Part 11

There are two things which the _Turks_ make mighty Advantage of, and those are _Rice_ among the Fruits of the Earth, and _Camels_ among the Beasts of the Field; both of them very convenient in their several Kinds, for long Expeditions. As for _Rice_, it is not easily spoil’d; it affords very wholsome Nourishment, and a little of it will serve a great many People. And for _Camels_, they’ll carry huge Burdens; they will endure Hunger and Thirst to admiration; and also they require little Attendance. One Keeper will look after six or eight of them, and no Creature in the World is more obsequious to his Owner than the _Camel_; and for currying of them, they do it not with a Curry-Comb as we do, but with Brushes, as we do our wearing Apparel; they rather kneel than lie down, on the naked Ground; and in this Posture they offer themselves to be loaded; if you lay too much on their Backs they’ll grumble a little, and refuse to rise; for their Backs will be easily broken under over-great Burdens, especially in Ways that are slippery and dirty. I was mightily pleased to see them stand all round in a Ring, and with their joined Heads, take Water or other Food, out of the same Bason or other Vessel, with such agreement among them. When Fodder is scarce, they live upon tops of Brambles or Thorns; and, when their Chops are bloodied in gathering them, they eat them down most sweetly.

The _Scythians_ send a great many _Camels_ to _Constantinople_; but the most part come from _China_ and _Assyria_: From those Countries, there are whole Droves of them; and they are so cheap, that a _Mare_ of a good Breed is worth an 100 _Camels_; wherein, perhaps, they respect more the Scarcity of _Mares_ than the Cheapness of _Camels_; for good _Mares_ are so scarce in that Country, that he that gets but one, of that sort, thinks himself a very _Crœsus_ for Wealth. They try whether they are good or no, if they can run down a steep Hill, and not trip or stumble. When the _Grand Seignior_ goes upon a Military Expedition into the Field, he carries above 40,000 of these _Camels_ with him, and as many _Mules_ for Burden; and these he loads with all sorts of Victuals, especially with _Rice_. They also carry Tents, Arms, and other Utensils of War, upon them; especially when he marches into _Persia_.

For, you must know, that the Countries over which the _Sophi_, or, as the _Turks_ call him, _Chisilbas_ of _Persia_ reigns, are not so fruitful of Provisions, as our _European_ Countries are. The Reason is, because the Custom of the Inhabitants is, upon the Approach of an Enemy, to destroy all before them, that so Fire and Famine may send him farther off; so that if the Invader bring not great Store of Provision with him, he will be in danger of Starving; and if he once do approach his Enemy, yet he doth not presently open his Store of Provision, but reserves it for his Retreat; which, he knows, must be through those Places already wasted by such a Multitude of Men and Beasts, that, like Locusts, have before pillaged all the Country. Then, indeed, the _Grand Seignior_’s Stores are opened, and some small Allowance given out daily to the _Janizaries_, and other Dependents of that Prince, enough to keep them alive, and that’s all. As for others, it goes hard with them, unless they have made some Provision for themselves before-hand; and some of their Soldiers, especially the Horse, are so fore-sighted that, in Prospect of such Difficulties, they carry a led Horse along with them, with Viands and other things to support them, if need be. Upon this Horse they usually carry some Blankets, that they may spread abroad, as Tents, to defend them from Sun and Rain; also some other Cloaths to wear, and withal two or three Wicker Baskets, full of the best Flower they can get, with a small Pot for Butter, some Spice and Salt; with these, in case of Necessity, they kill their Hunger. They take out a few Spoonfuls of their Meal or Flower, and pour Water upon it; then they add a little Butter, and so seasoning it with Spice and Salt, they set it on the Fire, and when it boils, it swells so that it will fill a large Platter.

They eat of this twice or thrice a Day, as their Store holds out, but without eating Bread with it, unless they have brought some Biskets along with them: And with this thin Diet, for want of better, they can live a Month or two, till they come to richer Quarters. There are some of them who carry dried Beef, grounded to Powder, in a kind of Snap-sack; that’s a more nutritive and choice Viand amongst them: And sometimes they eat Horse-Flesh, for in a vast Army a great many Horses must needs die, and if any of them be more fleshy than others, they make a great Feast for hungry Stomachs. And those who have thus lost their Horses, (for you must know that too) when the _Grand Seignior_ or _Vizier_ removes his Camp, stand in a row before him in the Way he is to march, with their Saddles on their Heads, signifying hereby the Loss of their Horses, and by that mute Sign begging Relief towards buying a new one; and their Prince gratifies them, at his Pleasure.

