who by this means multiplied the languages to the number of one hundred and forty-seven. Ismail retrieved the Arabic and Persian originally spoken in Paradise, and Esau brought forward the Turkish as the language of Tátárs; the people belonging to them are:—the Hind, Sind, Moghání, Kurds, Múltáns, Baniáns, and twelve nations of fire worshippers, with as many languages; the Noghaí, Heshdek, Lipka, Chagataí, Lezgí, Georgians, Mingrelians, Shúrshád, Dadián, Ajikbásh, Armenians, Greeks, Turcomans, Copts, and Israelites or Jews. The Franks divided into Spaniards, French, Genoese, Portuguese, Venetians, Tuscans, Servians, Bulgarians, Croats, Italians, &c. Four children of Menúchehr, the old Persian king, having fled towards Erla (Agra), and being asked who they were, answered, “we are four” (Men chár is) which being corrupted remained the name of their descendants, Majár. Of the Arabs forty tribes first settled in Egypt, such as the Mogrebí, Fess, Merakesh, Afenú, Maibornú, Jíchel Khán, Aswán, Súdání, Fúnjí, Kara-mánkí, Bogháskí, Múnjí, Berbers, Nubians, Zenjí, Habeshí, Gulapshí, Alewí, Rompí, the Arabs of Yemen, Baghdád, Mekka, Medina, Badiah, and Ommán. All the Arabic tribes amount to three thousand and sixty; some say more. The principal, most noble and eloquent of them, is the tribe Koreish Hashemí of which the Prophet was born, for whose sake God created time and space, and who is entitled the Lord of Arabs and Persians.

But to return after this digression to the origin of the Abáza; it is related by authentic histories that in the year 25 of the Hejíra, in the Calífat of Omár, there was an Arab called Basha Melek who then ruled Yathreb, Batha, Aden and Saba, and had five sons; the first was called Jebel-ul-himmet; the second Arab; the third Kisú who had three sons named Kais, Meválí, and Taí; the fourth Lazkí; and the fifth Abází. After the father’s death, the principality of the tribe devolved on the eldest son Jebel-ul-himmet, who, having by accident, knocked out the eye of an Arab was sentenced by Omar to lose one of his own. Jebel-ul-himmet on the same night took with him his four brethren, and sought refuge at Antiochia, with the Emperor Heraclius, who gave him the mountains of Syrian Tripolis. He there built the town of Jebellieh which still bears that name. Having undertaken some predatory excursions from thence towards Damascus and Medina, Kháled Ben Welíd and Eswed Ben Mokdád overpowering him with their forces, obliged him to fly. He embarked and went to Albania, where he took up his residence in the mountains of Avlonia, the inhabitants of which are now called the Koreishite Albanians: their songs have Arabic tunes, and they derive their origin from Jebel-ul-himmet, who is buried near Ilbessán. His descendants became apostates, and dwell in the mountains of Dúkat (Ducato) between Avlonia and Delonia. They are of a tawny colour like the Arabs, and hairy. So far of Jebel-ul-himmet. His brother Arab, and his three nephews Kais, Taí, and Meválí were carried by Kháled Ben Welid prisoners to Hedjáz, where Kais and Taí became masters of the tribes that bear their names. Arab their uncle became master of Ommán, their father Kisú and his two brethren Lazkí and Abází fled from Kháled Ben Welid, first came to Konia and then to Constantinople, where having heard, that Moavia the son of Ebí Sofián was approaching Constantinople, he sought shelter at Trebisonde. Here the banks of the river Júrúgh within the castle of Konia was assigned to the Lazkis (Lezgís) who are also of Arabic descent. To the brother Kisú was assigned the Circassian mountains, who, therefore, as well as the Lezgís boast of being Koreishites. Abazí got the country which actually bears his name, and thus the Circassians, Lezgís, Abáza, Albanians, the Arabic tribes of Taí, and Kais are all branches of the Koreish family. So God populated the earth, God does what he likes, and commands what he pleases! The principal tribe in Abáza are the Chách, who speak Mingrelian, which is spoken on the opposite shore of the Phasus; they are warlike men, in number about ten thousand, who follow more than one religion, and are an unruly set of people. Their mountains are very fruitful, particularly in nuts, hazel-nuts, and apricots; they bear the same arms as the Arabs, arrows, bows and lances, have few horsemen, but valorous footmen. Their harbour Lákia lies two journies to the west, three hundred miles from Trebisonde, but, on account of the heavy southerly and easterly gales, no ship can pass the winter there. Further to the west on the seashore is the village Khafál the frontier of the tribe Arlán, consisting of ten thousand warlike men; their harbour is called Láchigha; we remained here a night; it is a pleasant harbour both in winter and summer. We travelled two journies further to the west to the frontier of the tribe Chánda, fifteen hundred valiant men, true Abázas, they are called the mountain Chándas, and their harbour Kakúr. The village Kháke, near it, surrounded with gardens, faces the sea. Three journies beyond, by the seashore, are the great Chándas, twenty-five villages, fifteen thousand men; their harbour is called Chándalar, but it gives no shelter in winter. Behind these mountains is the land of the Mamshúkh Circassians. From the Chándas we marched a day’s journey towards the west, by the seacoast, and came to the tribe Kechilar; their country is like a paradise; it consists of seventy-five villages which furnish two thousand marksmen; its waters are pleasant. The great river Pessú flows from the Caucasus, and goes into the Black Sea; it is a fresh stream, which affords no ferry in summer, but is a safe shelter for ships in winter. Both shores are laid out in gardens by the people of Kechilar, who may bring ten thousand men into the field, the greater part horsemen. They are a very rich and rapacious people. We remained guests in the village Háka in the house of an Abáza, called Zeperaha, the janissaries our companions made an entertainment of ten sheep, on which we feasted, and then proceeded two journies westward to the tribe of Árt, who are more numerous than the Kechilar, but they are neither so brave nor so rapacious, most of them are merchants trading in fur. They feed a great number of swine. They know neither religious book nor sect, but keep their word; their number amounts to thirty thousand. Their Beg accompanied by from forty to fifty armed Abáza brought us twenty sheep and three roes, as a present to welcome us; he wore a coat called Kilchaklí-gebe-chekmání, carried a bow and arrows in his hand, and wore a sword; he was a stout young fellow. All his servants wore long hair like himself. The landing-place of this tribe is called Ártlar; we passed a night there as guests; it is an open place, ships therefore cannot lie there in the winter. Another landing-place is called Liúsh, where ships lie for six months.

To the north, in the midst of mountains, is Sadsha, the land belonging to Sídí Ahmed Páshá; the inhabitants speak well the language of both the Abáza and the Circassians; to the latter their country adjoins, they are seven thousand brave stout men. The Abáza and Circassians are continually on their guard, but keep up good intelligence by trading together to the landing-place at Árt with slaves and wax. The Circassians (Takakú) also come in ships, and trade in safety. We went three stations further to the west, along the sea-coast, through a woody tract, with high mountains, between which are many cultivated villages, to the tribe of Kámish, ten thousand brave men; they defeated the tribe of A’rt many times, and took their Begs prisoners, because these Abázas steal each other’s children, and a man who does not steal and plunder is thought to be bad company, so that they give him not their daughters in marriage. In these mountains of Kámish swine are fed to the size of asses; the landing-place is not much frequented on account of the riotous character of the people. Among these people of Kámish the children of the Abáza are sent from Constantinople and Cairo; they have a Mesjíd, the air is pleasant, the villages all face the Kiblah and the south. The market is held at the landing-place. Three stations further to the west we came to the tribe of Sújalar, ten thousand brave men; the ground being very rocky there are few houses. There is a landing place, but I do not know its name. We remained as guests one night in the village of Hádeka. As there happened to be a wedding, they feasted us with a great many dishes, fine girls and boys waited on us, and the next day the Aghá of Konia, our companion, gave to the master of the house a turban, which was valued as much as though it had been a crown, because having neither market, nor khán, nor bath, nor church, they know nothing of cultivated manners. Their villages of from forty to fifty houses are situated in the mountains. Ships of all countries bring powder, lead, muskets, arrows, bows, swords, shields, lances and other weapons, old shoes, borders of cloth, linen, bogassin, kettles, hooks, salt, soap and similar articles, and take in exchange, without using money, slaves, butter, wax and honey. From the Súchas we went further on two stations to the west, along the seashore, to the tribe of Dembe, who furnish two thousand armed men. We remained three days at their landing-place and exchanged our old cloth for slave girls and boys. I myself bought an Abáza boy. The fourth day we marched two journies to the west to the tribe of Bozdúk, the Beg of which commands seven thousand men. We found at their landing-place ten ships from Constantinople and many of our friends, the meeting with whom was a great treat to us. Mengelí-geraí Khán led three thousand men of the Bozdúk to the war of Astrachan, which being ended he gave them a Yúrd (Camp) in the Circassian mountains of Obúr where they remained. They are a brave people speaking the Abáza and Circassian language. The Bozdúk of Abáza and Circassia are separated by Mount Obúr; the distance between them is three stations. They mutually steal each others children and sell them. Two journies further along the seacoast is the old ruined castle of Osowísh, where we passed a night as guests. The inhabitants make bows and arrows; the Beg has three thousand men in his service, who carry muskets; the landing-place of the castle is called Gírmen Sowísh. Bears, swine, foxes, jackals, and woodcocks are found in great numbers in the mountains. These Abáza people have a strange mode of burying their Begs; they put the body into a wooden coffin, which they nail on to the branches of some high tree and make a hole in the coffin near the head, that the Beg, as they say, may look up to Heaven: bees enter the coffin and make honey, entirely wrapping the body up in it; when the season comes they open the coffin, take the honey and sell it, much caution, therefore, is required to be used in purchasing the honey of the Abázas. We here bought some more slave boys, and went two journies towards the west to the tribe of Ashagalí, whose Begs can bring two thousand brave men into the field, but they are all thieves, and dreaded by the Abázas themselves. There is also a ruined castle here, the landing-place of which is called Ashagalí, much frequented by the ships of Kaffa and Tamán, but they cannot remain here in the winter. One journey further to the west, is the village of A’atima belonging to the Ashaghlís; there are amongst them many Mussulmáns of the Abáza of Top-khánah. From hence Circassia is distant but a day’s journey. Two journies further is the tribe of Súksú, their Begs command three thousand armed men; they have horses of high breeding. The landing-place is Hárdena. The river called Súk has no ferry, it issues from the mountains of Circassia and flows into the Black Sea; there are some wealthy persons amongst them. Two journies further on is the tribe of Kútassí, whose Begs command seven thousand armed men. They have magazines covered with mats. In the port a great number of ships from Kaffa and Tamán are found. We met some acquaintances here from the Crimea, the horsemen of which country are in continual intercourse with Circassia. On account of the facility of communication the people are wealthy; they also sow corn, the rest of the Abáza sow millet, which multiplies a hundred fold. The houses of the Kútassí are covered with reed; a cluster of ten houses is called a Kabák, the four sides are circumvallated like a castle, and their dogs watch like lions around it, they are obliged to do so, as all their dwellings are in the woods, and each village is afraid of the other. The Kútassí are bounded by the Shána Circassians; they are only separated by a mountain, which is a day’s journey across; they speak the Circassian language. Thus the country of the Abázas extends from the Phasus along the seacoast forty days journey in length, and in breadth from five days journey down to one, as is the case in the distance between the Kútassí Abáza and the Shána Circassians. These forty days journey are marked by forty large rivers, which issue from the mountains situated between the Abáza and Circassians, and run into the Black Sea. Altogether seventy high mountains, with two thousand villages, of which I know nothing, as I did not visit them. Within this country are some hundred thousand men, without law or religion, who, however, if you call them infidels will kill you, and if you call them Moslims are delighted, but if they become real Moslims, they are very good ones. They are a wild roving people descending from the Arabs, Koreishites, from Abáza.

