Where IcyRhodopeope’s to shadyHœme,And sacredHebruswants part of her Stream.
Where IcyRhodopeope’s to shadyHœme,And sacredHebruswants part of her Stream.
Where IcyRhodopeope’s to shadyHœme,And sacredHebruswants part of her Stream.
Where IcyRhodopeope’s to shadyHœme,
And sacredHebruswants part of her Stream.
Inwhich Verses, the Poet seems to intimate the Shallowness of that River for want of Water. For though it is a great and famous River, yet, in most Places it is fordable: For, I remember, in my return fromConstantinople, we forded over it nearPhilippopolis, to an Island on the other Side, where we lay in Tents all Night; but it happened, that the Waters swelled that Night by reason of Rain, that next Morning we could not repass the River, to come into the Road, without a great deal of Trouble.
TheCity ofPhilippopolisis situate on one of the three little Hills, disjoyned, and, as it were, rent from the rest of the Mountains, and is, as the Grace of those little Hillocks. While we were atPhilippopolis, we saw Rice growing like Wheat, in the watry and marshy Grounds. The whole Plain, about the Town, is full of little round Hills of Earth,which theTurkssay, were raised on Purpose, as Monuments of the frequent Battles fought in those Fields, and the Graves such as were slain there. From hence, leaving the RiverHebrussomething on the Right, and MountHæmus, which runs forth intoPontus, on the left, at last we passed over theHebruson a famous Bridge, made byMustapha, and so came toHadrianople, which theTurkscallEndrene.
ThisCity was formerly calledOrestia, before the EmperorHadrianinlarged it, and called it by his own Name. It is seated at the confluence of the RiverMarizaorHebrus, and the two small Currents ofThinsaandHarda, which there meeting in a joint Stream run into theEgean Sea. This City is not very large within the Walls; but, if you take in the Suburbs, and the Buildings which theTurkshave added without, it is very capacious.
Westaid but one Day atHadrianople, and then went forward on the last Stage of our Journey towardsConstantinople. In my Way thither there grew abundance ofNarcissus’s Hyacinth’s, and (as theTurkscall them)Tulips, which we beheld, not without Admiration, that in the midst of Winter, which is not favourable to such Flowers in other Countries, the Ground should be so garnished by them. As forNarcissus’s, andHyacinths, allGreeceabound with them; and they are so odoriferous, that, by reason of their Multitude, they are offensive to those Heads that are unaccustomed to such Kind of Smells. But theTulip, hath little or no Smell, but its gaudiness and party-colouredness is its greatest Commendation. TheTurksare great Admirers of Flowers, so that, though they are Parsimonious enough in other Cases, yet for a stately Flower,they will not scruple to give someAspers. And the Truth is, these kind of Flowers, though they were presented to me as a Gift, yet they cost me a great deal of Money; for someAsperswere always expelled in requital. Neither is there any other way of treating with aTurk, but by opening the Purse-strings, as soon as anyChristiancomes among them; neither must he think to shut them again, till he go out of their Country: While he is there, he must scatter his Coin, and if he get no other Advantage by it, yet it makes them more tractable. For theTurksare so ill-natured, and such under-valuers of all Nations but their own, that without this Open-handedness, there were no more living among them, for Strangers, than in the most desolate and uninhabited Places, by reason of the excessiveness either of Cold or Heat; but with the Bait of Liberality, you may catch aTurkat any Time.
Aboutthe mid-way betweenHadrianopleandConstantinople, there is a little Town, calledChiurli, memorable for theOverthrowwhichSelimusreceived in a Battle against his FatherBajazet, out of which he escaped by the Swiftness of his Horse, calledCarabonluch, i. e. aBlack Cloud, and so fled to theCham, or thePrecopeian Tartar, who was his Father-in-Law.
Beforewe came toSelimbria, which is a Town standing on the Sea-side in our Way, we saw the Ruins of an old Wall and Ditch, which were made by the later Emperors ofGreece, which reached from that Sea to theDanow, to secure all that was contained within that Fortification to theConstantinopolitans, against the Incursions of theBarbarians; and there goes a Story, that when that Wall was a Building, a certain old Man delivered his Opinion to his Wife,viz.That thatWall would not so much secure what was within it, from the Hands of the Infidels, as it would expose and subject it to their Rage and Fury, in regard it would add Courage to theBarbariansto assault it, and weaken the Courage of theGreciansto defend it.
AtSelimbriawe had a most pleasant Prospect of a calm Sea; and ’twas very pleasant to us to behold the smooth Water, and to gather Cockles on the Shore; yea, to behold Sholes ofDolphinssporting in the Water, which, with the Warmness of the Air, was exceeding delightful. It can hardly be imagined, how mild the Weather was in those Parts, though sometimes it be a little more boisterous atChiurli; but here there is, as I may call it, aThracian Gale, and an incredible Sweetness of Air.
Whenwe came near toConstantinople, we passed over two pleasant Arms of the Sea, upon a Bridge built over them. I may safely say, That if those Places were cultivated by Art, as they are naturally pleasant, the Sun never shone on a better Country; but, alas! they seem to mourn for the Neglect put upon them by the insultingBarbarian. Here we had our Fill of choice Sea-fishes, which were even taken in our Sight.
WhenI lodged in those Inns theTurkscallImaret, I usually observed, that the Cracks of the Walls were all full of Pieces of Paper; and thinking something was the Matter, but not knowing what, I took out some of them, and finding nothing writ therein of any Consequence, I was more earnest to know of theTurksthe Reason of their so doing; especially as I had observed the same Thing in other Places ofTurkeybefore. At first they scrupled to tell me, as thinking perhaps that I would not believe them; or else, not being willingto impart so great a Mystery of Things to such an Alien as myself. This made me the more inquisitive, till at last some of them, with whom I became more familiar, told me, That theTurksgave a great deal of Difference to Paper, because the Name of God may be written in it: And, therefore, they will not suffer the least Bit of Paper to lie upon the Ground, but presently they take it up, and thrust it into some Chink or Hole or other, that so it may not be trampled under Foot; and hitherto, perhaps, their Superstition may be tollerable, but mark what follows.
Inthe Day of Judgment, say they, whenMahometshall call up his Followers from theirPurgatory, (to which they were condemned for their Sins) to Heaven, to be there made Partakers of Eternal Blessedness; there will no Way be left for them to come to their Prophet, but over an huge red-hot Iron Grate, which they must run over bare-foot, (how painfully, you may guess, when you imagine a Cock to skip thro’ hot-burning Coals.) But at that Instant, (believe it if you can!) all those Bundles of Papers, which they have preserved from being trod upon, will immediately appear, and put themselves under their Feet; by which Means they will pass the red-hot Iron-Grate with less Damage; so necessary do they count the Work of saving a little Paper. And, to add to the Story, I remember that myTurkishGuides were once very angry with my Servants, for making use of Paper to cleanse theirPosteriors, and thereupon made a grievous Complaint to me of their horrid Offence therein: I had no Way to put them off, but by telling them, ’twas no Wonder my Servants did such strange Things, seeing they also used to eat Swines Flesh, which theTurksabhor. Thus I have given you a Taste of theTurkishSuperstition; I shall add, That they account it a damnable Sin, if any of their own People chance (though unwillingly) to sit upon theAlcoran, (which is a Book containing the Rites of their Religion) and, if aChristiando it, ’tis Death by their Law. Moreover, they will not sufferRose-Leavesto lie upon the Ground, because, as the Ancients did fable, the Roses spring out of the Blood ofVenus; so theTurkshold, That it had its Rise from the Sweat ofMahomet.