Thus the _Turks_ surmount huge Difficulties in War, with a great deal of Patience, Sobriety and Parsimony, reserving themselves for more favourable Circumstances. But our _Christian_ Soldiers carry it otherwise; they scorn homely Fare in their Camps; they must have dainty bits, forsooth, such as Thrushes, Black-birds, and banquetting Stuff. If they have not these they are ready to mutiny, as if they were famished; and if they have them, they are undone: Their own Intemperance kills them, if their Enemy spare their Lives.

When I compare the Difference between their Soldiers and ours, I stand amazed to think what will be the Event; for certainly their Soldiers must needs conquer, and ours must needs be vanquished; both cannot stand prosperously together: For on their side, there is a mighty, strong and wealthy Empire, great Armies, Experience in War, a veteran Soldiery, a long Series of Victories, Patience in Toil, Concord, Order, Discipline, Frugality and Vigilance. On our side, there is public Want, private Luxury, Strength weakened, Minds Discouraged, an unaccustomedness to Labour or Arms, Soldiers refractory, Commanders covetous, a Contempt of Discipline, Licentiousness, Rashness, Drunkenness, Gluttony; and, what is worst of all, they used to conquer, we to be conquered. Can any Man doubt, in this case, what the Event will be? ’Tis only the _Persian_ stands between us and Ruin. The _Turks_ would fain be upon us, but he keeps him back; his War with him affords us only a Respite, not a Deliverance: When he once makes Peace with him, he will bring all the Power of the East upon us, and how ready we are to receive him, I am afraid to speak. But to return from whence I digressed.

I told you before, that the _Turks_ use to carry their Arms and Tents on Horse-Back to the War; but they are such as chiefly belong to the _Janizaries_, for the _Turks_ are very careful to have their Army healthy, and fenced against the Weather; let him defend himself as well as he can against the Enemy, that’s to his own Peril; but the Public takes care for his Health. Hence it is, that the _Turkish_ Army is better cloathed than armed. They are afraid of Cold, as of their greatest Enemy; and therefore, even in Summer-time, they are treble-clothed, and their inmost Garment (call it a Waistcoat, or whatever you will,) is made of coarse Thread, which keeps them very warm. And, to defend them also against the Cold and Showers, Tents are carried about for them at the Public Charge; and every _Janizary_ is allowed as much Space in the Tent as the Dimensions of his Body are; so that one Tent can hold twenty five or thirty _Janizaries_; and that thick Cloath, I speak of, is also supplied out of the public Store. When it is distributed among them, they take this Course, to prevent Quarrels; the Soldiers are ranged in the Night in Files, in a Place appointed for that purpose, and so many Cloaths are brought out of the Store as there are Soldiers, and every one takes his Dole in the Dark; so that, if it be better or worse, he has no cause to complain. And, for the same Reason, their Pay is weighed out, not told, to them, lest any one should say, he was forced to receive light or clipt Money; nor do they stay till the very Pay-day, but receive it the Day before. The Arms that are carried are chiefly for the use of the Horse, called _Spahi’s_; for the _Janizaries_ do usually fight on Foot with Musquets, at a Distance, and therefore, when an Enemy is near, and a Battle expected, the Armour is produced; but usually such as is of an old Make, and are part of the Spoils obtained from former Fights and Victories: These are distributed among the Horse; their other Armour is but a light Buckler. You may easily think, how odly such Armour will fit on a Man which is given out so hastily. One’s Breast-plate is too narrow; another Man’s Helmet is too loose; another Coat of Mail is too heavy for him to bear. Every Piece hath some Fault or other; and yet they must not complain: They count it Cowardly so to do; for they resolve to fight, be their Arms what they will, so great Confidence have they in their Victories, and in the frequent Use of their Arms. Hence it is also, that they put their old Foot on Horse-service, which they were not used to before; for an experienced Soldier (they say) will do valiantly, either on Horse or Foot-service. In my Judgment, the _Old Romans_ were of the same Mind, and especially _Julius Cæsar_, who was wont to say, _That his Soldiers would fight well, even though they were perfumed_; for when he horsed the ten Legions, upon a Conference he was to have with _Ariovistus_, what was his Intent, think we? but that they should fight on Horse-back, if there had been need, though they were used to Foot-service before; and we know amongst the _Romans_, their Foot-service was quite another thing from Horse-service. But if you say, _Cæsar_’s Design was only to horse his Men for Carriage, but to make use of their Service on Foot, certainly he had run a great Hazard thereby, if when _Ariovistus_’s choice Horse were within a Stone’s Call of the _Romans_, and might have fallen upon them, the Legion was then to dismount their Horses, to be disposed of, and ranged into a _Foot-Tertia_, or Brigade, in an instant: With us, this would seem very absurd. However it be, this is certain, that experienced Soldiers will manage a Fight after a different Order than we do; so the _Romans_ did of old, and so the _Turks_ do at this Day, with too good Success. So much for that Subject.