The tribes of Abáza in the mountains are the Posúkhí, seven thousand turbulent men; Akhchissí, ten thousand men; Besleb, seven thousand five hundred brave people; Mukellebeh, thirty thousand men; Waipígha, one thousand men; Jághras, eight hundred weak men; Ala Koreish, five hundred men; Chíchakores, three thousand men; Mácha, two thousand men; and Páncháresh, four thousand men; these ten turbulent tribes never mix with the Abázas of the coast. The bravest and best of them are the Sadasha. On the coast and in the mountains there are altogether twenty-five tribes.

Specimen of the Abáza Language.

One, if; two, weba; three, ikhba; four, beshna; five, khoba; six, fiba; seven, bezba; eight, aba; nine, sheba; ten, zoba; eleven, akzoba; twelve, webazoba. Come, wai; go, úchi; seat, otúi; get up, okil; don’t go, omchin; boy, arísh; I go, sicháb; wife, abharesh; I don’t go, sikiján; why, úzú.

Specimen of the Sadasha Abáza.

One, weh; two, toka; three, sitte; four, pali; five, ashú; six, korn; seven, ipli; eight, ogha; nine, ipfi; ten, zú; eleven, wehzú; twelve, tokazú. Bread, sakha; meat, gha; water, beri; cheese, feh; curd, chehwáh; pear, kha; raisin, mosú; figs, lakhmak; chesnuts, akshú; salt, laka; seat, otúz; get up, odeto; don’t go, omke; I go, síkú; where do you go, síoken; I am busy, I go, súwú shakagh síkú; bring a girl, zinje doko; I found no girl, but a boy, zinje dokalmet zeni okhad, &c.

There are many other languages and dialects besides, but I have quoted only some words which I acquired in the course of trading; I have written them as I could, but there is a great difference between the speaking and writing, the pronunciation being extremely difficult, like the chirping of birds. A great deal of judgment and sagacity is required to converse with them, but a traveller who knows something of the world, and of God, and desires to travel quietly, must have a sufficient idea of every language to understand whether good or evil is intended to him, whether they are going to offer him bread or a box of the ear; the proverb says, “Men speak according to their intellect, and, therefore, it is very prudent to learn some languages for the use of the world;” such a man easily makes his way through strange countries, and returns safely into port.

We left the harbour of the Kútassí, and at the end of two days journey along the seacoast, reached the castle of Anapa. It is said that Alexander the Great, when commanded by God to build the wall of Gog and Magog, arrived at this place, he was so much pleased with its air and situation, that he built here a pentagon castle of immense stones (Shedádí, Cyclopean); the room of the diván was paved with rubies, emeralds, turquoises and cornelians, and for that reason was called the Castle Kevherpaí Anapaí. It afterwards fell into the hands of the Genoese, and when Timúr laid waste the towns of Dadián, Heshdek, and other towns amounting altogether to the number of seven hundred, in his expedition against Tokhatmish the Lord of Crimea, he also wasted the suburbs of the castle of Anapa, but the castle itself was spared. In the reign of Sultán Bayazíd II., the great Vezír Gedek Ahmed Páshá, leading the expedition against Kaffa, took this castle also from the Genoese, and put troops into it. It is situated at the extremity of the Cape which divides the territory of the Abáza from Circassia, on a clay cliff; it is a strong castle without a garrison, and has been several times ransacked by the Cossacks of the Tanais. Outside of the castle are one hundred and fifty houses built of reed; this village is called Kabák. North of the castle are the mountains of Anapa. The ships which go to Assov sail past these mountains, which extend as far as the Cossacks of Assov. The castle of Anapa is well built, and in such good preservation, that it appears as if it had just come out of the hands of the builder. Sheep and goats are kept inside during the winter. According to the description of Demir-oghlí Osmán Páshá, Anapa is the seat of a Voivode of the sanjak of Tamán in the province of Caffa. The people of Shefákí, which is the name of the inhabitants, only pay their tithes at the point of the halberd, and are three hundred rebellious subjects. This castle has a large port where a thousand ships tied together with one rope may ride in safety. It is a large harbour, sheltered against the wind from all quarters. There is no port like it in the Black Sea; a kind of pearl was formerly fished for here; the shells still lie on the shore; another reason why the castle is called Kevhergán (jewel-mine). The Russians anchor here every year, without the least apprehension, and fish for pearls. If this castle was put into good condition, with a sufficient garrison and ammunition, it would be easy to keep all Abáza and Circassia in complete obedience. The Noghais also bring merchandise to this port in complete security.

While I, poor Evliyá, was remaining at Anapa with the Yenicherí-agassí of Konia, the Imperial fleet made its appearance in the Black Sea, and came to anchor at noon in the port of Anapa. They stayed three days, during which time all the small craft which had been left behind arrived, and took in water. I and the Aghá of Konia waited on the Kaima-kám of the Aghá of the Janissaries with some presents. I then waited on the Lord High Admiral Delí Hossein Páshá, who assigned me a tent and rations, made me his Múezzin and gave me a passage on board the galley of his Kiaya Welí. On the following day the 12th Sha’bán, 1053, the Imperial flag was hoisted, and at noon, the gun for departure being fired, we left Anapa and made sail for Assov.

Sultán Murad IV. had planned a great expedition against the Maltese, who alone remained to be subdued after the conquest of Baghdád, when he was removed by death; amongst the fleet fitted out for the purpose there were two immense large ships, called Kara Maona, of three hundred guns. After his death the Infidels everywhere raised their heads against the Ottoman Empire, and the Khán of the Crimea reported to Kara Mustafa Páshá, the great Vezír of Sultán Ibrahím, that the Russians had overran and plundered the districts of Crimea and Assov. At last one hundred thousand Cossacks took the fortress of Assov after a siege of forty days. Eighty thousand Cossacks remained in possession of it, and one hundred and fifty boats, manned by the rest, infested all the shores of the Black sea. This news having spread to Constantinople, Imperial rescripts were sent throughout the whole of Rúmelí. Kojá Gurjí Canaan Páshá, the governor of Ozakov, and the Governor of Rúmelí with twenty-eight sanjak Begs, forty thousand Tátárs of Búják, and forty thousand infidels of Moldavia and Valachia, and twenty thousand Transylvanians, surrounded the fortress of Assov on the land side. On the seaside came the Imperial fleet of one hundred and fifty galleys, as many frigates, two hundred shaikas and karamursal, altogether four hundred ships having forty thousand men on board, which had weighed anchor in the port of Anapa, passed the mouth of the river Kúbán, and the castle of Tamán; on our left hand was the Crimea with the point of Kilissejík, and opposite on the right, the point Chúcka on the peninsula of Tamán. These two points are but a mile distant, and the inside of this strait is called the sea of Assov. We entered it with a favourable wind, and came to an anchor in the port of Bálisíra. Here all the ammunition and provisions were embarked in small boats, called sandal, sacoleva, sarbúna, and túnbáza; and carried thirty miles further on to the castle of Assov, because galleys and chaiks drawing five feet water cannot be used here, as the water is but from two to three feet in depth. Bálisíra is on the western extremity of the steppes (Heihát Sahrassí) a lonely place; but the army and fleet having arrived, many thousand houses for men and wares were built, and it had the air of a large town, being the harbour of Assov. There arrived here from Circassia, which belongs to the Governorship of Caffa, of the tribes of Shagák, Shána, Meshúkh, Takafer, Bozúdúk, Pultakaí, Khatukaí, Kabartaí, and of the troops of Shám-khál Sultán the Lord of Taghistán forty thousand men, excellent troops, with seven thousand waggons, which served to transport a part of the munitions and provisions to Assov. The troops entered the trenches on the 21st of Sha’abán, and the 25th of the same month arrived from Anatolí seven Vezírs, eighteen Begler-Begs, seventy Sanjaks, and two hundred Alaï Begs with all the Zaims and Timariots, who with their men (Jebellí) were forty-seven thousand men. The Tátár Khán was ordered to keep the look-out, and he surrounded the camp with his army of Noghaí, Kechin-noghaí, Shedák-noghaí, Urúmpit-noghaí, Shirínlí, Manssúrlí, Sebhúnlí, Mankitlí, Nakshi-vánlí, Chekeshke, Irbátlí, Úlí, Olánlí, Badrákli, Arslán Beg Ilí, Chobán Ilí, Deví Ilí, Nevrúz Ilí, all Tátárs.