Icame toConstantinopleon the 20th Day ofJanuary, and there found my Collegues above-mentioned,Anthony WrantziusandFrancis Zay; as for theGrand Seigniorhimself, he was, at that Time, at the Head of his Army inAsia, and had only left atConstantinople,Ebrahim Bashaw, an Eunuch, as Governor of the City, andRustan, but deprived of his Vizier-ship; however I gave him a Visit and made him Presents, as being mindful of his former Dignity, and of the fair Prospect there was of his speedy Restitution thereunto.
Itmay, perhaps, divert you, and besides it is not wholly foreign to my Design, to acquaint you how thisRustancame to be strip’d of all his former Honours. Know then, ThatSolymanhad a Son, calledMustapha, on a Concubine of his, born by theBosphorus, (if I mistake not.) This Youth was in the prime of his Age, and in great Favour among the Soldiers. But the sameSolymanhad several other Children byRoxolana, whom he doated on so much, that he made her his Wife, by appointing her a Dowry; for that’s the Way of making and confirming a Marriage among theTurks. ThisSolymandid, contrary to the Custom of former Emperors, none of which had evermarried a Wife, since the Days ofBajazetthe Elder; the Reason was, because the saidBajazet, being overthrown byTamerlane, was, with his Wife, taken Prisoner by him, where he suffered many Indignities, but none affected him more, than the Uncivilities and Reproaches which he saw offered to hisSultaness, before his Face. The Memory of which Affronts made such a deep Impression on all those that succeededBajazetin the Empire, that, to this very Day, none of them will marry a Wife, that so, whatever Chance should happen, they might never fall into the like Indignity; so that, ever since, they beget Children on Women of a servile Condition, in whose Misfortunes they may be less concerned, than if they were their lawful Wives. And yet the Children begot on such Concubines, are as much esteemed by theTurks, as if they were born in lawful Wedlock, and they have as much right to their Fathers Estates.
Sothen,Mustapha, being of a promising Ingenuity, and in the Flower of his Age; and besides, being the Darling of the Soldiers, and the common People too, having so many favourable Circumstances attending him, he, after his Father’s Death, was by the Votes of all designed for his Successor in the Empire.
Onthe other Side, his Stepmother,Roxalana, with Might and Main, laboured to prevent it, and to secure the Empire for the Children begotten on her own Body, and thereupon presuming on her Marriage-Relation, she ceased not to disparageMustapha, and to prefer a younger Son of her own before him. In this DesignRustanwas both her Counsellor, and Assistant; they drew both in one Yoke, forRustanhaving married a DaughterofSolyman’s, byRoxalana, their Interests thereupon were reciprocal.
ThisRustanwas the Chief of the Bashaw’s, andSolyman’s Prime Vizier, having the chief Power and Authority with him: He was a Man of a sharp and very capacious Wit, and a great Grace toSolyman’s Government. As for his Original, he was the Son but of a Shepherd, and yet he seemed worthy of that Dignity to which he was advanced, if his sordid Avarice had not been a Blot in his Escutcheon. And to speak truly,Solymanhimself observed this Vice in him, though upon all other Accounts, he was his choice and only Favourite: And yet this Crime of his turned to his Master’s Advantage; for being appointed bySolymanto preside over his Treasury, or Exchequer, which sometimes was very low, he was so thrifty in the Management of that Office, that he did not spare to raise Money, even by the meanest and most contemptible Ways. For he laid a Tax on Herbs, Roses, and Violets, which grew in great Men’s Gardens; he caused the Armour, Coats of Mail, Warrior’s Horses, of such as were taken Prisoners in War, to be sold, and by such Ways as those he got together such a Mass of Money, thatSolymanwas very secure on that Part; upon this Occasion, I remember, that a great Man among theTurks, who are usually vindictive enough, that was a great Enemy toRustan, yet (to my Surprize) told me, That he would doRustanno hurt, tho’ it were never so much in his Power, because his Care and Industry had advanced his Master’s Treasury to so prodigious a Sum. There is a Chamber in theSeraglio, atConstantinople, over which there is this Inscription,Here is the Cash obtained by the Diligence ofRustan.
WhenRustanwas Grand Vizier, and had the intire Administration of all Things in his Hands, he was able to turn his Master’s Mind, as he pleased, so that ’twas commonly reported among theTurks, That partly by the Accusation ofRustan, and partly by the Witchcraft of his WifeRoxolana, (for she was accounted little better than a Sorceress)Solymanwas so alienated from his SonMustapha, that he took Counsel to put him to Death. As to what some alledge, thatMustaphabeing sensible of the Designs ofRustanand his Step-MotherRoxolana, against his Life, did labour to preserve them, by taking off his Father, and so seizing the Empire by force; very few do believe that Story, but look upon it as a Fiction.
Onthis Occasion, let me tell you, that the Sons of theTurkishEmperors are the miserablest Creatures in the World; for if any one of them succeed his father in the Empire, the rest are inevitably put to Death by him. For theTurkscannot endure any Corrival in Government; and besides they are egged on to this severity by theirPrætorianBands, (JanizariesandSpahies) who, as long as there is any one of theGrand SeigniorsBrothers alive, never cease craving of Largesses and Boons, and if the present Emperor refuses to grant them, they presently cry out,God save your Brother, God send your Brother a long Life; by which Words, they more than intimate their Wishes, that he were on the Throne. So that theTurkishEmperors are in a manner compelled to put their Brethren to Death, and so begin their Reign with Blood. ButMustaphawas afraid of such a fatal end; or elseRoxolanawas willing to translate the said Destiny from her own Children uponMustapha: Upon one or other of these Grounds, it was, thatSolymonentertain’dthe thought of putting his SonMustaphato Death. And the occasion fell out opportunely, for he had War at that Time, withSagthamaKing of thePersians, thitherRustanwas sent with a vast Army. When he drew near to the Borders ofPersia, upon a sudden he made a stop, and wrote back fearful Missives toSolyman, telling him,That the whole Empire was in great hazard, there was nothing but Treason studied in the Army, they all cry’d outA Mustapha! A Mustapha!yea, the Disease was grown to such a height, that ’twas past his skill to cure it; and therefore the Emperor himself must come immediately, if he would have the Crown sit safe on his Head.
Solymanwas mightily disturb’d at the News, and therefore posted away for the Army, and sends Letters toMustaphato come to him, to purge himself from those Crimes, whereof he was formerly suspected, but now openly accused; if he could do it, he told him, he need not fear to approach his Presence. Upon the Receipt of this Letter,Mustaphawas in a great Streight, if he should go to his Father, in such an angry Mood, he ran upon his Death; if he refused, that would be interpreted, as a plain Confession of the objected Crimes. Under this Dilemma, he resolved upon that course, which as it had more of Resolution in it, so it was fullest of Danger. Away goes he fromAmasia, of which he was Governor, to his Father’s Camp, which was pitch’d not far from the place. This he did either out of confidence of his own Innocency, or else presuming on the Assistance of the Army, if any Severity were meditated against him; whatever was the Motive of his Journey, this is certain, that he run unavoidably upon his own Destruction; ForSolymanever since he was atConstantinople, had resolvedto put his Son to Death; and to make the Matter more plausable, he consulted theMufty, (so theTurkscall the chief of their Priests, asRomanistscall theirs the Pope,) and that he might not speak to him in favour ofMustapha, he propounded to him a feign’d Case, thus, ‘There was a Wealthy Merchant atConstantinople, who having occasion to Travel a long Journey from Home, left the care of his Family, his Wife and Children, and all his Affairs to a Slave of his, in whose Fidelity he put a great deal of Confidence; now this Slave, immediately after his departure, designed to destroy his Masters Wife and Children, committed to his Care, and Embezil his Estate, and to work against his Masters own Life, in case he should ever get him into his Power; What may be Lawfully done, said he, to theMufty, with such a Slave.’He deservessays theMuftyto be Rack’d to Death.Whether he spoke really as he thought, or whither he did not do it to curry favour withRustanandRoxolana; This is certain, that the Resolution of theGrand Seigniorwas greatly confirmed thereby to put his Son to Death, for he was of Opinion,Mustapha’s Offence against him, was as great, as that supposed Slaves against his Master. However it were,Mustaphacame into his Fathers Camp, the whole Army being very sollicitous about the event of their Congress.
