Part 5

After the _Grand Seignior_ was informed, by Letters, of my Arrival (as I said before) he sent to the Governor of _Constantinople_, intimating his Pleasure, that he should send us to him into _Asia_, as far as the City of _Amasia_, 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 of _March_ we were wafted over into _Natolia_, (for so the _Turks_ call _Asia_ at this Day.) That Day we went no farther than _Scutari_, a Town on the _Asiatick_ Shore, opposite to Old _Byzantium_; where, or very little above it, the noble City of _Chalcedon_ was formerly thought to stand. The _Turks_ were of Opinion, That when our Horses, Coaches, Baggage, and Train, together with ourselves, were all got over the _Hellespont_, ’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 at _Constantinople_, (as it sometimes happened) we might bethink ourselves before we went any farther, and fetch them over. The next Day we continued our Journey from _Scutari_, over fragrant Fields, full of odoriferous Plants, and especially _Stæchas’s_, a sweet smelling Spike. There we saw a vast Number of _Tortoises_, 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 our _Turkish_ Guides, whom we were afraid to disoblige; for if they had seen any of them brought to our Table, much more, 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, the _Turks_, and the _Greeks_ too, 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 with _Tortoises_. 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, called _Cartaly_, 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 from _Vienna_ to _Constantinople_ hath been performed by many, yet this from _Constantinople_ to _Amasia_, hath, as yet, been undergone by no _Christian_ that I know of. From _Cartaly_ we came to _Gabise_, a Town of _Bithynia_, which some think was anciently called _Libyssa_, and is famous for the Sepulchre of _Hannibal_, who was there interred. From thence there is a most pleasant Prospect into the Sea, and into the Bay of _Nicomedia_; here also grow _Cyprus_ Trees of a wonderful Bulk and Tallness.

Our fourth Day’s Journey from _Constantinople_ brought us to _Nicomedia_, 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 of _Bithynia_.

From _Nicomedia_, we passed over a Cliff or Ridge of Mount _Olympus_, and came to a Village called _Kasockly_, and from thence to _Nice_; 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 Lake _Ascanius_, (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 the _Turks_ call _Ciacals_, or _Jacals_. 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 the _Turks_ call subtle and crafty Persons, especially the _Asiaticks_, by the Metaphorical Name of _Ciacals_. Their Manner is to enter into the Tents or Houses of the _Turks_, 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.

All the next Day we staid at _Nice_; I believe my Lodging was in the same House where the Council of _Nice_ was heretofore celebrated. As for the Town itself, it is seated on the Bank of the Lake _Ascanius_. 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 in _Latin_, which shew that the Town was repaired by _Antoninus_: which of them I do not well remember; but sure it must be by _Antoninus_ the Emperor. There are also some Remainders of his Baths, and whilst the _Turks_ were digging out Stones from thence to build Houses at _Constantinople_, 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 you ~Christians~ used to do to yours?_

From _Nice_ we continued our Journey to a Place called _Jenysar_. From _Jenysar_ to _Ackbyuck_, from _Ackbyuck_ to _Bazargyck_, from _Bazargyck_ to _Bosowick_, otherwise called _Cassumbasa_, seated in the narrowest Streights of Mount _Olympus_; for almost all our Way from _Nice_ thither, lay through the Cliff of that Mountain. At _Nice_ we lodged in a _Turkish_ Inn, 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 the Winter 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 the _Turks_ count _Eleemosynary_ ones; because they are for the publick Benefit and Advantage of Mankind.

Not far from this Place, on the Right Hand, we saw a Town, called _Otmanlick_, borrowing its Name, (as I conceive) from _Ottoman_, the Founder of the _Ottoman_ Family, who lived there.

From those 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 called _Chiausada_. 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 of _Goats_, 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.

The Hair 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. These _Goats_ are 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 think them of the same Breed. The Thread that is spun of that Hair or Wool, is carried, by the Women of that Country, to _Ancyra_, a City of _Galatia_, where it is woven into Cloth and dy’d, as I shall tell you anon.

Moreover the 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.

Perhaps you 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.

I saw 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 of _Ducks_, 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.

The _Turks_ are 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.

We passed on from _Chiousada_ to _Karali_; from _Karali_ to _Hazdengri_; from thence to _Mazotthoy_; from _Mazotthoy_ we passed over the River _Sangar_, which runs into _Pontus_ out of _Phrygia_, and came to _Mahathli_, from thence to _Zugli_, thence to _Chilancyck_; from _Chilancyck_ to _Ialancich_; from thence to _Portughin_; and from _Portughin_ we reached to _Ancyra_, called by the _Turks_, _Angur_. We staid one whole Day at _Ancyra_, partly because the _Turks_ did not hasten us; for, in regard the _Persian_ Embassador made an Halt, we were desired to do so too, that we might make our Entrances, both at one Time, into _Amasia_. I saw nothing remarkable in all the Villages aforementioned, save that sometimes, among the _Turkish_ Sepulchres, we happened to see some Pillars, or ancient Stones of curious Marble, wherein there were several Remains of _Latin_ or _Greek_ Inscriptions, 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 with _Latin_ and _Greek_ Coins; and sometimes for rare Kinds of Plants.