On the same night the Infidels in the fortress, made an immense noise by shouts and fireworks, which was caused by the arrival of ten thousand Cossacks, who came by the Tanais to the assistance of the castle, and did not cease firing all night, so that seven hundred men were killed. The next day the Tátár Khán and the Páshá of Silistra placed watches on the shore of the Tanais to prevent further reinforcement of the Infidels, foraging parties were sent out, the trenches opened in seven places, and on the side of the monument of Yogúrdí-Baba pushed to the edge of the ditch. The camp of the Moslims was out of reach of the cannon-shot from the castle. Next day Hossein Páshá, prepared twelve large cannon for the attack in the trench of Yogúrdí-Baba; and at the same time the Admiral Seyawúsh Páshá landed troops from a hundred boats, who entered the trenches from the side of the water tower. These boats (firkata), guarded the side of Úlúton, Deriton, Kánlijah, Uzegí and the island of Timúr. Above the water tower the troops of Anatoli with eight large guns, and ten regiments of janissaries entered the trenches; at those on the south was posted the troops of Karamania with six regiments; on the western suburb of Tayák, the governor of Silistra Canán Páshá led ten regiments of janissaries, one of armourers, and one of artillerymen, with ten large guns in the trenches. In short the castle was battered on seven sides by seventy large and small cannon, and the Infidels firing on their side, a terrible contest ensued during seven hours till daybreak, with an incredible noise and roaring. In the morning seven hundred martyrs were found, whose goods were consigned to the revenue. The fire was renewed, and the houses of the town dashed to pieces, but the walls having been strongly built by the Genoese, continued to resist. This lasted seven days, during which the Commander-in-chief continually made the round of the trenches, encouraging the Moslim warriors with words and presents, and carrying every thing on with deliberation. Several breaches being opened some volunteers ascended one of them, without order, and planted the Ottoman banner on the wall, which being seen by the Cossacks, they rushed on in superior numbers, and crushed many of them by throwing down a leaden basket. The rest, however, defended their post so well on the walls, that in the end the Ottoman banner was planted on seven places, and the Mohammedan prayer proclaimed. The Infidels getting new strength and rushing on like a herd of swine, with the cry “Ne bose,” drove back the Moslim victors, so that many standards and bodies remained on the breaches, and the victors solaced themselves with the idea that the conquest was predestined for another day. For ten days more the Infidels were kept in continual anxiety. Four thousand Cossacks who came to the assistance of the fortress in forty boats (firkata) were attacked by Canán Páshá, who brought his guns to bear upon them so completely, that more than a thousand men perished, and the Moslíms made an immense booty, which was some comfort for the hardships they had to struggle with. They rejoiced in the idea that the general assault was near, because of all the towers of the town there now remained but one, all the rest having been levelled with the dust by the seventy pieces of artillery. But the Infidels now intrenched themselves underground like so many Ferháds, and again fortified themselves in such a manner, that whenever an attempt was made to overwhelm them by a mine, they averted it, and threw the earth dug up for an intrenchment into the river. They were most able miners also, and continued to make mines even underneath the river, with resined boats. Thus they stopped the Ottoman army for the space of forty days, during which, notwithstanding great vigilance, many thousand Infidel Cossacks found means to enter the Castle by throwing themselves naked into the Tanais, and swimming across under water with a reed in their mouths; their arms and ammunition were put into leathern jacks, which they threw behind them while swimming, and thus relieved the fortress. To prevent this the Moslims shut the Tanais with a wall of stakes impenetrable even to fish, and by this means got great riches from the Infidels, who now having lost all hope of succour continued the war underground, killing a great number of the besiegers. A rumour began to spread that the Czar of Russia was coming with twenty thousand men, and this rumour, though it was only an invention of the enemy, caused a great deal of disturbance. A great council of war of all the commanders and officers was assembled to take into consideration, that though there was now no walls left, yet it had hitherto been found impossible to take the Castle; that a sedition of the janissaries, who are not obliged to continue above forty days in the trenches, was to be feared; that the winter was drawing near, when the Sea of Assov freezes, when all communication would be intercepted, and no safety for the fleet after the day of Kássim (S. Demetrius); that there would be no shelter nor provisions for the army, the country of the Infidels being on the north, and the salt steppes of Heihát on the east and south. After a long consultation, in which all these topics were touched upon, Canán Páshá and Piále Aghá, the Kiaya of the Arsenal, proposed to fix the general assault for the next morning. The Fátíhah being read on this resolution, great joy was spread in the Ottoman camp; seven thousand swords, two thousand shields, two thousand muskets, five thousand bows, forty thousand arrows, six thousand halberds, five thousand granades, and many thousand other articles of arms were distributed amongst the army, the cannons fired from seven sides and the shout of Allah raised so that it filled the steppes of Kipchák. The Moslims rushed into the castle and penetrated into the inmost recess of it, where they hoisted the banner and proclaimed the prayer of Islám.

The guns were now silenced, and the swords alone were clashing. During seven hours and a half the Mussulmáns were raging in the castle like wolves amongst sheep, and stained with blood like butchers. It was a complete victory to which none can be compared excepting those of Kossova and Mohacs. The rest of the Infidels hidden beneath the ground, now set fire to the mines, and sent by that means great numbers of the Moslim besiegers to Heaven; others shot them from the loopholes so that they were in great distress. It being now near sunset, and the victors being exhausted by fatigue and hunger, were called on to retire by the Chaúshes, who admonished them to leave the end to the next day. They carried an immense deal of booty with them, arms of all kinds and three thousand heads of Infidels, besides one thousand and sixty prisoners. A general salute was fired, and the martyrs buried, after the funeral prayer was said over them. The wounded and maimed received pensions, and were given into the hands of the surgeons. Those who brought heads received a reward of a hundred piastres, and those who had made prisoners were allowed to keep them. Chelenks, ziámets, timárs, and all kind of military rewards were distributed, and the property of seven hundred janissaries who were killed was made over to the revenue. Of the troops on the seven sides of the attack one thousand two hundred men became martyrs and ascended to Heaven. On this night the Infidels made incredible efforts to repair the works of the castle, by raising walls and digging ditches, opening loopholes and pointing guns. The foundations of the castle resembled the wall of Gog and Magog, to the great consternation of the Moslims, who solaced themselves, saying: “Man proposes and God disposes,” recommending their business to God. They continued the war, but not with the same unanimity, though not with less zeal than before. A great council of war was held, under the consideration that there now remained only forty days to Kássim (S. Demetrius). The result of the council was, that Geraï-Khán, with seventy thousand regular troops, and eight hundred thousand horse, was ordered to ravage the provinces of Russia. So they did, and this Tátár army returned on the 14th day to the Ottoman camp at Assov, with forty-five thousand prisoners and two hundred thousand horses as booty, besides a great number of valuable things, pelisses, rich cloth, &c. By this arrival, the hearts of the Moslims were comforted, and those of the Infidels afflicted, when they saw the triumphal procession with the prisoners fettered, and the crosses upset. Since the time of Jenguíz Khan the Tátárs had not made a richer booty. This sight raised a howl among the Infidels in the castle, who pierced the skies with their lamentations. The same night seventy Infidels, hungry and sad, left the castle, and were brought into the presence of the Commander-in-Chief, Hossein Páshá. Some of them embraced the Islám, and received presents, then were sent altogether to the castle of Khoros Kermán near Assov.

By this immense booty every thing became immensely cheap in the Ottoman camp, so that a horse was sold for one piastre, a girl for five, and a boy for six piastres. The safe return of the Tátár army was celebrated by a triple salute of muskets and guns, and the whole camp illuminated during the night. But winter drawing near, a new council was held, all the seniors of the regular troops and of the Tátárs agreed, and signed unanimously a petition of three hundred signatures of Vezírs, and officers of all ranks, saying: “that for this year it was impossible to take the castle, that one of the Russian Capitals had been laid waste, that seventy thousand Infidels had been taken prisoners, and more than one hundred thousand destroyed by the sword.” At the same time two of the prisoners, who had been instructed accordingly, were sent back into the castle to say; “that if the Turks had intended to take the castle, they might have taken it in a month, but their object was to pillage the Russian countries, and to return with a rich booty, which they had now accomplished.” The same night as the messengers went off to Constantinople there was such a hard frost that all the Moslim warriors thought they could not stand it, and by this specimen found out that the salt steppe of Heihát was as unmerciful as the Black Sea. At last the despair of conquering the castle becoming general, the whole army at once resolved to raise the siege. The trumpets were sounded, the artillery and ammunition embarked and carried to Bálisíra, where the fleet was lying at anchor. The army returned by different ways, some by sea and some by land, to Constantinople; some by the desert of Kipchák in six days and nights to the river Kúbán, to Circassia, Taman and Crimea; some through the steppes (Heihát), returned by the north into their native country Circassia. When the Imperial fleet weighed for Constantinople I got permission, from the Commander-in-Chief Hossein Páshá, to accompany the Khán of Crimea into his country, and the Imperial fleet sailed, trusting in God, through the sea of Assov.

JOURNEY TO THE CRIMEA.

I left Assov in company with the army of Geraï Khán of eighty thousand men, and twenty thousand Infidels of Moldavia and Valachia, and crossed the Tanais with them, which disembogues at the end of the sea of Assov. The water being shallow in the great Don, it was passed by eight hundred thousand horsemen without the least difficulty, the water reaching only to the stirrups. The Tátárs tied their jacks and luggage to the tails of their horses, and in the space of twenty-one hours, the whole army reached the opposite steppes of Heihát.

At the station of Búrebaí, opposite to the western side of Assov, a branch of the Don flows in its way to the sea of Assov, where it disembogues in three different channels; as it runs through reeds for a great distance, it is not very sweet: the complexion of the inhabitants on its shores is yellow, and they have a kind of excrescence or crop on the neck. The whole army halted here, as on a pleasant flowery meadow, and three hundred horses were slaughtered and eaten up that evening. It was here that I ate horseflesh for the first time. Though I belonged to the Tátár Khán, yet I lived with Kiá Beg of the tribe of Mássúrlí, who have their Yúrds (encampments) in Crimea; the district of Mankis Eli on the side of Gozlava is their Yúrd. Their horses are extremely fat, and their flesh can hardly be distinguished from roes’ flesh, and is easy to digest. Next morning the kettle-drums beat, and after a march of nine hours we arrived at the river Sud, which the whole army crossed, and halted on the other side, but the ground being extremely marshy, one hundred horses and fifty slaves were lost in the marshes. This river issues from the western mountains of Russia and here enters the sea of Assov. The name Sud or milk-river is derived from its whitish colour, which it contracts from the different metallic strata over which it passes in its course. It is not good for drinking, and causes crops or swellings on the necks of those who drink of it. There are seventy cultivated towns and villages on both sides of this river, but they are not very flourishing on account of the depredations of the Crimea Tátárs. These places all belong to the Russians.

We left this place and came to the river Mús, a large river which we passed over with the greatest difficulty at this cold season, the arms being all put in leather jacks. It is fresh water like that of the Don, Dnieper, and Danube, and contains excellent fish. It comes from the northern mountains of Russia. We crossed it, and next day when the Kettle-drums were beaten for departure, the snow had fallen three cubits deep. We slept that night on the snow of the field of Kipchák, and arrived next day at the station of Búrúmbaí; here we slept again on the snow, and on the following day after sixteen hours ride, reached the frontier of Crimea.

The moment we entered the castle of Orághzí, Kara Rejíb Aghá, the Courier of the great Vezír Kara Mustafa Páshá, with twenty horsemen arrived from Constantinople, and after having heard the sad story of the impossibility to take Assov, took letters from the Khán, and returned to Constantinople. I poor Evlíya entered the town of Bágcheseraï with the Khán, and was assigned a house there on the borders of the valley of Chúrúksú (rotten water) where I quietly passed the winter without travelling one step. But the Khán to prevent the Infidels sending reinforcements to the castle of Assov, made three excursions with between forty and fifty thousand horsemen even up to the guns of Assov, bringing back prisoners. His Vezír (the Kalgha Sultán) made also three expeditions into the interior of Russia, and returned with ten thousand slaves and a great deal of booty to Crimea. In the beginning of spring came Hassan Aghá the Chamberlain of the Sublime Porte bringing to the Khán twelve thousand ducats as boot-money, and an Imperial diploma commanding him to be ready to take the field, with the commencement of the fine season, against Assov. The Khán received the orders with all signs of submission and duty, the horses were put to feed in the meadows for forty days, after which the army broke up again to return to Assov, the garrison of which, weighing all the hardships of siege, their losses, and the impossibility of holding the fortress finally against the Ottoman power, abandoned it and fled with their arms and effects to different other Castles.