Soonafter he was brought into his Fathers Tent, where all things were hush; not a Soldier of the Guards to be seen, no Serjeant, no Executioner in view, nor nothing of Treachery that was visible; but when he was come into an inner Tent, Lo! upon a sudden, there started up four Mutes, strong and lusty Fellows to be his Executioners; they set upon him with all their strength and might,and endeavoured to cast a Cord about his Neck; he defended himself stoutly for a while, (for he was a Robust young Man,) as if he had contended not only for Life, but for the Empire. For without Question, if he had escaped that danger, and had come in among theJanizaries, they either out of Affection to him, whom they dearly Loved; or else moved with the Indignity of the Thing, would not only have saved his Life, but have gone near to have Proclaimed him Emperor: And that was the very thing, whichSolymanfear’d of all things in the World; and therefore perceiving, as he stood behind a Linnen Vail in the Tent to behold the Tragedy, that unexpected stop was put to his Bloody Design; he peep’d out his Head, and gave the Mutes such a sour and minacious Look, in reproach of their remisness; thereupon they assaulted him with renew’d Force, and then threw poorMustaphadown on the Ground, and Strangled him; and after they had done, they carried his Corps out of the Tent, and laid it on a piece of Tapestry, that so theJanizariesmight behold their design’d Emperor.
Assoon as the Matter was divulged, Commiseration and Grief seized on the whole Camp, and there was scarce a Man of any Consideration in the whole Army, that did not approach to behold so sad a Spectacle, especially theJanizaries, whose Confirmation and Rage was such, that they would have ventured to attempt any Manner of Mischief whatsoever, if they had had a Leader. As for him whom they hoped to be their Conductor, he lay dead on the Ground, and therefore now there was no Way but one, to take that patiently which was past all Remedy.
Thusthey silently departed with blubber’d Eyes, and sad Hearts, to their Tents, where they bothlamented and pitied the woful Fate of unhappyMustapha, sometimes inveighing against the Madness and Rage of his old doating Father, at other Times exclaiming at the Fraud and Cruelty of his Step-Mother, and anon cursing the Wickedness ofRustan, with direful Imprecations for extinguishing so great a Light of theOttomanFamily, so that all that Day was a Fasting-day to them, they did not sip so much as a drop of Water; yea, some of them continued their Abstinence for many Days after. In short, there was such a Face of Mourning over the whole Army, which was not like to cease in many Days, thatSolymanin Policy, and in a seeming Compliance with the Sentiments of his People, deprivedRustanof his Office (it being thought by his own Consent) and Banished him, as a private Person toConstantinople, substitutingAchmatBashaw to theGrand-Vizier-shipin his Room, a Man of more Courage than Conduct.
Uponthis Alteration, the public Grief was somewhat abated, and the Soldiers Rage pacified; for the Commonalty was made to believe, ThatSolymanat last had found out the Wickedness ofRustan, and the Inchantments of his Wife; and that now he repented, though it were late, first of his Cruelty toMustapha. and thereupon had banishedRustanfrom his Presence, and that he would not spare his Wife neither, as soon as he came toConstantinople. As forRustan, he pretended great Sorrow, and departed toConstantinople, without seeming to have the least hope, ever to be restored to his former Dignity.
Butalas!Roxolanawas not content with the Destruction ofMustapha, as long as he had an only Son, who was yet in his Minority, alive; for she did not think her own, or her Childrens Security,to be sufficiently provided for, as long as any ofMustapha’s Race were alive; but she wanted a fair pretence to accomplish her Design, nor was it long before she found One. She represented toSolyman, that as often as his Grand-child,Mustapha’s Son went abroad atPrusa, where he was brought up, the Youth of that City were wont to flock about him, to wish him all Happiness, and particularly to pray,That he might long survive his Father. And whither (said she) can this tend, but to prompt him to mount the Throne, and revenge his Father’s Death? And to be sure, theJanizarieswill take his Part, (added She;) and thus the Death ofMustaphaalone, will add little Security to the public Peace and Tranquility. Religion (proceeded she) is to be preferred before even the Lives of our own Children; and seeing that of theMusselmans, (for so they call their Religion, as counting it the best) stands and falls with theOttomanFamily; if that House fail, farewel Religion also. And how can that House stand, if Domestic Discord undermine it? And therefore Sir, if you prevent the Ruin of your House, your Empire and your Religion, you must use all manner of means; nay, you must not stick at Parricide itself; if homebred Disagreement and Feud may be thereby prevented; for the safety of Religion will over-ballance the Loss, even of a Man’s own Children. As forMustapha’s Son, you have the less Reason to spare him, because his Father’s Crime hath already infected him, and there is do doubt, but, if he be suffered to Live, he will soon endeavour to Head a Party, to revenge his Father’s Death.
Bythese ReasonsSolymanwas induced to yield to the Murder of his Grandchild, and thereupon sentEbrahimBashaw toPrusa, to destroy the innocentYouth. As soon as the Bashaw came thither, he made it his great Business to conceal his intended Design from the Child’s Mother; for, he thought, it would be look’d upon as an inhuman Thing in him, to cut off a Youth, with the Privity of his Mother, and, as it were, before her Eyes. And, besides, he was afraid the People would rise in Arms upon the Perpetration of so cruel a Fact; and therefore at first, Fox like, he sets his Wits at work to deceive the Mother. He pretended that he was sent bySolyman, out of Respect to her and her Son, to visit them; that his Master saw his Error in putting his Son to Death, which he now, too late repented of; but that the crueller he had been to the Father, the more indulgent he would be to his Son; and many such colloguing Words he used, whereby he imposed upon the too credulous Mother, who was the rather induced to believe him, because ofRustan’s Disgrace and Fall; and to crown his Flattery, he presented them with many Gifts. This past on for a Day or two, and then some Discourse was administred concerning their going abroad, out of the City, to enjoy the fresh Air. And the Bashaw, being an Eunuch, persuaded her the next Day to take a Turn in the Suburbs, she in her Coach, and himself, with her Son, would ride afore on Horseback. The Matter seemed not to afford any Suspicion, and therefore she consented, and a Chariot is prepared for her; but (mark the Fraud!) the Axle-Tree of the Coach was so made, on Purpose, that it must needs break, when it came to be jogged in any rough Way. Thus she, in an unlucky Time, began her Journey out of the City. The Eunuch and the Child rode a pretty Way before, as if they had Occasion for some private Discourse, and the Mother speededafter as fast as she was able; but when the Coach came to the designed craggy Place, the Wheel violently hit against the Rocks, and so the Axle-Tree broke. This the Mother looked upon as an unlucky Omen, and therefore, in a great Fright, she could not long be restrained from leaving her Coach, and with a few of her Maids, from following her Son on Foot. But, alas! ’twas too late; for the Eunuch being come to the House designed for the Slaughter, without any more ado, shewed the Child the Emperor’s Mandate for his Death. He answered, according to the Principles of their Religion, That he looked upon that Command as proceeding not from the Emperor, but from God, which must necessarily be obeyed, and so he yielded his Neck to the Bow-String.