As for the Sepulchres, or Graves of the _Turks_, their Custom is, not to fill them with Earth, but throw great Stones upon them for a Covering. Would you know the Reason? ’tis Superstitious enough. The _Turks_ believe, 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 the _Hyænæ_, may not injure his Corps as it lies in the Earth.

The _Hyæna_ is 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 her _Spina dorsi_, without any _vertebræ_ at 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. The _Turks_ do ascribe great Vertue to this Beast, in _Philtres_, as did the Antients: there were two of them at _Constantinople_, when I was there; I cheapned them, but their Owners were unwilling to sell them, because they kept them for the _Sultaness_, 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 in _Bellonius_, who thinks the _Hyæna_ to be the same Creature with that we call the _Zibeth_ or _Musk-Cat_.

The _Turks_ have a Tradition, that the _Hyæna_, which they call _Zirtlan_, 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 out her 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, the _Hyæna_, 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 the _Hyæna_ hearing, 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.

I found abundance of Old Coins all up and down this Country, especially of the later Emperors, _viz._ the _Constantines_, the _Constantius_’s, the _Justin_’s, the _Valens_’s, the _Valentine_’s, the _Numerian_’s, the _Probus_’s, the _Tacitus_’s, and such like. In many Places the _Turks_ use them for Weight, _viz._ of a Drachm, or half a Drachm; and they call it _Giaur Manguri_, i. e. the Money of the _Pagans_ or _Infidels_. The like Coins I found in the neighbouring Cities of _Asia_, as at _Amysus_, at _Synopis_, at _Cumana_, at _Amastris_, and _Amasia_ itself, 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.

As for Plants, I saw very few in my Journey in those Parts, which were unknown to us in _Europe_. They were almost all of the same Kind; only they were more or less flourishing, according to the Richness or Poverty of the Soil. The _Amomum_, which, _Dioscorides_ says, grows near _Pontus_, 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.

This Town of _Ancyra_, was our 9th Stage from _Constantinople_. It is a Town of _Galatia_, sometimes the Seat of the _Gauls_, called by _Pliny_, _Tectosagum_; nor was it unknown to _Strabo_: 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 of _Augustus_ were 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 of _Asia_, dedicated this City to _Augustus_. Here also, we were Eye-witnesses of the dying of that Cloth, I spake of before, made of Goats-wool, and how they 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 of _Turks_, in their old Age, are usually clothed with this Sort of Cloth, and _Solyman_ himself used to wear Vests of it; but Green is a Colour disused much by _Christians_; and the rather, because the _Turks_ commend it upon a Superstituous Account, as being worn by their Prophet _Mahomet_ in his older Days.

A black Colour is counted unfortunate, and is disliked by them; and, when they see any Man so clad, they look on it as an ill _Omen_; so that when any of ours did approach the _Bashaw’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 the _White_, the _Yellow_, the _Sea-Green_, the _Violet-Colour_, and _Mouse-Colour_, &c.

The _Turks_ ascribe very much to _Augury_, and _Omens_, Good or Bad, so that it hath been known, that some _Bashaws_ have been removed from their Places and Offices, by reason of a Fall from their Horse; as if that were an _Omen_ of some ill Luck, which is averted from the Publick, by falling on the Head of that private and particular Person; who is thereupon degraded.

From _Ancyra_, we came to a Village called _Balygazar_, and from thence to _Zarekuct_; from _Zarekuct_ to _Zermeczii_, and to the Bank of the River _Halys_: As we past through a Village called _Algii_, we saw, at some Distance, the neighbouring Mountains of _Synopi_, which were red, like Vermillion; and from which Red Lead is called _Synopi_.

This _Halys_ is the famous River which was heretofore the Boundary of the two Kingdoms of the _Medes_ and _Lydians_; concerning which, there was an ancient Oracle, That when _Crœsus_ pass’d it to make War on the _Persians_, he should overthrow a great Empire, which fell out to be his Own; whereas he thought it would have been the _Persians_. 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 be _Liquorice_, and with the Juice of its Root, we refreshed our selves abundantly.

Near that 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.

But one 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 the _Silurus_, or _Sheathfish_, which are common in the _Danow_. Besides, there is in that River, good Store of Sea-Crabs, or else, a Sort of Fish very like them. Whereupon, the _Turks_, who saw our Fishing, wondered at the Industry and Ingenuity of _Christians_, who would catch Fish at that Rate. Hereupon, perhaps, you will say, What, are there no Fishermen in _Turkey_? I grant there are; but very few of them live in those Parts. And, I remember, in another Place, when the _Turks_ saw 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 the _Turks_ are so parsimonious, that they don’t study their Bellies at all; give them but Bread and Garlic, or an Onion, with a Sort of _Bonniclabber_, or sour Milk, known in _Galen_’s Time, by the Name of _Syllabub_, but called by them, _Ingurthe_; they feed like Farmers, and desire nothing more.