The Tátár Khán having arrived on the border of the river Sud, heard of the flight of the garrison from some prisoners he had taken, and made the greatest possible haste to reach the fortress. He found it empty, not only of men, but also of animals, neither dog, cat nor mouse being seen; only one Genoese tower remained standing. The Tátár Khán then sent the welcome news to Constantinople. On the eleventh day some Russian spies coming from Constantinople were taken and brought before the Tátár Khán. They confessed freely and openly, that there were forty spies at the Port, who, having been aware of the immense preparations of the Ottoman Army, had given notice to the garrison to leave the Castle, and that arriving there themselves, they had fallen into the hands of the Tátárs. These three spies were beheaded. On the 13th day of this month the Ottoman army arrived with great pomp, commanded by Chowán Kapújí-báshí Vezir Mohammed Páshá, and found the fortress empty. They ascribed it at first to some infernal stratagem of the Infidels, and waited three days, on the fourth day Moslim prayer was proclaimed, and all the Moldavians and Valachians were commanded to work on the foundations and to build them anew. They dug three days till they came to springs of water; the ships were all busy carrying stones from an old Convent in the island of Timúrlenk, and the work of building was begun. In one month two towers were finished, stronger than the former Genoese towers, and the histories of Crimea record the date of its building and name of the builder. It was declared the seat of a Sanjak Beg belonging to the government of Kaffa, a Begler-Beg was left as commander with twenty regiments of Janissaries, six regiments of artillerymen, ten regiments of armourers, seven thousand Tátárs, seven Sanjak Begs, and twelve Alaï Begs, with twenty-six thousand men; seventy large guns on the bulwarks, and three hundred small ones on the border of the ditch. The complete repair and fitting out cost the sum of five thousand purses. During its building the Tátárs made seven inroads into Russia, and returned with from fifteen to twenty thousand prisoners to the Ottoman camp, so that the prisoners were sold for no more than ten piastres each. At last the King of the Moscovites imploring pardon and crying out, Amán! Amán! (pardon O Family of Osmán!) sent ambassadors to Constantinople. The building being nearly finished, the Commander-in-Chief Mahommed Páshá returned to Constantinople, and the rest of the army got permission to return to their homes. I again followed the tribe of Mássúrlí, and came with them to Crimea. We took our pleasure for twenty days in Bágcheseraï, then got permission from the Khán to return to Constantinople, with a present of a purse of piastres, three slaves, a sable pelisse, and a caftán. The Kalgha Sultán and Núr-ud-dín Sultán (the two first dignities of the Tátár court) and fourteen Aghás, gave me a slave each, so that I had a number of slaves and four purses of money; to these slaves I added the eighteen which I had acquired on my travels from Trebisonde to Mingrelia and Abaza, took leave of the Khán and all the great men, and mounted on the horses of the Kalgha-Sultán, began my journey in company with some friends, who remained with me till we arrived at Káchidere. There we parted, all my friends returned to Bágcheseraï, and I continued my way to the south for the space of six hours to Báliklava.

Description of the Castle of Báliklava.

Prevented by warlike expeditions from visiting with leisure the curiosities of Crimea, I dare not give a description of it; such is also the case with the castle of Báliklava. Having embarked here with three hundred persons on board of the Shaika of Úchelí Sefer Reis, I slept on board, troubled by heavy dreams; on the next day I went on shore, to do away the evil of the night by some alms, and next day got clear of the port in an evil hour, succeeded, as the text of the Korán says, by worse days. One day and one night we went straight before the wind, and were then about the middle of the Black Sea. The mountains of Báliklava and Súlúyár had disappeared, neither were those of Sinope and Amassra to be seen, and we were tossed about without well knowing where we were going to. All at once an easterly gale sprung up with thundering clouds, at the appearance of which the boatmen changed colour, and began to wring their hands; they looked at the compass, and then on each other, and already made up their minds to lose their souls. An old sailor said to them; “Lads (Dais!) don’t you see the forerunners of a tempest, what are you afraid of? Lower the topmast with the sail.” This they did, but the ship going too heavy, they threw the bags, mats, casks and trunks that were on deck into the sea; they stowed two hundred young prisoners below (Enbár) and closed the hatches. Thus the ship was lightened, but still terribly tossed by the effect of the currents. Verse:—

“If in the storm my bark drives on the strand,

What shall I do? none can the winds command.”

On the fourth of Safer of the year 1055, the storm began to buffet us most unmercifully, nothing but thunder and lightning, hail and torrents of rain pouring down on us for three days and nights. The sailors exhausted by fatigue all crept into one corner of the ship. Of the passengers, some were vomiting, some praying, some vowing victims and sacrifices, some alms and pilgrimages. I, poor Evliyá, said: “Come, Servants of God, come and pray with me the Súra Ikhláss (deliverance) which God may be pleased to grant to us.” All having began to recite this Súra fervently, the weather cleared up, the storm ceased, but the tossing of the ship continued in a most dreadful manner; the ship now touched the highest heavens, and now descended into the deepest of hells. The waves of the Black Sea towered before us like the perpendicular walls of Mount Bisútún. At last we opened the magazine (Enbár) and threw all the heavy merchandize into the sea, but again to no purpose. We saw that the rudder was going to break, and to prevent this all the sailors united and began to cut with hatchets, first the stays, then the mast, which in falling into the sea killed eleven men. Until their bodies were thrown overboard, there was such a howling in the ship, that every body despaired of life, and felt that he must give up his soul. At this moment there again came a puff of wind (Sighinák) which threatening to tear the ship asunder drove all the prisoners and slaves crying and lamenting out of the magazine; some held together, clasping one another, some stripped naked, and all endeavouring to lay hold of a plank or a cask. I, poor Evlíyá, feeling myself in a state of agitation continued to pray the Súra-Yass, and recommended all my things to God by saying the verse: “I recommend my business to God,” and that: “Who fears God shall find a place to walk out, and shall find his lot provided, from whence he did not expect it; and who trusts in God shall not be abandoned by him.” While repeating these prayers I saw that some Infidels (prisoners) got hold of the launch, and let it down by ropes, at the same time some other sailors were throwing themselves on the other side, with planks, into the sea. I, and seven of my companions watching the moment of the launch going down threw ourselves into it; the Infidels instantly cut the ropes, and two of them, attacked with a knife Ramazán Chelebí of Aintáb. My seven companions immediately drew their swords against the eight Infidels who had raised their hands against us, and killed four of them; the four others throwing themselves into the sea from fright, we remained masters of the launch. We threw all heavy luggage overboard, and the launch being now light and tossed by the waves, I saw how the great ship was cleft asunder from stem to stern, and three hundred and fifty passengers, merchants, and four hundred slaves were spread over the sea, some going to the bottom, some trying to be saved by swimming, some on planks, and some trying to reach our boat, of whom we took in the story-teller Emír Chelebí. When we laid hold of him, others came up swimming, and we were soon convinced, that if we took them in we should all go to the bottom together, we, therefore, sword in hand, kept off all those who offered to lay hold of the launch. The wreck of the ship had now disappeared with all the men, and while we continued tossing up and down, our turbans heavy with the water, we perceived the Judge of Menkúb, Alí Efendí, swimming like an angel of the Ocean. By the hand of Divine power he was brought near our boat, and we took him in, so that there were now ten of us in it. We continued to pray the Súra-Yass, and drove on, baling out the water, and all despairing of life. Thus we drove a day and night, all shivering with cold, naked and starved, crying and lamenting. The story-teller and the judge were attacked by a fit of apoplexy, we threw their corpses into the sea, and were reduced as before to eight persons; but we had the misfortune to have a large piece of timber twenty cubits length and one yard in breadth, which drove along with the boat, touching it from time to time without our being able to prevent it.

On the third day at noon a wave came which upset the boat, and I fell head-foremost into the sea; being a good swimmer I worked with all my strength, recommended myself to the Lord, to the intercession of the Korán, and all the Saints, all the great and pious men I had hitherto known on my travels, and by this kind of effort, keeping my head clear, I swam undaunted. I saw that the large piece of timber, which had before swam alongside our boat, was passing near to me, and instantly laid hold of it, encircling it like a serpent. Driving in this way, shivering and starved, all at once I heard a noise behind me, and looking round I saw two Georgian boys, two Circassian girls and a Russian slave, who had all laid hold of the long piece of timber on which I was driving. I was much afraid that their weight would sink the timber, and was just thinking how to get rid of my companions in misfortune, when an empty cask driving by, the Russian slave wished to get hold of it, and threw himself into the sea for that purpose, but not being able to reach it he was drowned, and only the four slaves remained. The storm was now completely clearing-up, the sea going down, and the next day land coming in sight, we were thrown on the shore exhausted and half-dead. I threw myself on the ground, to praise God and to thank his infinite mercy, who having taken away from me eighteen slaves acquired in my travels in Mingrelia and Abaza, again made me a present of four slaves, two fine boys and two pretty girls. Being thrown into an inlet of the rocks, some good people gave us dresses to cover our nakedness, and hoisted us up the rocks which appeared to pierce the skies. Having asked where I was, I was told that these were the mountains of Kilghra in the sanjak of Silistra. Thus I had been driven three days in the boat from the moment the ship went down, and after the boat was upset, twenty-four hours on the timber, till I was thrown on the shore at Kilghra, with the Dervishes of which place I immediately began a devotional conversation, and occupied the cells, which they assigned to me and my slaves.

Description of the Convent of Kilghra Sultán.

This building is ascribed to Sárí Sáltik Sultán, who having been ordained a Dervish in the town of Yassú by Ahmed Yassúí, came with Hájí Begtásh and three hundred poor people to Sultán Orkhán, and was sent after the conquest of Brússa into Russia and Poland, Bohemia and Dobrúja. Hají Begtásh gave him a wooden sword, a carpet, a banner, a drum, kettle-drum and trumpet. Kilghra Sultán with seventy disciples spread the hide (on which they sat) upon the sea, and went, praying, drums beating and banners flying, from Rúmelí to Crimea, and from thence to the people of Heshdek in Moscovy and Lipka in Poland. At Danzig he conversed with Svíty Nicola the patriarch, whose name is the same as Sárí Sáltik whom he killed, adopted his habit, and by this means converted many thousands to Islám. Thus he travelled many years under the name of Sárí Sáltik, and being himself yellow-coloured (as Sárí Sáltik was) he obtained from Ahmed Yassúí the name of the yellow Beg. But his proper name is Mohammed Bokhara, and he settled afterwards at Paravadí. The King of Dobrúja requested a miracle from Sárí Sáltik in confirmation of his mission. There was then in Dobrúja a terrible dragon, to which even the two daughters of the King were allotted as food. Sárí Sáltik agreed to deliver the two girls, on condition that they with their father would embrace Islám. He went to the column to which they were tied as victims for the dragon, accompanied by his seventy Dervishes, who were beating drums and swinging the banner; untied the Princesses, and then waited with his wooden sword, expecting the dragon himself, meanwhile the seventy Dervishes beat the drum. The dragon coming near, Sárí Sáltik addressed it with the verse of the Korán beginning;—“Greeting on Noe in both worlds,” and then cut off three of his heads, so that the dragon fled with the remaining four. Sárí Sáltik followed him up to his cave, at the entrance of which he cut off the remainder with his wooden sword, and followed the dragon into his den. The beheaded dragon began to struggle with the Saint and to press him against the rock, which gave way so wonderfully as to receive the Saint’s body, which place with the marks of his hands and feet are still actually shewn. The dragon having exhausted his strength fell to the ground dead, and the Saint, with his bloody breast and bloody wooden sword, now led the two girls to their father the king. Previous to their arrival a cursed monk, who had shewn to Sáltik Súltán the road to the column, and picked up there the tongues and ears of the three heads cut off, had laid them before the king, boasting that he had killed the dragon. Now, though the daughters asserted the contrary, yet the monk persisting in his boast, the Saint proposed as a proof, to be boiled with the monk in a cauldron, and though the monk did not like this kind of trial, yet by order of the king he was obliged to undergo it. Sárí Sáltik was tied up by his Dervishes, and the monk by his companions, and both put into a cauldron heated by an immense fire. It was at this hour that Hájí Begtásh, who was then at Kírshehrí in Anatolia swept with a handkerchief a dripping rock, saying: “My Sáltik Mahomed is now in great anxiety, God assist him!” Ever since that day salt-water has dropped from that rock, and from thence the salt called Hájí Begtásh is produced. The place where this cauldron was heated is shewn at the present day, and the mountain is called the mountain of the cauldron Kazán Balkání. The cauldron being opened Sárí Sáltik was found sweating and saying: “Ya Hayí, O all vivifying;” and of the monk nothing remained but black coals and burnt bones. The King of Dobrúja moved by this miracle, instantly embraced Islám, with seven thousand of his subjects; he sent ambassadors to Sultán Orkhán, and received from him in exchange, the appointment of a Judge, a tail and a banner. His name was Alí Mokhtár. In the same year Sárí Sáltik made his will, wherein he commanded seven coffins to be made, because seven kings were to contend for his body after his death. This happened indeed as he foretold, because being washed after death and put into the coffin, seven kings claimed to have the true body, which was found in every one of the seven coffins when opened. The seven kings who desired to be possessed of the true body were the King of Muscovia, where Sárí Sáltik is held in great veneration under the name of Svíty Nicola; the King of Poland, where his tomb is much frequented at Danzig; the King of Bohemia, where his coffin is shewn in the town of Pezzúnijah (?) and in Sweden at Bívánjah (?). The fifth King was of Adrianople, where his tomb is in the Convent of the town of Batúria which is now a large place called Baba-eskissí, and is visited by those, who travel from Constantinople to Adrianople. The sixth King was that of Moldavia, who buried it in a shady place near the Castle of Bozák, where Báyazíd II. after the conquest of Akkermán, built a mosque, an imáret, a college, a bath, a khán and a monument for Sárí Sáltikdedeh; this town is called Babatághí; a pleasant town all belonging to the endowments of Sárí Sáltik. The seventh coffin was taken possession of by Alí Mokhtár the converted King of Dobrúja, who buried it at Kilghra in the cave of the Dragon, and hence he is called Kilghra Sultán; Kilghra signifies in Latin a seven-headed dragon, it is the purest Latin. Of these seven burial-places of this Saint, three are in the Ottoman Empire, from which he is called Baba Sultán at Babatágh; Sárí Sáltik Sultán at Baba-Eskissí; and here, Kilghra Sultán; in Christian countries he is generally called St. Nicolas, is much revered and the Christian monks ask alms under his auspices.