Thusdied this innocent and hopeful Youth. When the Eunuch had perpetrated this wicked Fact, he stole out at a Back-door, and fled as fast as he could. The Mother, soon after, beginning to smell out the Fraud, knocks at the Door; when they thought fit they opened it, and there she saw her Son sprawling on the Ground, his Breath being yet hardly out of his Body. Here let me draw a Vail; for a Mother’s Affection to a Son in such a lamentable Juncture, may be better conceived than expressed. Upon this dismal Sight she was hurried back toPrusa, where she tore her Hair, rent her Garments, filled the whole Town with Howlings, Moans, &c. ThePrusianLadies, with their Daughters and Waiting-Maids, came in Multitudes to her, and were stark Mad to hear of so great a Butchery; and running in that raving Manner out of the Gates, all the Cry was,Where’s the Eunuch? Where’s the Eunuch? Let’s have him to tear him to pieces: But he foreseeingwhat would happen, and fearing, like anotherOrpheus, to be torn Peace-meal by those raging Furies, had cunningly withdrawn himself.
Butto return to my Purpose. As soon as I came toConstantinople, Letters were sent toSolyman, then atAmasia, to acquaint him with my Arrival; and, till his Answer was return’d, I had Leisure to take a View of the City ofConstantinople; and first, I had a Mind to visit the Temple of St.Sophia, which I was not admitted to do, but by special Favour; for theTurksthink that their Temples are prophaned, if aChristiando but put his Foot within them.
ThatChurch is a magnificent Pile, and a worthy Structure to behold. It hath a great Arch or Hemisphere in the Middle, which hath no Light but only from the Sky: All theTurkish Mosksare built after the Form of this. Some say, that heretofore it was much larger, and contained many Apartments, which were all destroyed by theTurks, and only theQuireandNave, in the Middle of it, standing.
Asfor the Situation of the City itself, it seemed to me, to be naturally placed as fit to be the Mistress of the World; it stands inEurope, and hathAsiain view, and on its right, hathEgyptandAfrica; which, though Countries not adjacent to it, yet by reason of frequent Intercourse and Naval Commerce, they seem as it were, contiguous. On its left Hand is theEuxin Sea, and thePalus Mætis, whose Banks are inhabited round about by many Nations, and so many navigable Rivers have their Influx into them, that there is nothing grows in any of the Countries thereabout, fit for Man’s Use; but there is a great Conveniency of transporting it by Sea toConstantinople.
Onthe one Side, it is wash’d with thePropontis; on the other, the River makes an Haven, whichStrabocalls,The Golden Horn, from the Similitude it hath to an Horn; on the other Side, it is joined to the rest of the Continent, so that it almost resembles a Peninsule; and with the continued back of a Promontory, it runs out into the Sea and a Bay, which is made there by the River and the Sea. So that from the middle ofConstantinople, there is a most pleasant Prospect into the Sea, and even to the MountOlympus, inAsia, which bears a snowy Head all the Year long. The Sea there, is wonderful full of Fish, which sometimes swim down from theMæotisand theEuxine, through theBosphorusandPropontis, into theÆgæanandMediterranean Seas, and sometimes they swim from thence into theEuxin, according to the Nature of the Fish; and that in Shoals so thick and numerous, that you may catch them with your Hands. So that here is excellent fishing forMackrel,Tunny,Cod,PorpoisandSword-Fish. But theGreeksfish more than theTurks, though these latter love Fish well enough; provided, they be of the Number of those, which they countclean; as for others, they had rather eat Poison than taste them, for aTurkhad rather his Tongue or his Teeth were pluck’d out of his Head, than taste of any Thing they think to beunclean, as aFrog, aSnail, or aTortoise. And herein, theGreeksare every jot as Superstitious as they; of which I will give you the Instance following.
Ientertain’d in my Family, a Youth of theGreekReligion; I employed him as my Steward. The rest of my Servants could never persuade him to eat anyPeriwinklesorCockles; but at last, they put a Trick upon him; they caused them to be so high-season’d and disguis’d, that he, mistakingthem for another sort of Fish, fed upon them most heartily. Whereupon, my People set up a Laughter, and threw down the Shells before him, where by he perceiv’d himself to be cozen’d: Whereupon, ’tis incredible to relate how much he was troubled. He went presently to his Chamber, and there fell a Vomiting, Weeping, and Afflicting himself most grievously, without any Intermission; insomuch, that two Months Sallary was not sufficient to expiate this Offence; for that’s the Guise ofGreekPriests, according to the kind and greatness of the Offence, they lay a pecuniary Mulct upon those who come toConfess, and they neverAbsolvethem till they pay it down to a Penny.
Inthe furthest Point of that Promontory which I mentioned before, stands the Palace, orSeraglio, of theTurkishEmperors: To me, it did not seem very magnificent, either for Work or Workmanship (for you must know, that as yet, I had not made an Entrance into it.) Under the Palace, in a low Ground, and as it were, upon the Sea-shore, are the Gardens of theGrand Seignior, where the greatest Part ofOld Bysantiumis thought to have stood.
Ihope you do not expect to be informed by me, why theChalcedonians, who built a City over-againstByzantium(the Ruins whereof are yet to be seen) were Sirnam’dThe Blind; nor shall I tell you the Nature of that Sea, which always runs downward with a vast Stream, but never recoils with any Tide; nor will I spend Time to speak of thoseHautgiswhich were brought toConstantinoplefrom thePalus Mæotis, such as theItalianscallMoronella’s BotarguesandCaviare; the Description of all these Particulars would swell my Epistle to too great a Bulk, and besides, it would be needless; for both theAntients, and alsoModernWriters, have given Information of those Particulars at large.
Toreturn then to the Site ofConstantinople. There is no Place in the World more pleasantly seated to the Eye, nor more convenient for Trade. But, let me tell you, the Buildings therein (as in all otherTurkishCities) are not magnificent, nor are their Streets stately or large; nay, inConstantinople, they are so narrow, that they much eclipse the Beauty of the Place. Yet there are in it some valuable Relicks of old Monuments to be seen; but not so many as a Man would imagine, considering how manyConstantinebrought thither fromRome. It is not my Purpose to insist upon each of these Particulars; yet, a Word or two of the principal ones.
IntheAreaof the oldHippodrome, there are two Serpents cut in Brass; as also, a mightyObelisk. Moreover,Constantinopledoth gratifie us with the Sight of two memorable Pillars;Oneover-against theCaravaserai, where I lodged, and theOtherin theForum, called by theTurks,Aurat-basar, i. e.The Womens Court, wherein, from Bottom to Top, is engraven the History of a certain Expedition of oneArcadius, who built it, and whose Statue, for a long time, stood on the Top of it. And yet it may rather be called aStair-Case, than aPillar, because it goes winding up like a Pair of Stairs. I caused the Shape of this Pillar to be drawn, which I have by me. But the other Pillar, over-against the House theGermanAmbassadors used to lodge in, the whole Structure, besides the Basis and the Chapiter, consists of eight solid Marble or RedPorphyryStones, so curiously joined together, that they seem but one continued Stone. For, where the Stones are jointed one into another, upon that Commissure, there is wrought a circular Garlandof Lawrels round about the Pillar, which hides the jointing, so that they which look upon it from the Ground, perceive no jointing at all. That Pillar hath been so often shaken by Earthquakes, and so battered by Fires happening near it, that it is cleft in many Places, and they are forced to bind it about with Iron Hoops, that it may not fall to pieces.
Theysay, That the Statue ofApolloonce stood upon that Pillar, and that afterwards the Statues ofConstantine, and ofTheodosiusthe Elder, were erected there; but they are all thrown down, either by the Force of the Winds, or by Earthquakes.
TheGreekstell this Story concerning theObelisk, in theHippodrome, which I mentioned before,viz.