I return, further to acquaint you, how indulgent the _Turks_ are to all irrational Animals. ’Tis true, a Dog is counted an obscene and nasty Creature by them, and therefore they will not harbour him in their Houses; but they nourish a Cat as a chaster and modester Creature, in their Judgments. This Custom they received from _Mahomet_, their Law-giver, who was so much in love with a Cat, that, when one of them fell asleep upon his Sleeve, as he was reading at a Table, and the time of his Devotion drew near, he caused his Sleeve to be cut off, that he might not awake the Cat by his going to the Mosque.

However, though the _Turks_ have so ill an opinion of Dogs, that they wander up and down the City of _Constantinople_, and have no certain Masters, so that they are Keepers of Streets and Lanes, rather than of any certain House, and they live upon the Offal which is cast out of their Houses; yet, if they see any Bitch great with young, in their Neighbourhood, they give it Bones, and some Relicks of their Table: This they count an office of Pity amongst them. When, on this Account, I blamed them for performing such Offices to a _Brute_, which they would hardly do to a _Man_, though a reasonable Creature, like themselves, and to be sure, not to a _Christian_; their Answer was, that God had given Reason to Man, as a Fence against all Perils, and yet he did abuse it, so that if any Inconvenience or Trouble happened to him, it was his own Fault, and therefore he deserved less Pity: But God had bestowed no Boon on Brutes, but some natural Notions and Appetites, which of Necessity they must obey; and therefore they were to be relieved by Man’s Help and Commiseration; and for this Reason they take it very ill, if any brute Creature be put to Torment at his Death, or that Men should take any Pleasure in tormenting them. This had like to cost a _Venetian_ Goldsmith, that lived here, very dear, of late. The Story is worth telling. This Goldsmith did delight in the art of Fowling, and among other Birds, he once took one about the bigness of a Cuckow, and almost of the same Colour; he had no great Beak, but his Jaws were so wide and large, that, when they stretch’d asunder, they did gape most prodigiously, so that a Man’s Fist might be thrust into them. The Man wondering at this strange kind of Bird, caus’d him to be fastened to the upper Lintel of his Gate, with his Wings spread abroad, and his Jaws so extended with a Stick, that he gaped hideously. The _Turks_ came often by his Door, stood still, and looked upon it; but when they saw the Bird did move, and was alive, then taking Pity on it, _Out!_ they cried, _What an abominable thing is this, that an harmless Bird should be so tormented?_ Whereupon, out they call the Man of the House, and drag him presently, by Head and Shoulders, to their criminal Judge, where Sentence was likely to be pronounced upon him, to be soundly bastinadoed; but the _Bailo_ of _Venice_ (so they call their Ambassadors or Residents there) hearing of the Matter, sent presently one of his Servants to demand the Man, and the _Turkish Cadi_ was so merciful as to let him go; but many of the _Turks_ grumbled at his Freedom. Thus the poor Goldsmith scaped a Scouring: I laughed heartily at the Story, for he told it me himself, as coming often to my House, and in what a terrible Fright he was in for the time; and, to oblige me the more, he brought me the Bird to look upon. ’Tis of the same Form, as I lately described; it flies about in the Night, and (as they say) will suck Milch-Kine, so that I am apt to believe ’tis the Goat-Sucker of the Ancients. Such Commiseration do the _Turks_ use towards all sorts of brute Animals, especially those of the winged Kind.