The Convent is situated on a cape which extends into the Black Sea like the proboscis of an Elephant. The ships that sail from Constantinople to Kara Khirmen, Kostenjí, and Kilí pass along these rocks of Kilghra directly opposite to those of Sinope, and if the weather is clear, are mutually seen from both shores. The cave in which Sárí Sáltik killed the dragon is at the same time his burial place. The convent was built by Alí Mokhtár; the wooden sword of the Saint, his swing, half-drum, kettle-drum, drum, banner and sanjak are kept here, numerous cells surround it, occupied by learned and virtuous Dervishes, who reside here on their hides, all true Sunnis and faithful believers, more than one hundred. They read with me more than eight months according to the method of Hafss. The windows of the Convent, and of the monument, all look towards the sea. The magnificent kitchen like that of Keikavús is worth seeing; day and night the fire is kept up on the stove for passengers and strangers, they have no endowments but live on alms; they are all purified by mystic divine love. To the right and left of the mountain are many wells in the rocks. The rocks being perpendicular like those of Mount Bisútún are excavated at the base. The projecting rocks are so lofty that ships with topmasts an hundred yards high may enter here, and come to an anchor. The masters of these ships take in barley and wheat which is brought in waggons to the mouths of the aforesaid shafts which are cut in the rock, and poured down them into the holds; these shafts were cut in ancient times by Infidel stonecutters, who were like so many Ferháds; and it is a peculiar sight not to be seen elsewhere, and saves a circuit of between three and four hours in bringing the barley to the foot of the rock. There are no such high and dreary rocks any where in the Black Sea. During southernly and easternly gales, the sea produces a roaring in the excavations, which is heard as far as Iflatár and Ilhánlar near Silistra, a day’s journey from hence. On the top of these rocks are nests of eagles each as large as a sheep, they are even killed and eaten by some for mutton. Near the Convent is the Castle of Kilghra, which was taken by Mússa Chelebí out of the hands of the Infidels. It belongs to the district of Bálchik in the government of Ozakov. It is a small but strong square castle on the seashore, twenty paces in circumference, with a gate opening to the west, it has neither mosque or khán, commander or garrison. Being situated on a limestone cliff it has no ditch on one side; on the east side is a precipice of one hundred fathoms; the lower part of this castle is also excavated, like the rocks of the convent. When Nassif Páshá Zadeh Hossein was governor of Ozakov, these shores were sometimes infested by the Cossacks and Infidel Russians, who made prisoners of the inhabitants. Hossein Páshá then renewed this castle at his own expense, and garrisoned it, so that the shores were protected from inroads; but the Great Vezír Kara Mustafa Páshá, having taken away the garrison in order to mortify Hossein Páshá, the castle remained deserted. Praise be to God, that after having escaped the dangers of the sea, and being delivered from it before, as the bird of the soul left the cage of the body, I passed eight months here in sweet conversation, till at the commencement of the spring I took leave of my friends and returned to Constantinople.

Return to Constantinople.

In the spring of 1054, I took leave of Kilghra Sultán and embarking with my four slaves coasted the shore of the Black Sea, so that at the least storm I could come to an anchor. Thus I passed on my road, Kavarna, Bálchik, Varna, Ahiebolí, Sízebolí, Missivra, Búrghás, Chenkina, the island of mirrors (Aina adassí or Inada) and the strong castle of Torkoz. Near this place is the flowery meadow, and pleasant place of Skúmrí-jair where the janissaries and kúrújis are encamped, and from hence watch over the security of the adjacent villages, because some years ago these shores were infested by Cossacks. From hence we came to the black stones (Cyanies), a rocky ground outside of the mouth of the Bosphorus. It was changed into stone by a woman’s distaff, and is a curious sight. We passed it, and in God’s name entered the channel of Constantinople, anchoring before the Castle of Kavák. I went on shore, and thanked God for the happy escape from the dangers of the Black Sea. The length of the Black Sea from the Bosphorus to Trebisonde at the mouth of the Phasus is fifteen hundred miles, the shores of the Abáza are seventeen hundred miles, and to the corner of the sea of Assov two thousand miles; seventeen hundred large and small streams fall into it. The largest is the Danube, which receives seven hundred rivers in its course, and disembogues into the Black Sea by five branches, at Kili, Túlja, Súlina, and Kara-khirmen; the Phasus, and Chúrúgh on the Asiatic side. The Kúbán near the castle of Tamán, the river of Assov, the river of Ozakov, and the Dniester; on the Asiatic shore the Kizil Irmák, the Wesnesday river, and the Sakaria. From Constantinople to Caffa is reckoned one thousand miles, to Báliklava eleven hundred, to A’kkermán fifteen hundred, to Varna five hundred; from the point of Kilghra to that of Sinope five hundred, from the mouth of the Bosphorus to Amassra one thousand, and to Heraclea one hundred. The whole circuit of the Black Sea, with that of Assov, is six thousand and sixty miles, and if made by land is one hundred and fifty days or five months journey, each day’s journey to be reckoned twelve hours. As soon as I arrived at Constantinople I hastened to Eyyúb to read once more the Korán there, having performed which I went to my parents, who received me with the greatest kindness. I swore never to try the navigation of the Black Sea any more. May God guard from its misfortunes all the faithful people of Mohammed. I then became the Imám of the Inspector of the mouth, and soon found by the presents from my friends, compensation for the loss I sustained in the Black Sea, of my eighteen slaves and other things.

EXPEDITION AGAINST MALTA IN THE YEAR 1055 (1645).

The Kizlar Aghá of Sultán Ibrahím Sunbul Aghá after his dismissal from the Seraï, embarked for Egypt with fifty fair slave girls, and as many boys, and forty horses of the best breed, in the Caravel of Ibrahím Chelebí. He stowed all his riches for three months into the six magazines of this Caravel, and went on board with five hundred armed men of his suite, three hundred merchants, two hundred sailors, and Ezírí Mohammed Efendí who was exiled into Egypt; altogether one thousand three hundred persons, who sailed on Friday, trusting in God. Near Rodos they met six Maltese Galleys, with whom they had an engagement of twenty four hours, during which the horses getting loose increased the confusion of battle. The Caravel was dismasted and dismantled, and except two hundred men all the rest fell martyrs. The owner of the ship upbraiding the Kizlar Aghá, said unto him: “Cursed Arab did I not tell thee not to put horses into the ship, but rather to take in stores and ammunition; but thou didst obtain an Imperial order, hast overloaded the ship, and in that way given up to the Infidels.” Thus saying, he with his sword severed the Kizlar Aghá’s head from his body, and was himself at the same moment cut into pieces by the suite of the Eunuch, who rushed on him with drawn swords. The Infidels witnessing this fact, boarded the ship, fought for three hours more on board of it, made the rest of the men including Ezírí Mohammed Efendí prisoners and took the ship directly into the harbour of Canea, where they came to an anchor. Here they remained a month selling the horses and slaves, and violating all the girls. Some prudent monks and patricians said: “Woe to us, better would it have been not to see this Ottoman ship in this town, with its horses and girls, because a prophecy exists, that if this happened, the island would fall into the hands of the Moslíms.” This rumour being spread was the cause of many families emigrating from the island, the population of which then consisted of four hundred thousand Greeks, and seventy six towns and castles were garrisoned by sixteen thousand Soldiers. This is the account obtained at that time by my Lord Alí Aghá the inspector of the custom house. The Emperor being much hurt at the unhappy accident of the Kizlar Aghá, immediately sent for the Venetian Bailo, accusing him and his whole mission with a breach of the peace, by allowing the Maltese to sell Ottoman goods in their harbour. They kissed the earth and said: “Gracious Emperor, our capitulations stated, that if your Imperial fleet conduct prizes of Infidel ships into our ports, we are to receive them as guests. God forbid that we should intend to break the peace, we were forced by the Maltese Infidels to admit them.” The Emperor then asked, if they would assist him with men and ships; they promised readily to furnish three hundred ships, on which they were invested with robes of honour, and lulled by these means into the sleep of hares. Three thousand purses were issued from the Imperial treasury for the preparations for war, and Kapijí-Báshís sent to one hundred and fifty districts on the side of Jáínak, Sinope, Amassra, Ergelí, Koja Ilí and Isnikmíd, to buy and get ready timber for three hundred ships. From the mountains A’alemtágh and Kapútágh (in the neighbourhood of Constantinople) wood was brought in abundance, so that all the magazines of the arsenal were full of it. The ship-builders of all the Islands were called in, and every week a galley was launched. An Imperial High Admiral’s Ship (Bashtarda, Head tartana,) and ten Maúnas were built, and the Arsenal swarmed with busy men. Vezírs were sent into Rúmelí and Anatoli to collect armies, Khassekís and the standard-bearer of the prophet were dispatched to Algiers, Tunis, and Tripolis, with twelve thousand ducats of powder-money, and Imperial rescripts exhorting them to join the Capitan Páshá in the spring. It was generally reported, that this expedition was planned against Malta, but the Emperor, the Vezír Kara Mustafa Páshá and the Muftí were alone in the secret. The following was the Fetva proposed and given by the Mufti.