Thatit fell from its Basis, and lay for many Ages upon the Ground; but in the Time of the later Emperors, there was an Architect found, who undertook to raise it up to its Place; but he demanded a vast Reward for his Pains. After the Price was agreed on, he prepared abundance of Ropes, Pullies, and other Instruments, and by those means, he lifted up that vast Stone, within one Inch of the Place where it was to stand; but his presentApparatusbeing able to raise it no higher, the People, who in great Numbers were his Spectators, were of Opinion, that all his former Cost and Pains were lost, and he must begin anew to try to do the Feat some other way, to his vast Expence and Charge. The Artist himself was not discouraged; but being skilful inMechanick Philosophy, he caused abundance of Water to be brought up to him, which, for many Hours, he cast upon the Ropes, to which theObeliskhung; and those Ropes, being often wet and dry, shrunk a little, and by that means, lifted upthe Weight to its designed Station, to the great Admiration and Applause of the Vulgar.
AtConstantinopleI saw several Sorts of wild Beasts, such asLynxes,Cat-a-Mountains,Panthers,Leopards, andLyons; but they were so gentle and tame, that I saw one of the Keepers pull aSheepout of aLyon’s Mouth, so that he only moistened his Jaws with the Blood, without devouring it. I saw also a youngElephant, so wanton, that he would dance, and play at Ball. Sure you cannot chuse but laugh, when I tell you of anElephant’s dancing and playing at Ball; but if I should say no more, why may you not believe me as well asSeneca, who tells us of one that could dance upon the Rope? Or asPliny, who speaks of another that understoodGreek? But that you may not think me an egregious Forger, give me leave to explain myself: When thisElephantwas bid to dance, he did so caper or quaver with his whole Body, and interchangeably move his Feet, that he seemed to represent a kind of a Jig; and as for playing at Ball, he very prettily took up the Ball in his Trunk, and sent it packing therewith, as we do with the Palm of the Hand.
Amongthose wild Beasts, there had been aCamelopardalis, but she died a little before I came toConstantinople; however, I caused her Bones, which had been buried in the Earth, to be digged up, that I might inspect the Make of this Creature. It is an Animal a great deal taller in the Forepart than in the Hinder; and, for that Reason, it is unfit to carry a Man, or any other Burden. It hath an Head and a Neck like aCamel, but a spotted Skin like aLeopard, and therefore it is called by a Name derived from both, (i. e.)Camelopardalis.
Itmight have been imputed as a Piece of great Neglect in me, not to have visited theEuxine, especially as I had an Opportunity of sailing thither; seeing the Ancients used to account it as great a Piece of Curiosity to seePontus, as to visitCorinth. Thither, therefore, I sailed with a prosperous Gale, and had the Privilege to be admitted into some of the Pleasure-Houses of theGrand Seignior.
Inthe Valves of one of them, I beheld the famous Fight ofSelimuswithIshmaelKing of thePersians, excellently described in Checker-Work. I had also the View of many of the Orchards and Groves of theTurkishEmperor, which were seated in most pleasant Vallies. This I may say of them, That they ow’d little to Art, but almost all to Nature; so that I could not chuse but entertain suchEpiphonema’sas these in my Thoughts, O most pleasant Houses for Nymphs! O choise Seats for the Muses! O Retirements fit for the Learned! To deal plainly with you (as I told you before) they seemed to me, as it were, sensibly to bewail their present Posture, and to cry aloud toChristiansfor their better Cultivation; and not they only, but much moreConstantinopleitself, yea, and allGreecetoo; which being, heretofore, the most flourishing Country in the World, is now wofully enslaved byBarbarians. Formerly it was the Mother and Nurse of all good Arts and liberal Sciences, but now, alas! it seems to call for that Culture and Humanity which once it delivered down to us; and, by Way of Requital, claims the Redemption of our common Religion from thatScythian Barbarismunder which it groans; and call it may long enough, for (with Grief may we speak it)ChristianPrinces, now a-days, are otherwise employed; so that theTurksdo not more domineerover the poorGreeks, than Vices, such as Luxury, Gluttony, Sloth, Lust, Pride,&c.do overChristians, which so clog, enervate, and depress our Minds, that we can hardly look Heaven-ward, or aspire to any Thing that is truly Great and Excellent.
Methinks, Duty and Piety should have been sufficient Motives to us to help our afflicted Brethren; but if we had been proof against those Incentives, so that neither brave nor praise-worthy Actions could unthaw our frozen Courage; yet Profit and Advantage, which are now the great Bias of the World, might have stirred us up to recover such opulent and commodious Countries from Infidels, and to possess them ourselves: But, on the contrary, we plow the Ocean, even as far as theIndies, and the veryAntipodes, because there we get rich Prey and Spoil at a cheap Rate, even without Bloodshed, by imposing on the simple and uncraftyIndians. ’Tis true, we pretend the Conversion of theHeathens, but, if we go to the Root of the Matter, (to our Shame be it spoken) ’tis their Gold, not their Godliness, is the Gain we seek for. Our Ancestors carried it at quite another Rate, who did not, like trading Merchants, seek after those Places where there was most Wealth, but where there was greater Opportunity for noble and virtuous Atchievements; so that it was not Profit, but Honour, which put them upon hazardous and remote Expeditions: And when they came home, they were more laden with Glory than with Plunder. I speak this in your Ear; for others, perhaps, may think it a peculiar thing in me, to detract from the Manners of the present Age. But, let them think what they will, I see that the Arrow is drawn to the Head to destroy us; and I am afraid, that we, who would not fight forGlory, shall be forced to do it to save our Lives. But to return toPontus.
TheTurkscall theEuxine,Caradenis, (i. e.)The Black Sea. It falls down thro’ narrow Streights into theThracian Bosphorus, where its Waters are tossed up and down by many Vortices, Turnings, and Windings, occasioned by several Promontories jutting out into it; and thus, in one Day’s Passage, it descends toConstantinople, and from thence, almost by the like strait Passage, it breaks out into thePropontis. In the Middle of the Bay, where it makes its Influx into theBosphorus, there is a Rock with an erected Pillar, in the Basis whereof is writ the Name of a certainRoman, calledOctavian, (if my Memory fail not) inLatinLetters.
OntheEuropeanShore there is a Tower, calledPharos, where they hang out Lights in the Night, to guide Sailors by. Not far from this Place, a River falls into the Sea, in the Channel whereof there are found Stones, little inferior toOnyxesorSardonyxes, and, if they be polished, are as shining as they. A few Miles from that Bay, which I lately spoke of, we may see those Streights over whichDariuswasted his Army against theEuropean Scythians: And about the Middle, between the two Mouths of theBosphorus, there are two Castles, one of which is inEurope, and the other on the opposite Shore, inAsia. This latter was possessed by theTurkslong beforeMahomettookConstantinople. The other was built by him some few Years after he became Master of that City. TheTurksmake use of it, at this Day, as a Prison for the nobler Sort of their Captives.Lazarus, a Commander, or Prince of theEpitotsnot long ago was taken Prisoner by theTurks, together with someSpaniardsatCastlenovo,and committed to this Tower; from whence making his Escape, and being retaken, he was impal’d, (i. e.) put to a most cruel Death, by having a Pole thrust thro’ his Body, from his Fundament to his very Neck; yet he indured it with incredible Patience.
Perhapsyou expect that I should here give you an Account of those floating Islands, calledCyaneæorSymplegades. But, to deal freely with you, those few Hours that I spent on thePontus, I saw no such Islands at all; whether they had been carried to any other Place, I know not: If you desire to have a more particular Information concerning them, you may consultPeter Gyllius, who was an exact Enquirer into such Curiosities; for my Part, I shall record only what I saw, or know to be true. Yet I think it is not fit for me to conceal a Mistake thatPolybiusis guilty of; for he proposes many Arguments, to prove that, in Tract of Time, theEuxinewill be choaked up with Sand and other Trash, brought in by theDanow, theBorysthenes, and other great Rivers falling into it, that it would be made unfit for Navigation; whereas, the contrary appeared to me; for that Sea is every jot as navigable, at this Day, as it was of old in the Days ofPolybius. And though he seemed to have some Grounds for his Opinion, that to him were irrefragable, yet Time hath shewed them to be weak. The like Observation holds in other Cases; for, of old, who would not believe the Ancients, who affirmed, upon seemingly imaginable Grounds, That the Torrid Zone was inhabitable? whereas, later Discoveries have fully convinced us, That those hot Countries are as well inhabited as any other Part of the Terrestial Globe; nay, when the Sun is at the highest with them, and darts down its Rays perpendicularlyupon them; even at that very Time the Ardency of the Heat is so tempered and cooled by continued Rains, that those Countries are rendered very fit for human Habitations. But to return.