Over against my Lodgings there is a tall _Plane-tree_, whose spreading Boughs make a delightsome Shade; under that Tree, sometimes Fowlers sit with abundance of such Birds to sell in Cages. You shall have the _Turks_ buy several of these Birds for a small Matter; and when they have bought them, they’ll let them fly out of their Hands. The Bird presently flies up to the Tree; there she picks her Feathers, and cleanseth them from the Filth contracted in the Cage, and then she spreads abroad her Wings, and chirps. The _Turks_ that bought them, say, don’t you hear how glad this Bird is, and how he gives me Thanks for his Liberty?

If this be so, you’ll say, What! are the _Turks_ such _Pythagoreans_, that they count all Brutes sacred, and will eat none of their Flesh? I lay not so; but, on the contrary, they’ll eat any Flesh set before them, either boil’d or roasted; only they count Mutton the properest Meat, because Sheep are made for the Shambles, as they say; yet they would not have Men to make a Sport at killing of them, as if they rejoyced in their Torment. Some of them will by no means be persuaded to kill small Birds which sing in their Fields and Woods; nay, they think it some Injury done them, to restrain their Liberty by caging them up. But all _Turks_ are not of that Mind; some of them keep _Nightingales_ in their Houses, for the Melodiousness of their Tunes, and in Spring-time they let them out to hire, to sing. I knew some, that carried _Linnets_ about, so well instructed, that if a Man shew’d them a piece of Money out of his Chamber, though it were at a great distance from them, yet they would fly up to fetch it; and if the Man would not let it go, they would sit upon his Hand, and so accompany him from one Room to another, still pulling at the Money; and when they had got it, as if they remembred their Errand on which they were sent, when their Master whistled to them in the High-way, down they would fly to him again; and, as a Reward for the Money in their Bills, he would give them a little Hemp-seed. But I shall proceed no further in such Stories as these, lest you should think me a second _Pliny_, or an _Ælian_, and that I were designing to write an History of Animals.

I preceed then to other Matters, and shall give you an Example of the Chastity of _Turkish_ Women. The _Turks_ take more Pains to have their Wives modest, than any other Nation; and, therefore, they ordinarily keep them close up at home, and hardly suffer them to see the Sun; but if any necessity calls them abroad, they go so hooded and veil’d, as if they were Hobgoblins or Ghosts. ’Tis true, they can see Men through their Veils or Hoods, but no part of their Bodies is open to Man’s View; for they have this Tradition among them, that it is impossible for a Man to look on a Woman, especially if she be young and handsome, without desiring to enjoy her; and by that Desire the Mind is excited, and therefore they keep them all covered. Their own Brothers have Liberty to see them; but their Husband’s Brothers have not the same Permission. The nobler and richer sort, when they marry, do it with this Condition, that their Wives shall never set a Foot out of Door; and no Person living, either Male or Female, be the Cause what it will, shall ever have leave to see them; no, not their nearest Alliance in Blood, except only the Father and Mother, who, at _Easter_, (their _Bairam_) are permitted to see their Daughter; and, in lieu of this Strictness, if the Wife have Parents of the better sort, and she bring her Husband a large Dowry, the Husband, on his part promiseth, that he will never have any Concubines, but will keep to her alone.

In other Cases, the _Turks_ have as many Concubines as they will, besides their lawful Wives; and the Children of both are equally respected, and have as much Privilege one as the other. Their Concubines they either buy, or take them in War, and, when they are weary of them, may sell them in the open Market; only if they have Children by them, then they obtain their Liberty. This made _Roxolana_ stand upon her Terms with _Solyman_, in having brought him forth a Son, when she was a Slave, and thereby obtain’d Manumission. Hereupon she refused to submit to his Will any longer, unless he married her; which he, doting for Love, wou’d do, against the Custom of the _Ottoman_ Princes.