Query:—If the Infidels are possessed of a land, which was formerly in the possession of Moslíms, if they have defiled its mosques, colleges and oratories with their superstitions, if they plunder Mussulman merchants and pilgrims, can the Emperor of the Islám, moved by his zeal for the house of God, wrest these countries from the hands of Infidels, and add them to the Mussulman territory?

Answer:—God knows everything best. Peace with the Infidels is but legal, if advantageous to all Moslíms, but if not, it is not legal at all. As soon as it is useful, it is also allowed to break the peace, be it concluded for a fixed time, or for ever. This is justified by the example of the Prophet, who having concluded peace with the Infidels, which was broken by Alí in the 6th year of the Hejíra, took the field against them in the 8th year, and conquered Mecca. The Emperor has but imitated the Sunna of the Prophet. God bless his victories. This was written by the poor despised Abú Sá’id.

The Emperor took this Fetva and stuck to it like to a cable of safety; he went the same day to visit the tomb of Eyyúb, was twice girt there by the Muftí with the sword of Omar, in anticipation of victory, and then went to the Arsenal, where two hundred galleys were fitted out and filled with troops. Fifty other galleys were ready at the landing-place of the Flour-hall; thirty-six regiments of janissaries, ten of artillerymen, and ten of armourers, were embarked in great transport ships, Maúna. The governor of Rúmelí with the troops of twenty-four sanjaks, with all the Tímariots and Zaims forming an army of twenty-two thousand, and with the Jebellís of twenty-seven thousand men, was ordered to repair to the Dardanelles; the troops of Morea, Sirmium, Semendra, Bosna, and Herzogavina, were ordered to embark at the castle of Benefshe in the island of Morea. The governor of Anatoli with the army of his fourteen sanjaks, and the men of one hundred and ninety-nine military fiefs, amounting to five thousand five hundred and eighty-nine men, with the Jebellís and the household of the Páshá, altogether twenty thousand men, were also commanded to the Dardanelles on the Asiatic side. The governors of Damascus, Haleb, Diarbekr, Mera’ash, Adana, Karamán, Sivás, and Trebisonde, with seventy thousand men received similar orders. At the same time that the Kapíjí-báshís and Khassekís, who had been sent to collect those troops, reported that they were ready at the Dardanelles, the cavalry had been embarked at Constantinople. At the beginning of spring, the whole fleet was ready, consisting of two hundred galleys, tartanas, galliots, twelve large Maúna, one hundred Firkata, Caravella, galleons, pinks, Bútáj, Shaitie, Shaika and Karamursal, with a great number of pioneers and miners on board. Altogether seven hundred ships, were anchored before the point of the Seraglio.

At the Sinán Koshk the Úlemas and all the great men waited on the Emperor; the Vezírs, Begler-begs, Captains, Aghás, and Colonels, going to war, one thousand seven hundred individuals, were invested with magnificent dresses. The Commander-in-Chief Yússúf Páshá, the great Vezír Kara Mustafa Páshá and the Muftí alone remained with the Emperor, the rest having already gone on board. Sultán Ibrahím took the Vezír and Commander-in-Chief each by the hand, went with them into a corner, and said: “Yússúf, where art thou going to.” Yússúf Páshá answered, “To Malta if it please God,” and Ibrahim replied, “If it please God, by the destination of the all vivifying, all standing, have I given to thee the destination to go to the island of Crete. Keep this a secret to thyself, and continue to say thou art going to Malta; take that direction with the fleet first, remain a couple of days on the shores of Morea, and then sail back to Candia; disembark the troops before daybreak, and take possession of St. Todero, so as to have a firm post, from whence to begin the siege of Canea. These are my instructions, if thou return victorious, (if it please God) I’ll reward you to a degree that you shall appear with a brilliant face before God. Keep your secret well, according to the maxim, which commands every man to hide three things, Zeheb, Zeháb, and Mezheb, viz. his gold, his walks, his sect.” After this instruction Yússúf Páshá was invested with two golden robes one above the other, and Sultán Ibrahím said; “Go now with God, who will assist thee.” He went on board the High Admiral’s ship, Bashdarda, and the astronomers of the Court having fixed the favourable moment for getting under weigh, the Commander-in-Chief gave the order to the High Admiral, and at the same time five hundred clarions sounded; from the Admiral’s ship the shouts of Allah! allah! pierced the air, and the skies were rent with the noise of muskets and guns. The shouts and salutes were repeated three times, and the Admiral’s ship took the lead, the music playing the tune Segáh. Passing the Sinán-koskh the Commander-in-Chief saluted the Emperor and the Great Vezír, and the other ships followed like a row of cranes, keeping up such a heavy fire, that the birds of heaven found themselves so many salamanders in the midst of fire, like Abraham in the oven of Nimrod. I, poor Evliyá, accompanied this expedition as Chief Moëzzin of the Commander-in-Chief, Yússúf Páshá, was messmate of Ibrahím Chelebí, Clerk of the Treasury, on board of the Bashdarda, and passed my time pleasantly eating dates and diavolini (Kotrobunát).

Station of Gallipolis.

The fleet anchored here after a salute fired from the fortress, and repeated by the whole fleet. The Mussulman victors all went to the arsenal to hasten the embarkation of the European troops on board of fifty barbaresque vessels, and on the opposite side in the harbour of Chárdák, the Asiatic troops were also doing the same. In twenty-four hours every thing was completed, and next day the fleet weighed anchor again amidst the noise of muskets and guns. We passed Tenedos (Búzja Ada); ten Firkata were sent on ten miles a-head to keep a good look out. Their captains were invested with robes of honour, and promised to be made Begs of the Imperial arsenal (post captains). We passed Tine (Istendíl) which belonged to the Venetians, who sent presents on board the Admiral’s ship, but no notice was taken of them, and we sailed by. We passed Thera (Degirmenlik), an Ottoman island belonging to the khass of the Captain Páshá, weathered the point of Temashalik (Sunium), passed Athens, the castle of Termísh in Morea, and stopped at Napoli (di Romania), a strong castle at the end of a great port, where we took in provisions for the troops of twenty-seven Rumelian sanjaks; we did the same at Benefshe, which is an open place with no port; passed Candia, taking no notice, as if we were going to Malta, passed Cerigo and Cerigotto also belonging to the Venetians, the fortresses of Coron and Modon, and the island of Borák, a small island near Morea, till we came to Navarin. This is a large port defended by two castles, one on the shore, the other on high rocks. Here we came to anchor and discharged the lading of ten heavy transport ships (Chakálgemí) of the Arsenal, shifting their cargoes of troops and artillery on to lighter ones. During our stay here, the commanders of Zante and Cephalonia, Venetian Islands, sent presents of powder and lead to the Commander-in-Chief, wishing him a happy voyage and success in the expedition; seeing that every thing was directed against Malta, they returned with great satisfaction. We took on board here three thousand brave Albanians, and also took in water, because a great fresh water river disembogues into the sea at the extremity of this port.

On the third day the flag was hoisted, the trumpet of departure sounded, and nine hundred small and large ships left the port. The two captains Karabaták and Dúrák with ten small Firkata were at the head, as look-out ships, leading towards Malta, which was thought by the whole of the fleet to be its destination. At noon the Commander-in-Chief turned round on a sudden, made signals for the whole fleet to do the same, and again passed by Cerigo, the Castle of which now began to light fires, and fire signal guns. At sunset we were before Candia, and before daybreak the whole fleet anchored opposite the castle of St. Todero on the north side of the island at the harbour of Súda. Troops and two light guns (culverines) were disembarked with the necessary ammunition, the castle assailed, and in less than two hours forced to surrender. At sunrise the Infidels marched out and were embarked in ships for Cerigo. The ships were now secured in the port, and large guns placed behind gabions to defend them. The two governors of Karamán and Adana were left in garrison, and the whole fleet anchored at the harbour of the Lazaret, close to Canea. The whole army disembarked with their tents, seventy great guns (Bályemez), forty falconets, and two hundred small guns (Sháhitop) and encamped out of reach of gun shot. The fleet anchored in the port of the Lazaret safe against all possible winds, and the Begs (Captains) of the Barbareses received orders to cruise with seventy Firkata. The Shaikas and Kara Múrsal also now disembarked their cargoes, and the governor of Sivás was commanded to watch over the security of the port, which is situated on the west side of Canea. Praise be to God, it was taken very easily. It is situated sixty miles distance from Cape Kabájá in Morea, and its conquest as well as that of St. Todero, was first thought necessary for the facility of passing troops from Morea. Great batteries were raised and furnished with large guns to protect the fleet lying in it, meanwhile Firkatas were keeping the open sea at twenty and thirty miles distance as guardships, (Karaúl Kúllik).

Siege of the Fortress of Canea.

The camp being pitched round the Castle of Canea at a gun-shot’s distance, and every man having taken his post according to the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, the janissaries first entered the trenches. The next day the Commander-in-Chief held a grand review in sight of the Infidels, and in defiance of them, who were confounded at this show of the Ottoman power. As soon as he had dismounted at his tent, forty thousand men with shovels and axes began to work on the trenches at seven points round the fortress. (1) On the south side the Aghá of the janissaries, in whose company the Commander-in-Chief himself entered the trenches. (2) The governor of Anatoli, with ten regiments and the Zagarjí-bashí. (3) The governor of Rúmelí with ten regiments headed by the Samsúnjí-bashí. (4) The governor of Sivás with five regiments headed by the Khassekí. (5) On the east side at the silver bulwark, the Barbareses opened the trenches. (6) On the west side at the golden bulwark, the governor of Haleb, with three regiments of Zenberekjí. In short, the attack was carried on from seven points. The north side bordering on the sea and the port was alone unable to be attacked by trenches, which were opened on all other points of the compass. The Infidels having enjoyed peace ever since the conquest of Cyprus, their artillery and arsenals were in the highest state of perfection. During seven days and nights they fired forty thousand guns and many hundred thousand musket-shot; seven thousand men became martyrs being killed in the trenches, and their property taken possession of by the fiscus. But the Moslím victors encouraged by the presence and the gifts of the Commander-in-Chief, advanced with undaunted steadiness, and arrived on the tenth day at the edge of the ditch. Seven batteries with large guns were battering the walls on seven sides. During twenty days and nights the fire continued to rage from both sides. The Moslims at last began to raise mounds of earth on the side of the sand bulwark, which being perceived by the garrison, they burned the Moslims with shells and grenades. This way of continuing the siege above ground being found impracticable, it was carried on by mines under ground. On the west side of the town, where the Lazaret is established, a mine of three mouths was blown up, and with it seventy yards of the wall, with all the Infidels upon it, who were sent through the sky to hell. The Infidels witnessing this artful mining, imitated it, they passed under the ditch and blew the mounds of earth with a couple of hundred men into the air; so that the air was obscured by the dust for more than an hour’s time. The Mussulman victors not caring for this, exhorted one another, and the volunteers brought in heads and prisoners whom they caught at the breaches. The Commander rewarded those who brought heads with fifty, and those who brought prisoners with an hundred ducats, making them besides a present of the men and distributing ziámets and timárs.