AftertheGrand Seigniorwas informed, by Letters, of my Arrival (as I said before) he sent to the Governor ofConstantinople, intimating his Pleasure, that he should send us to him intoAsia, as far as the City ofAmasia, or (as it is writ on ancient Coins)Amazeia, where he then was. Upon this Advice we prepared all Things for our Journey; and, with our Guides, on the 9th ofMarchwe were wafted over intoNatolia, (for so theTurkscallAsiaat this Day.) That Day we went no farther thanScutari, a Town on theAsiatickShore, opposite to OldByzantium; where, or very little above it, the noble City ofChalcedonwas formerly thought to stand. TheTurkswere of Opinion, That when our Horses, Coaches, Baggage, and Train, together with ourselves, were all got over theHellespont, ’twas enough for one Day’s Journey; especially considering, that if we had forgot any of the necessary Accoutrements for our Journey, or had left them behind atConstantinople, (as it sometimes happened) we might bethink ourselves before we went any farther, and fetch them over. The next Day we continued our Journey fromScutari, over fragrant Fields, full of odoriferous Plants, and especiallyStæchas’s, a sweet smelling Spike. There we saw a vast Number ofTortoises, stalking over all the Field, without any Fear at all. We had certainly seized upon a great many of them, as a Prey grateful to our Palates, had it not been for ourTurkishGuides, whom we were afraid to disoblige; for if they had seen any of them brought to our Table, muchmore, if they had touched them, they would have thought themselves so defiled, that I know not how many Washings would not have cleansed their imagined Pollution. For, as I told you before, theTurks, and theGreekstoo, are so superstitious, that they abhor ever to touch of that Animal; so that, it being no hurtful Creature, and no body endeavouring to catch them, the whole Country abounds withTortoises. I kept one of them by me a great while, which had two Heads, and it would have lived much longer, if I had been as careful of it as I might. That Day’s Journey brought us to a Village, calledCartaly, which I mention, because I shall, for the future, gratify you with the Knowledge of the several Stages of this Voyage. For tho’ the Journey fromViennatoConstantinoplehath been performed by many, yet this fromConstantinopletoAmasia, hath, as yet, been undergone by noChristianthat I know of. FromCartalywe came toGabise, a Town ofBithynia, which some think was anciently calledLibyssa, and is famous for the Sepulchre ofHannibal, who was there interred. From thence there is a most pleasant Prospect into the Sea, and into the Bay ofNicomedia; here also growCyprusTrees of a wonderful Bulk and Tallness.
Ourfourth Day’s Journey fromConstantinoplebrought us toNicomedia, a City, anciently of great Note; but we saw nothing remarkable in it, but the Ruins and Rubbish of old Walls, with some broken Pieces of Pillars with their Chapiters, which were all the Remainders of its ancient Splendor, except one Castle on an Hill, which was somewhat more entire. A little before we came to this Place, some Workmen, that were digging under Ground, discovered a long Wall made with Marble,which (it may be) was part of the ancient Palace of the Kings ofBithynia.
FromNicomedia, we passed over a Cliff or Ridge of MountOlympus, and came to a Village calledKasockly, and from thence toNice; but it was so late before we came thither, that the first Watch was set. Not far from that Place, I heard a mighty Noise, as if it had been of Men that jeer’d and mock’d us. I asked what was the Matter? Whether any of the Mariners, rowing on the LakeAscanius, (which was not far off) did deride us, for travelling at that unusual Time of Night? I was answered, No, but it was only the howling of certain Beasts, which theTurkscallCiacals, orJacals. They are a Sort of Wolves, somewhat bigger than Foxes, but less than common Wolves; yet as greedy and devouring as the most ravenous Wolves or Foxes of all. They go in Flocks, and seldom or never hurt either Man or Beast, but get their Food by Craft and Stealth, more than by open Force. Thence it is, that theTurkscall subtle and crafty Persons, especially theAsiaticks, by the Metaphorical Name ofCiacals. Their Manner is to enter into the Tents or Houses of theTurks, in the Night-Time, and what they can catch that is eatable, that they eat; and if they find nothing else to devour, then they fall a gnawing of all Kinds of Leather Things, as Shoes, Boots, Girdles, Scabbards of Swords, and the like; and they are as cunning as they are thievish; but in this they are very ridiculous, that they discover themselves by the Noise they make. For whilst they are most busy in a House, devouring their Prey, if any one of their Herd, that stays without Doors, chance to howl, they all set up a howling likewise; and thus, forgetting where they are, they raise up the People of the House,who leap out of their Beds, and cudgel them soundly.
Allthe next Day we staid atNice; I believe my Lodging was in the same House where the Council ofNicewas heretofore celebrated. As for the Town itself, it is seated on the Bank of the LakeAscanius. The Walls of it are almost entire, so are the Gates, which are but four, and may all may be seen from the Middle of the Market-Place; in each of them there were old Inscriptions inLatin, which shew that the Town was repaired byAntoninus: which of them I do not well remember; but sure it must be byAntoninusthe Emperor. There are also some Remainders of his Baths, and whilst theTurkswere digging out Stones from thence to build Houses atConstantinople, they found the Statue of a Soldier in his Armour, curiously wrought, and almost entire; but they quickly battered it with their Hammers, even in our View; and when we shewed ourselves displeased at their rude Violence, they paid us with a Jeer,What, said the Labourers,will you bow down to worship this Statue, as youChristiansused to do to yours?
FromNicewe continued our Journey to a Place calledJenysar. FromJenysartoAckbyuck, fromAckbyucktoBazargyck, fromBazargycktoBosowick, otherwise calledCassumbasa, seated in the narrowest Streights of MountOlympus; for almost all our Way fromNicethither, lay through the Cliff of that Mountain. AtNicewe lodged in aTurkishInn, or Hospital, and just against it was a Rock, standing on high Ground, wherein there was a square deep Trench cut, and from the Bottom thereof there issued out a Canal, that reached to the Highway. That Trench or Ditch, the ancient Inhabitants of that Place used, in theWinter Time, to fill with Snow; that so the melted Snow-Water gently dropping down into the Road, by the fore-mentioned Canal, might quench the Thirst of parched Travellers. Such Works as these theTurkscountEleemosynaryones; because they are for the publick Benefit and Advantage of Mankind.
Notfar from this Place, on the Right Hand, we saw a Town, calledOtmanlick, borrowing its Name, (as I conceive) fromOttoman, the Founder of theOttomanFamily, who lived there.
Fromthose Streights we descended into an open Campaign; and when we came thither, we lay the first Night in our Tents, whereby the Heat did not so much incommode us, as otherwise it would have done; the Place was calledChiausada. The most remarkable Things we saw here, was a subterraneous House, that had no Light, but only what stole in at the Roof: We saw also that Sort ofGoats, of whose Hair, (or Fleece, if you had rather call it so) they make the Shagreen or watered Stuff, called Camlet. If you would know the Nature of that Creature, I shall not entertain you with a Flam, but give you the true Description of it.
TheHair of this Creature is very fine, and extreamly white, and it hangs down from their Bodies to the Ground. The Goat-herds do not sheer, but kemb it off, and it is almost as fine as Silk. TheseGoatsare often washed in the neighbouring Rivers, and feed upon the Grass growing there, which is very tender and dry, and that certainly contributes much to the Fineness of their Wool; for if they are removed to another Place, their Fleece changes with their Pasture, and their Kids do so degenerate, that one would hardly thinkthem of the same Breed. The Thread that is spun of that Hair or Wool, is carried, by the Women of that Country, toAncyra, a City ofGalatia, where it is woven into Cloth and dy’d, as I shall tell you anon.