A lawful Wife, with them, differs from a Concubine, only upon the account of her Dowry, which a lawful Wife hath, but a Concubine hath not. And when once her Dowry is assigned her, then she is a Mistress; Governess of the House, and all the other Women under her. And yet the Husband hath leave to lie with which of them he pleases at his Choice; and when he makes known his Pleasure to his Wife, she bids the Maid of his desires prepare herself for his Bed; and she obeys; perhaps, more joyfully than her Mistress commands her. Only _Friday_ Night, which is their _Sabbath_, the Wife claims as her due, and she thinks herself wrong’d, if her Husband defraud her thereof; other Nights he may lie with which of his Slaves he pleases.

Divorces are made among them for many Causes, which Men easily pretend; and when a Wife is divorced, her Dowry is restored, unless she be put away on a dishonest Account: But Women have but few; to instance some among those few, this is one, if their Husband do not allow them due Maintenance; and if they offer to abuse them against Nature, (a Crime usual among them) then the Wife goes to the Judge, and tells him, she can no longer endure to live with her Husband; when he asks the Cause, they say nothing, but pull off their Shoe from their Feet, and turn it up and down, which is a Sign among them of the unlawful use of Copulation. The greatest sort among them, that have abundance of Women, set _Eunuchs_ to guard them, not such as have only their Stones taken out, but such whose Yards are also impaired; because other wise they think, such as have lost their Stones only, may desire the use of a Woman, tho’ not for Generation, yet for Pleasure. The great Men also have Baths at their own Houses, wherein they and their Women do wash; but the meaner sort use public Baths.

A _Turk_ hates bodily Filthiness and Nastiness, worse than Soul-Defilement; and, therefore, they wash very often, and they never ease themselves, by going to Stool, but they carry Water with them for their Posteriors. But ordinarily the Women bathe by themselves, Bond and Free together; so that you shall many times see young Maids, exceeding beautiful, gathered from all Parts of the World, exposed Naked to the view of other Women, who thereupon fall in Love with them, as young Men do with us, at the sight of Virgins.

By this you may guess, what the strict Watch over Females comes to, and that it is not enough to avoid the Company of an adulterous Man, for the _Females_ burn in Love one towards another; and the Pandaresses to such refined Loves are the Baths; and, therefore, some _Turks_ will deny their Wives the use of their public Baths, but they cannot do it altogether, because their Law allows them. But these Offences happen among the ordinary sort; the richer sort of Persons have Baths at home, as I told you before.

It happened one time, that at the public Baths for Women, an old Woman fell in Love with a Girl, the Daughter of a poor Man, a Citizen of _Constantinople_; and, when neither by wooing nor flattering her, she could obtain that of her which her mad Affection aim’d at, she attempted to perform an Exploit almost incredible; she feign’d herself to be a Man, changed her Habit, hired an House near the Maid’s Father, and pretended she was one of the _Chiauxes_ of the _Grand Seignior_; and thus, by reason of his Neighbourhood, she insinuated herself into the Man’s Acquaintance, and after some time, acquaints him with the desire of his Daughter. In short, he being a Man in such a prosperous Condition, the Matter was agreed on, a Portion was settled, such as they were able to give, and a Day appointed for the Marriage; when the Ceremonies were over, and this doughty Bridegroom went into the Bride-chamber to his Spouse; after some Discourse, and plucking off her Headgeer, she was found to be a Woman. Whereupon the Maid runs out, and calls up her Parents, who soon found that they had married her, not to a _Man_, but a _Woman_: Whereupon, they carried the supposed Man, the next day, to the General of the _Janizaries_, who, in the Absence of the _Grand Seignior_, was Governor of the City. When she was brought before him, he chide her soundly for her beastly Love; what, says he, are you not asham’d, an old Beldam as you are, to attempt so notorious a Bestiality, and so filthy a Fact?

Away, Sir, says she! You do not know the Force of Love, and God grant you never may. At this absurd Reply, the Governor could scarce forbear Laughter, but commanded her, presently, to be pack’d away and drown’d in the Deep; such was the unfortunate Issue of her wild Amours. For you must know, that the _Turks_ make no noise when _secret_ Offences are committed by them, that they may not open the Mouths of Scandal and Reproach; but _open_ and _manifest_ ones they punish most severely. I am afraid the Relation of that dismal Example hath grated your Ears. I shall, therefore, now endeavour to make you amends, by acquainting you with a pleasant Story, which, I believe, will go near to make you smile. ’Tis this.