The Faithful devoting themselves with heart and soul, penetrated sometimes into the interior of the fortress, from whence they brought heads and prisoners, and amongst the last even the son of the commanding general. But this day was a bloody one, which cost many lives.

One day an Infidel descending on a rope-ladder, came into the Commander-in-Chief’s tent, and said he had good news to tell him, if he would promise the safety of his house and family. The Commander-in-Chief granted immediately what he asked, and promised to give him the command of the Infidels besides. He then confirmed his promise by an oath, and tied a handkerchief of pardon round his neck. Then the Infidel said that there were two parties in the castle, the Greeks who wished to surrender, and the Venetians who wished to defend themselves to the last man. The latter were assembled on the side of the harbour, where the fortress had not yet been battered, he advised, therefore, to disturb them by a battery raised on that side, and to throw into the Greek quarter, some arrows only, with flattering promises to the Greeks. This advice having been followed, ten Greeks came, who embraced Islám, and received Mussulman names. The siege was, however, continued with the same zeal. On the east side of the harbour a great bastion was raised, from which the high houses and palaces of the Infidels near the port were battered, and where cries and lamentations pierced the skies. The same day orders were issued to all Captains of the Navy, and to the Begs of the Barbareses, to keep a good watch, and twelve Maúnas were ordered to batter the port, and the sea side of the town. This raised a great outcry there, but some of the shots injuring the camp, other orders were issued to the chief gunner of the fleet. The Infidels never relaxing in their fire and their stratagems, there was no day without a couple of hundred falling martyrs. It would be too tedious to relate all the memorable events of this siege; in short, one day the Infidels seeing forty thousand brave men with drawn swords and heavy shields, ready to assail the walls, hoisted the white flag of surrender, crying, “Amán, amán, O exquisite family of Osmán!” No regard being paid to this, and the firing continuing as before, some Captains came out by the breaches, asking for a respite of ten days. The Commander-in-Chief answered, “You will walk out to-morrow, or all fall victims to the sword.” This was agreed to. Some of them remained in the tent of the Commander-in-Chief, some went into the castle and returned with the answer, that next morning they would all be ready to surrender. The Janissaries, Sipáhis, Jebejis and Topjis, instantly took possession of the walls and the artillery, and during the night, the Infidels were embarked for their cursed country. The next day the Islamitic prayer was proclaimed, salutes of guns and muskets fired, and those salutes repeated thrice from time to time during three days. The ships of the Infidels steering eastward to the Castles of Retimo and Candia, their General when he saw and heard these rejoicings, when he heard the profession of Islám proclaimed from the belfries, when he saw the crosses upset and the green banner of Mohammed waving on the spires, could not bear such a sight, but blinded himself. The whole fleet now entered the harbour, and messengers were sent to Constantinople with the good news. Seventy-seven tartanas and galleys, and fifty barbaresque ships, came to an anchor. All the stores and ammunition were disembarked, and large batteries raised on the shore to mount the guns on. The troops were occupied in cleansing the trenches and ditches, and repairing the walls; thus the castle became ten times stronger than it was before; all the churches were converted into mosques, and the first Friday prayer performed in the mosque of Sultán Ibrahím. The streets were adorned with shops and lighted with lamps during the night. The clarions sounded after the prayer was performed, the shouts of Allah pierced the skies, and a triple salute was fired, the report of which shook not only Rome and Irak, but the whole of earth and Heaven.

The sixth day after the conquest of the castle, a fleet of a hundred sail bearing the Venetian, Tuscan, and Popish flag came to the assistance of it; but when they saw the port full of the Ottoman fleet, and the ships of the Barbareses cruising before it, when they saw the belfries turned into minarehs, and the Crescents in the place of the Crosses, they sighed heavily, “Good-by Canea! Good-by Canea!” and sailed in despair for Súda. The Ottoman victors found in the conquered fortress all the slaves and girls of the late Kislar Agassí embarked on board the galleon of Ibrahím Chelebí, all his precious things, and high-bred horses; they revenged the blood shed, and turned the Convents of their monks and nuns into those of Dervishes. The contest at this siege was scarcely so heavy and bloody as at the sieges of Assov, Eriván and Baghdád, which have been celebrated by eloquent writers. The Commander-in-Chief sent messengers and letters to nine towns and fortresses of the island, and to the Rayas in the interior of the island in the mountains of Assfákia, summoning them to pay tribute, to surrender to the Sultán the keys of their castles, and to enjoy ease and plenty under the protection of the Emperor; threatening those who would not comply with this demand, with the havoc of their lands, slavery of their families, and death to themselves by the sword. Within seven days came three hundred deputies from all places and villages in the island to pay obeisance and bring presents. The rest of the island not having submitted, the Vezírs and Begler-Begs received orders to send the Ottoman victors to collect the legal tithes. From seventy to eighty thousand men were immediately dispersed over the seven hundred and seventy miles of the island, taking booty, day and night, in the ways of God. Gold, silver, brass vessels, fine boys, and pretty girls, were carried in immense numbers to the Ottoman camp, where there was such an abundance that a boy or girl was sold for eighteen piastres. Some thousand men of the army, seeing such plenty, settled in the island. Kuchúk Hassan Pashá with seventeen Begler-Begs, seventy Alaï-Begs, and all the Zaims and Timariots, remained at Canea, besides the garrison of regular troops, consisting of twenty-seven regiments of janissaries, ten regiments of artillery, ten regiments of armourers, four regiments of cavalry, and three thousand men, Egyptian troops; altogether seventy-seventy thousand men. In the castle remained seven thousand seven hundred Azabs, and forty ships were left for the transport of troops from Menkeshe, besides fifty firkata manned with an hundred stout lads.

The Commander-in-Chief, Yússúf, took leave of all the Vezírs and great men, and weighed anchor with a favourable wind, and sailed for Constantinople. He passed with a fleet of two hundred sail before Cerigo and Cerigotto, destroyed the repairs of the Mainotes at the Cape of Maina in Morea, with the Castle of Killí situated on the same point; passed the Cape of Capospada, and the Castle of Menkeshí, and came to anchor at Napoli. After a stay of three days a council was held, and it was resolved to lay waste the Island of Istendil (Tine), belonging to the Venetians. At the moment the fleet was sailing, an Imperial rescript arrived from Constantinople congratulating the Commander-in-Chief on his victories, and rewarding him with an Imperial robe of honour, and a sword and cutlass set with jewels. The same day the Island of Tine was plundered, but no great booty found. Its castle being strong and high, the signal of departure was immediately given, and the southerly wind being favourable, in the course of ten days we touched at different places, such as Chios, Lemnos, Mitylene, and Tenedos; these castles were put in repair, and garrisoned with the necessary number of troops. From Tenedos we arrived at Gallipolis, where we took water, and where the Commanders received strict orders to be watchful. From hence, in two days and one night, we reached the Prince’s Islands, in sight of Constantinople, and next day arrived at the Seraglio point, with such demonstrations of joy as cannot be expressed. The conqueror of Canea, Yússúf Páshá, kissed the ground before the Emperor, was decorated with Imperial robes of honour, and offered a treasure worth that of Egypt, and youths like those of Paradise, besides an infinite number of presents. But he was afterwards calumniated and killed. When Sultán Ibrahím saw his body, he said, “how white he was!” and fell a-crying. He added, “My Yússúf, may those, who have played thee this trick soon share thy fate!” and, while saying so, he looked at his favourite Jinjí Khojá. His death caused general complaint and lamentations, and there was but one voice of sorrow. God’s mercy be upon him!

Cause of the Death of Yússúf Páshá.

Envious calumniators informed the Emperor, that Yússúf Páshá had secreted from the treasures of Canea three great tubs of gold, three millions of money, and a golden column; that he had not given a drop of the ocean nor an atom of the sun of his treasures to the Emperor. After his death nothing was found, and the column wrapt up in felt, which had been said to be a golden tree, was found to be a column of yellow stone, which was afterwards used to support the oratory of the mosque built by the mother of Mohammed IV. It is a stone more precious indeed than gold and jewels, because persons afflicted with jaundice are cured by touching it three times on a Saturday. This is the stone which caused the death of Yússúf Páshá.

“The servant proposes and God disposes, and the tongues of the people are the pens of God.” When Sultán Ibrahím disclosed the secret of the expedition to Yússúf Páshá on his departure, he said, “If thou returnest victorious I’ll reward thee according to thy merits:” and indeed it happened so, because the conquest of Canea, an enterprise so difficult, was granted to Yússúf Páshá before the arrival of the enemy’s fleet by a special favour of God, and no reward could equal such merit, but the glory of Martyrdom. He was beloved of God, who first granted him the conquest and then the Martyr’s crown. Praise be to God that I, poor Evliyá, witnessed such a famous siege, and returned safe to my native city. I kissed my parents’ hands, who wished me joy on my safe return. My father said, “The campaign thou hast made now renders my going into the field superfluous.” I said, “My dear father, you have grown old, you have been present at seventy battles since Sultán Súleimán’s time. Pray now for your beloved son, who shall go into battles instead of you.” I kissed his hand, and he then told me the following story, exhorting me to listen to it with the ears of my soul.

“In the year when thou wast born, my son, in the reign of Sultán Ahmed I. a great assembly of seven hundred Vezírs and great men was held at the Hippodrome in order to lay the foundation of Sultán Ahmed’s mosque. They dug from forty to fifty cubits deep, and the walls of the foundations having reached the level of the earth, the Ulemas and Astronomers were assembled, and with the prayers and ceremonies usual in similar cases the position of the mihráb determined. Kalender Páshá was named inspector, Kara Sunbul Alí Efendí, the Secretary, and our Khoja (Evliyá’s reading-master) Evliyá Efendí, Imám of the foundations; the Sheikh of Scutarí, Mahommed Efendí, was named the Sheikh; Mahmúd Chelebí, Kara Mahmúd Agha, and forty other men with fine voices, the Moëzzins of the foundations. One day Sultán Ahmed came, and pitched his tent on that part of the courtyard of the mosque, where there then remained only a single painted Koshk belonging to the Seraï of Koja Mohammed Páshá. Here the Sultán gave a feast to all the Vezírs and great men of the capital, which surpassed even that which was given at the feast of circumcission of Sultán Ahmed. The assembly having retired, there remained in the Sultán’s tent, only Mahmúd Efendí of Scutarí, Evliyá Efendí my master, Kara Sunbul Alí Efendí, Ibrahím Efendí the senior of the surgeons, Dervish Omar Gulshení one of the favourite singers and I, thy poor father, sitting on our heels. The Sultán said unto us, “If it please God this mosque shall be finished, and be a fine praying place, but it requires to be well endowed.” Evliyá and Mahmúd Efendí of Scutarí said, “My gracious Emperor, undertake a military expedition, and then devote the revenues of the conquered land to your new built mosque, as your ancestor Súleimán did, who having in person conquered Rodos, Stancio, and different other islands, devoted their revenues to his mosque, which is, therefore, the best endowed of all the Imperial mosques. If your Majesty should undertake an expedition against Creta (Kiríd), you would protect the passage of Ottoman merchants and pilgrims from the ships of the Infidels. The senior of the surgeons, Ibrahím, and Mahmúd Efendí of Scutari said a Fátihah for this good intention, the seven prayers of which were repeated by all present, who finished it by saying, ‘If it please God our prayer shall be granted.’