Moreoverthe Sheep of those Countries have very fat and weighty Tails, (their Sheep-Flocks consist hardly of any other.) The Tail of any one of them weighs sometimes three or four Pound, and sometimes eight or ten; yea, they grow so big in some old Sheep, that they are forc’d to lay them upon a Plank, running on two little Wheels, that so they may draw them after them, not being otherwise able to trail them along.
Perhapsyou will think I tell you a Romance; but, take it on my Word, it is a certain Truth. I grant, such bulky Tails may be of some Advantage, because they are full of Fat; but the Flesh of the Sheep seemed more harsh and rank to me, than our own Mutton. The Shepherds that tend them lie Day and Night in the Fields, and carry their Wives and Children about with them, in Waggons, which serve them instead of Houses; only sometimes they erect small Tents to lie under. They wander far and near, sometimes in the open Campaign, sometimes over Hills, sometimes over Dales, as the Season of the Year, and the Necessity of Pasturage, doth require.
Isaw also in those Countries, some Sort of Birds, unknown to us, and such as I never saw before. Among the rest, there is a Kind ofDucks, which gives a Sound like Trumpeters, or such as blow the Cornet; the Noise they make is almost like the Sound of a Post-Boy’s Horn. It is a Bird, which though it hath nothing wherewith to defend itself, yet is very strong and daring.
TheTurksare verily persuaded, that the Devils are afraid of these Birds. This is certain, they are so tenaciously sensible of their Liberty, that tho’ they have been kept up tame in a Coop, for three Years together, yet if they can but get an Opportunity to escape away, they fly to their wonted Haunts, as preferring their natural Seats before their confined Prisons, though they be cramm’d and fatten’d there.
Wepassed on fromChiousadatoKarali; fromKaralitoHazdengri; from thence toMazotthoy; fromMazotthoywe passed over the RiverSangar, which runs intoPontusout ofPhrygia, and came toMahathli, from thence toZugli, thence toChilancyck; fromChilancycktoIalancich; from thence toPortughin; and fromPortughinwe reached toAncyra, called by theTurks,Angur. We staid one whole Day atAncyra, partly because theTurksdid not hasten us; for, in regard thePersianEmbassador made an Halt, we were desired to do so too, that we might make our Entrances, both at one Time, intoAmasia. I saw nothing remarkable in all the Villages aforementioned, save that sometimes, among theTurkishSepulchres, we happened to see some Pillars, or ancient Stones of curious Marble, wherein there were several Remains ofLatinorGreekInscriptions, but so defaced, that they could not be read; which Disappointment I very much resented, for all my Delight was, as soon as I came to my Inn at Night, to enquire after old Inscriptions, together withLatinandGreekCoins; and sometimes for rare Kinds of Plants.
Asfor the Sepulchres, or Graves of theTurks, their Custom is, not to fill them with Earth, but throw great Stones upon them for a Covering. Would you know the Reason? ’tis Superstitiousenough. TheTurksbelieve, that whenever the Devil accuses the Deceased, and calls upon him to give an Account how he spent his Life; then his good Genius will defend him, and this Stone is the Place upon which the Ghost must sit, that he may plead his Cause with more Care; and it is so huge and bulky, that Dogs, Wolves, or other ravenous Beasts, especially theHyænæ, may not injure his Corps as it lies in the Earth.
TheHyænais a Beast common in these Countries; she uses to dig up Graves, and taking out the dead Bodies from thence, carries them to her Den, near which you shall see a great Heap of Bones of Men, Horses, and other Creatures. She is a little lower than a Wolf, and quite as long; she hath a Skin like a Wolf, only her Hair is rougher and full of great black Spots; her Head is contiguous to herSpina dorsi, without anyvertebræat all; so that, when she looks backward, she must of necessity turn her whole Body: Instead of a Row of Teeth, she hath but one continued Bone. TheTurksdo ascribe great Vertue to this Beast, inPhiltres, as did the Antients: there were two of them atConstantinople, when I was there; I cheapned them, but their Owners were unwilling to sell them, because they kept them for theSultaness, who was thought, by Love-Portions, and Magic Art, to have engaged her Husband’s Love to her. Here I cannot chuse but take Notice of a Mistake inBellonius, who thinks theHyænato be the same Creature with that we call theZibethorMusk-Cat.
TheTurkshave a Tradition, that theHyæna, which they callZirtlan, understands what Men say one to another. The Antients affirm’d, that they could also imitate Man’s Voice, and thereupon Hunters catch them by this Wile. They find outher Den, which they may easily do by the heap of Bones lying by it; and then one of them goes in with a Rope, leaving the other End of the Rope in the Hands of his Fellows without; and when he is creeping in, he cries with a loud Voice,Joctur, Joctur, Ucala!i. e.She is not here, She is not here!or,I cannot find her!whereupon, theHyæna, thinking she is not discovered, lies close, and he ties one end of the Rope about her Leg; and then he goes forth, still crying,I cannot find her!but when he is escaped quite out of the Hole, he cries out aloud,She is within, She is within!which theHyænahearing, and understanding the meaning of it, leaps out, thinking to escape; but then they hold her back by the Rope, tied to her Leg, and either kill her, or, if they use Care and Diligence, lake her alive, for she is a fierce Creature, and defends herself desperately.
Ifound abundance of Old Coins all up and down this Country, especially of the later Emperors,viz.theConstantines, theConstantius’s, theJustin’s, theValens’s, theValentine’s, theNumerian’s, theProbus’s, theTacitus’s, and such like. In many Places theTurksuse them for Weight,viz.of a Drachm, or half a Drachm; and they call itGiaur Manguri, i. e. the Money of thePagansorInfidels. The like Coins I found in the neighbouring Cities ofAsia, as atAmysus, atSynopis, atCumana, atAmastris, andAmasiaitself, whither we were going. There was a Brasier of that City which grieved me very much; for demanding of him, whether he had any Old Coins to sell? He answered me, That a few Days ago, he had a large Room full of them, but had melted them down to make Brass Kettles, as thinking them of little Value, and fit for no other Use. When I heard this Story, it troubled me much to lose so many choice Monuments of Antiquity;but I paid him back in his own Coin, by telling; him, That I would have given him a hundred Guilders for them; so that my Revenge was suited to his Injury; for I sent him away as sorrowful, as he did me for losing the Coins.
Asfor Plants, I saw very few in my Journey in those Parts, which were unknown to us inEurope. They were almost all of the same Kind; only they were more or less flourishing, according to the Richness or Poverty of the Soil. TheAmomum, which,Dioscoridessays, grows nearPontus, I very diligently sought for, but in vain; so that I knew not whether that Plant did not fail in that Country, or else was transplanted into another.