“Sultán Ahmed then said, ‘But, learned gentlemen, we are at peace with the Venetians, is it decent for a Shehin-shah (king of kings) to encroach on treaties of peace? Under what pretext shall we break it, particularly now, when Anatoli is kept in rebellion by Kara Yazijí, Saíd Arab, Kalender-oghlí and Jennet-oghlí, against whom my Vezír Murad Lálá is marching? How shall I then think of the conquest of Candia?’ Evliyá answered, ‘My Emperor, on the third day all the rebels shall be beaten, and you shall receive the good news on the twelfth, they shall pass away like a torrent; Murad Páshá shall fill wells with their dead bodies, and obtain in history by this deed the name of Murad Páshá the well-maker (Kúyújí).’ This prediction was accomplished by the news that Murad Páshá, had filled all the wells near Haleb and Azez with the bodies of the rebels. Mahmúd Efendí of Scutari availed himself of this opportunity to remind the Emperor of the project of the Cretan war, and suggested to him, first to send an embassy to the Prince of Venice to ask that he should give up the island of Creta. Sultán Ahmed, being pleased with this idea, sent Kúrd-Chaúsh, a good and eloquent speaker, with presents, as ambassador to Venice. He made great haste, and at the end of seven days arrived at Venice, making his public entrance on the eighth, and read his letters in public council; the Senate consented to the demand, and letters were made out, with which Kúrd-Chaúsh was sent back; having kissed the ground before the Emperor, the letters were read by the Interpreter in presence of Mahmúd Efendí of Scutari, Evliyá, Sunbul Alí, Ibrahím, Togháni, Ismail Efendí the Commentator on the Mesneví, Júnúbí the Sheikh of the Mevlevís at Kássím Páshá, Dervish Omer Gulshení, Guzeljí Gulábí, Kúzú Alí Aghá, Abdí Aghá, and of me, thy poor father, in the following form and tenor, ‘You have asked from me the Principe, your most humble servant, the island of Creta, with six hundred thousand inhabitants, seven hundred and seventy villages, and of seven hundred and seventy miles circumference, with seven mines of gold, silver and other metals, which we are ready to give.’ At these words all those who were present read the Fátihah, and the Mohammedan shouts (Allah! Allah!) rent the air.

“The end of the letter said, ‘But we poor fellows, giving to you, great Monarch, an island as rich as that of Creta, we beg of you the favour to make us a present of the ports of Acra, Saida, Beirút, and of the old seat of our religion, Jerusalem. It is only for this purpose we can cede to you the island of Creta, and it would be more reasonable to deliver your hereditary countries from the rebels, who infest it, than to form such strange demands:—Our compliments to you!’ Ahmed hearing this answer was deeply afflicted, and began to cry. Mahmúd Efendí said, ‘Why should your Majesty be afflicted; they began by saying, that they were ready to give up the island, it is God who has dictated these words to them, according to which they shall be obliged to yield the island.’ A Fátihah was said, and the Mahommedan shouts (Allah!) repeated. Then they said, ‘If it please God, it shall most certainly be conquered,’ and saying so, they changed the conversation. When this letter was again read at the Diván, the Emperor happened to be in his innermost garden at the place called Chemensoffa, conversing with the abovenamed learned and virtuous gentlemen. At this moment the gate of the innermost Harem opened, and the Kislar-agassí walked out, followed by seven Princes, who kissed the hands of the Emperor, and then of the Sheikhs, who were with him, and the Sultán said, ‘Gentlemen, the Princes my sons, are your most humble servants.’ He then ordered that they should play before him, to dissipate the melancholy which the answer of the Venetians had caused. They played ball, and Prince Osmán, the strongest and stoutest of them, was superior to the rest. Coming near his father’s throne, he asked him, ‘My Osmán! wilt thou conquer Creta?’ The Prince answered, ‘What shall I do with Creta? I will conquer the land of the white Russian girls, and shed blood there.’ Saying so, he continued to play; Evliyá Efendí, praise to God, the innocent boy could not reach the meaning of the Emperor’s words. Mahmúd observed, that he had understood well the word Creta, but that there was something mysterious in his answer about the white Russian girls. Now Prince Osmán came up pursuing his brother Mohammed even under the throne, where Mohammed sheltered himself, and having crept forth again, the ball, which Osmán threw at him, touched his gilt turban, and hurt his neck so that blood was flowing, and he turned giddy.

“Sultán Ahmed said, ‘Look Mohammed, Osmán is thy brother, and yet he has hurt thee, this is the course of the world: strike him in your turn.’ He wiped his blood off, and having seated him at the foot of the throne, he asked him, ‘Will you conquer Creta, Mohammed?’ Mohammed said, ‘I will, but my brother Osmán sheds my blood; if it is not me, another Mohammed will finish the conquest begun by me.’ The Senior of the Surgeons, Ibrahím said, ‘Praise be to God, what secrets are revealed to-day! but nobody yet understands them.’ Now the Princes continued to play at ball; Bayazíd and Súleimán were chasing each other, when all at once, Prince Murad sallied forth from the place called the black cypress, and threw a ball at them, which hurt them both, so that blood dropped from their noses. Sultán Ahmed said, ‘My Murad, why dost thou beat thy brethren so.’ The Prince replied, ‘It was not my intention, but such is the play of the world, I was obliged to do it because they gained upon me, and were going to take my place!’ Omer Gulshení said, ‘There is also some mystery in that.’ Now came Prince Ibrahím in a ruby-coloured dress: Sultán Ahmed asked him, ‘Where have you been my Ibrahím?’ ‘I,’ said he, ‘have taken the ablution of martyrdom, and am now come to wrestle and play with all my brethren.’ He entered wildly and threw a ball at Sultán Osmán’s head, so that he knocked off his turban and set him crying. Prince Murad now threw a ball at Ibrahím, which he received undaunted, feigned to direct his ball at Bayazíd, but turned round in a moment, and threw it at Murad with such violence, that he was for some time senseless. Ibrahím now ran to his father’s throne, sat at the foot of it, and said, ‘Have I not aimed a good ball at Murad,’ and then fell to indelicate play. Murad was crying on the ground, saying, ‘I had rather died, than have been beaten in that way by Ibrahím!’ The play continuing, to the surprise of all the beholders, Murad again pursued Ibrahím, and threw the ball at him, which he received as boldly as the first time, and retreated under the throne, from whence he then issued without his turban and in a state of undress. Sultán Ahmed caught hold of his ear, and said, ‘Wilt thou conquer Creta, and make of it an endowment for my mosque for Mecca and Medina.’ The Prince said, ‘If God assists me, and helps me, in God’s name, and if it pleases God, my son Yússúf shall conquer it under Yússúf the Prophet’s favour!’ All who were present now said a Fátihah that this might happen, and Sultán Ahmed said, ‘Now, how curious it is, that I am fallen into melancholy since the Venetian letter has been read, that wishing to divert myself with my children’s play, they got bloody necks and noses, and made me more melancholy than before, till Ibrahím has at once chased away my spleen by saying that he will conquer Creta by his son.’ God’s mercy on Sultán Ahmed! All that had been foreshewn in this play, really happened.

“1. Sultán Osmán who hurt his brother Mohammed’s neck, ordered him to be executed when going to Khotyn.

“2. Sultán Osmán, who was hurt by Ibrahím’s ball in his groin, died after his unsuccessful return from Khotyn, at the Seven Towers, when one Piniál tortured him till he died by compression of the scrotum.

“3. The two Princes, Bayazíd and Súleimán, overtaken by Murad at the black cypress, were strangled in the same place, the blood dropping from their noses, by Sultán Murad’s order in the year 1045, when he sent Beshír Aghá to Constantinople with the news of the conquest of Eriván. They were buried in their father Ahmed’s tomb, twenty-one years after this play had happened in their father’s presence.

“4. The ball received by Ibrahim from Murad foreboded that Ibrahím would be, as he was, Murad’s successor.

“5. Ibrahím’s indelicate play at the foot of the throne, showed the luxury of his reign passed in weddings and pleasure parties.

“6. His having then said; ‘woe to my cullies,’ was the forerunner of the infamous disease of which he died.

“7. The reply given by Ibrahím, when coming forth from beneath his father’s throne, and saying, that he would conquer Creta with his son Yússúf, is to be understood of Yússúf Pashá the Commander-in-chief of the expedition to Canea.

“8. God knows my son (continued Evliyá’s father) whether the name of Yússúf may not be applied to Ibrahím’s son, who shall finish the conquest of Creta begun by his father.

“My son, all these mysteries I witnessed in Sultán Ahmed’s presence, and have waited ever since for the conquest of Creta promised by Sultan Ibrahím to his father, and now fulfilled accordingly. I, thy poor father, was present at the prayers then said at the suggestion of this conquest, and thou my son hast witnessed the fulfilling of it. If it please God, thou shalt witness also its entire conquest.”

It was in this manner that my father, Dervish Mohammed, the chief of the goldsmiths at Constantinople, related the story of the Princes. God’s mercy upon him! As some thousand descriptions of the siege of Canea exist, I would not expatiate too much on this subject, but have related what I witnessed in a plain way.

Jowánjí Kapújí Mohammed Páshá the great Vezír being deposed, he was named Commander-in-chief at Creta, and the Vezírat given to the Defterdár Sáleh Páshá, who bestowed on his brother, Murteza Páshá, the governorship of Bude with three tails; and on Ibrahim Chelebí, who had been Khazinedár, the governorship of Baghdád. The son of Sáleh Páshá, Chelebí Mohammed, known by the name of the hanged Defterdár-zadeh Mohammed Páshá, was made Aghá of the janissaries, with the character of Vezír, but, as he did not accept of it, he was sent as Commander-in-chief to Erzerúm. I, poor Evliyá, was appointed clerk at the custom-house of Erzerúm, Moëzzin and companion to this Páshá. He was a man of agreeable conversation, great acquirements in all sciences, generous, brave, a poet and statesman. He bestowed on me rich presents, and I prepared my tents for the journey to Erzerúm. I was invested with a robe of honour (caftán) in Sultán Ibrahím’s presence. He said unto the Páshá, giving him the Imperial rescript, “Thou art my absolute Vezír and Commander against the Persians; if they should become rebels, all the army of Anatolia as far as Eriván is under thy command.” He gave him five purses, fifty mules and as many camels for the journey, a splendid tent, and two sable pelisses. We passed under Sultán Ibrahím’s blessing to Scutari, where we pitched our tents at the place called Agháchairí. The same day, Cherkess Derzí Mustafa, one of the Imperial armsbearers (Silahshor), was sent express to Erzerúm to Malatialí Silihdár Súleimán Páshá. During our stay at Scutari, the treasurer of the Páshá Dilber Chelebí was deposed by an Imperial firmán, and his place given to Alí Aghá one of the relations of the Páshá; we remained a week at Scutari, and then, on the first day of Rejeb, set out on our journey for Erzerúm.

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.