ThisTown ofAncyra, was our 9th Stage fromConstantinople. It is a Town ofGalatia, sometimes the Seat of theGauls, called byPliny,Tectosagum; nor was it unknown toStrabo: Though perhaps the present Town is but part of the old Town, called in the Canons,Anguira. Here we saw a stately Superscription, and a Sampler of those Tables, wherein the Atchievments ofAugustuswere summarily comprehended. I caused as much of it, as we could read, to be transcribed. It is cut in the Marble Walls of that Structure, which heretofore was the Town-hall; but is now demolished, so that one part of it is visible to those that enter on the right Hand, and the other to those that enter upon the left. The top Chapiters are almost entire; the Middle is full of Clefts, and the lowermost Part of it is so battered with Clubs and Hatchets, that it cannot be read; which Loss cannot be sufficiently lamented by all Lovers of Learning; and so much the more, because the Commons ofAsia, dedicated this City toAugustus. Here also, we were Eye-witnesses of the dying of that Cloth, I spake of before, made of Goats-wool, and howthey Camlet it, or give it its Water-colour; ’tis done thus. They pour Water upon it, and by means of a Cloth-press, cause it to receive that Colour. That is counted the best, which is most variegated in every part; and if, in any Piece, the Water-colours do not deeply and uniformly appear, that Piece, though of the same Colour, and made of the same Wool, is valued at some Gilders less than another, because it is not so deeply tinctured. The better sort ofTurks, in their old Age, are usually clothed with this Sort of Cloth, andSolymanhimself used to wear Vests of it; but Green is a Colour disused much byChristians; and the rather, because theTurkscommend it upon a Superstituous Account, as being worn by their ProphetMahometin his older Days.
Ablack Colour is counted unfortunate, and is disliked by them; and, when they see any Man so clad, they look on it as an illOmen; so that when any of ours did approach theBashaw’s, in a black Habit, they look’d a-squint on us, and made sad Complaints; and the Truth is, none of their own appear in black, but either one that is desperately poor, or else so overwhelm’d with some great Calamity, that he regards not what Cloaths he wears. A Purple Colour is a creditable Colour with them; only it is an Omen of much Bloodshed in Time of War: But the ordinary approved Colours among them, are theWhite, theYellow, theSea-Green, theViolet-Colour, andMouse-Colour, &c.
TheTurksascribe very much toAugury, andOmens, Good or Bad, so that it hath been known, that someBashawshave been removed from their Places and Offices, by reason of a Fall from their Horse; as if that were anOmenof some ill Luck, which is averted from the Publick, by falling onthe Head of that private and particular Person; who is thereupon degraded.
FromAncyra, we came to a Village calledBalygazar, and from thence toZarekuct; fromZarekucttoZermeczii, and to the Bank of the RiverHalys: As we past through a Village calledAlgii, we saw, at some Distance, the neighbouring Mountains ofSynopi, which were red, like Vermillion; and from which Red Lead is calledSynopi.
ThisHalysis the famous River which was heretofore the Boundary of the two Kingdoms of theMedesandLydians; concerning which, there was an ancient Oracle, That whenCrœsuspass’d it to make War on thePersians, he should overthrow a great Empire, which fell out to be his Own; whereas he thought it would have been thePersians. Near the Bank of this River, there was a Wood, which seemed to us, to bear an unknown Shrub; but when we drew near, we found it to beLiquorice, and with the Juice of its Root, we refreshed our selves abundantly.
Nearthat River, we met with a Countryman, and asking him, by an Interpreter, Whether that River did abound with Fish? And how they used to catch them? He answered, That there were Fishes enough; but no Body could catch them. When he saw we wondred at his Answer, he proceeded: For,says he, if a Man strive to take them up in his Hands, away presently they swim, and will not stay to be catched. This Answer was the less surprizing to me, because, when we had lighted upon some unknown Birds, and demanded of the Country-men,how we might take them?One or other of them told us, That they could not be taken; for if any Body endeavoured to lay Hands on them, they would fly away.
Butone of my Collegues,Francis Hay, having some Nets with him, caused them to be cast for the catching of Fish; we took a great Draught of them, and especially theSilurus, orSheathfish, which are common in theDanow. Besides, there is in that River, good Store of Sea-Crabs, or else, a Sort of Fish very like them. Whereupon, theTurks, who saw our Fishing, wondered at the Industry and Ingenuity ofChristians, who would catch Fish at that Rate. Hereupon, perhaps, you will say, What, are there no Fishermen inTurkey? I grant there are; but very few of them live in those Parts. And, I remember, in another Place, when theTurkssaw us turn the Stream out of its Course to catch Gudgeons at the Bottom, they laughed much at us.What, said they,do you catch such small guddling Fish? what are they good for?This Ninny-Hammer did not understand, that a great many of those Fishes would make a dainty Dish, enough to suffice many Guests. But theTurksare so parsimonious, that they don’t study their Bellies at all; give them but Bread and Garlic, or an Onion, with a Sort ofBonniclabber, or sour Milk, known inGalen’s Time, by the Name ofSyllabub, but called by them,Ingurthe; they feed like Farmers, and desire nothing more.
Theymake this Drink thus; they dilute this Milk with cold Water, and then cram Bread into it. This they use in the hottest Weather, and when they are more athirst; and we our selves found great Benefit by it, in our greatest Droughts. It is a Repast very grateful to the Palate and Stomach, and of admirable Vertue in quenching the most vehement Thirst: There is abundance of it ready made for Sale in all theTurkishInns, orCaravasera’s, as well as all other Sorts of Soop. As for hot Meat, or Flesh, theTurksdon’t much usethem in their Travels; their usual Dyet, on the Road, areSyllabubs,Cheese,dry’d Plumbs,Pears,Peaches,Quinces,Figs,Raisins, andCornel-berries; all these are exposed to sale in great earthen Platters boiled in clean Water; every one takes what he likes best. Those Fruits, with Bread, is his Food; and the Water which remains, serves for Drink. Thus their Meat and Drink stand them in very little; so that I dare say, oneChristianspends more Money, on his Belly, in one Day, than aTurkdoth in twelve; yea, their most solemn Feasts consist ofWafers,Cakes, and such-like Junkets, together with several Dishes ofRice, with someMutton, andPullet; forCaponsare not yet known inTurkey; but as forPheasants,Thrushes, and Birds calledFigeaters, they never so much as heard of their Names. But, ifHoneyandSugarbe mix’d with the Water, the Drink is likeJove’s Nectarto them. One Sort of their Liquors I had almost forgot, ’tis this. They takeRaisins of the Sun, and bruise, or grind them in a Mill, and then put them into a wooden Vessel, pouring a certain Proportion of hot Water upon them. This Mixture they stir about a little, and then cover the Vessel close, and suffer it to ferment a Day or two; if it works well, then they add Lees of Wine to quicken the Operation. When it first begins to ferment, if you taste it, ’tis over-sweet, and that makes it more unpalatable; but afterwards it acquires something of an Acid Taste, which, mix’d with the Sweet, is very grateful to the Palate for about three or four Days; especially if it be mixed with Snow, of which there is plenty atConstantinopleat all times. This Drink they callArabsorbet, i. e. theArabian Potion. It will not keep long, but grows sour in a very little Time. ’Twill fly up in your Head, and make you reel as bad as any Wine, if youdrink too much of it; and therefore, theTurks, by the rules of their Religion, are forbidden to drink it. For my Part, I liked it very well; yea, that sort of Grapes was very acceptable and refreshing; in many Places they keep them all Summer long. The way of preserving them, they told me, was this: They take large Bunches of Grapes ston’d (as the hot Sun quickly ripens them in those Countries); these they put into a Wooden or Earthen Vessel, in the Bottom whereof, they first lay a Line of groun’d Mustard-Seed; then they spread a Line of Grapes upon it; thus with a Lay of Grapes, and a Lay of grinded Mustard-Seed, they fill it up to the Top; and, when the Vessel is full, then they pour in newMust, as much as will fill all the Interstice; then they shut it close, and so let it stand till the hot Time of the next Year, when Men stand most in need of Drink. Then these Vessels are broach’d, and the Grapes, with its Liquor, are set to sale. TheTurkslike the Liquor as well as the Grapes; but I did not so well like the Taste of the Mustard-Seed, and, therefore, I caused the Grapes to be washed, and then, when I was most thirsty, they gave me great Relief. I hope you will give me leave to commend a Food to you, that did me so much good, seeing theEgyptiansesteemed their Herbs and Plants, which were contributory to their Health, as so manyDeities. But ’tis Time for a Wanderer to return back into the Way.