Memoirs of the Twentieth Century/Constantinople, May 1, 1998
To the Lord High Treasurer, &c.
Constantinople, May 1. 1998.
My Lord,
SInce I wrote to you the 29th of February, and the 16th of April, in return to yours of the 29th of November, I have never heard the least account from you; which is owing, I am sensible, to a want of ships sailing to this port, and no neglect or disregard of your friends, of whom your Lordship is but too observant and careful. In a few days, I flatter my self, I shall be made happy in your letters; and to know what hopes you can give me, either of the chief Physician for the Grand Signior's own service, or the professors of Astronomy, for whose salaries and provision I became responsible. I therefore hope there will be no hesitation or delay in procuring some worthy Gentleman to come and settle in the Grand Cairo college, which is at last so happily establish'd by my interest with the Grand Signior.
It is incredible, with what zeal and expedition such things are dispatch'd, when the order is once issued by the Port; for then all hands are at work, and in a few weeks they are able to raise very extraordinary structures. The College at Grand Cairo, and the Astronomy-school, I am inform'd, were entirely finish'd in this manner in a few weeks, tho' there are spacious apartments, two large halls, and a noble observatory built up, pursuant to the inclos'd plan I transmit to your Lordship.
I am impatient to hear something of the dogs I formerly wrote for to your Lordship; for I have been ask'd a thousand questions about them, their perfections, and their performances, by the Grand Signior, whenever he sees me; and he often sends for me, when they are the chief affair of state, he wants to settle with me. I am forc'd to answer him at random, as near as I can, to what I imagine will be the truth; and, as any disappointment would be intolerable and insupportable, I must conjure your Lordship, that all possible care to gratify his Highness, may be taken herein. I must repeat the same thing, as to a Physician, which is of vast importance: and may oblige, if complied with, considerably, and if neglected, may produce terrible consequences for so small a trifle. Since I wrote last to your Lordship, I have been three or four times at the Seraglio with the Grand Signior, entertaining him with your tellescope, in which he takes more delight each day than other; and is grown so familiar with every one of the planets, that he visits them now by himself, without saying for any introduction of mine. Tho' he is not very fond of travelling upon the Earth, he frequently makes the great tour of the Heavens, and visits all the constellations in their turns; and begins to be confident, that in another age, we shall not only be able to see the inhabitants of the Moon, which would be useless, without any other benefit, but to invent engines to carry us thither.
I am so often sent for to the Seraglio on these accounts, that I am frequently call'd there the Sultan's Astronomer; but as I have made as many delightful excursions by Land and by Sea, as well as in the Air and the Heavens, your Lordship must allow me to describe some of them to you. One of the first I made this spring with him, was, to the Isles of Papa-Adasi, (as the Turks, or the Princes, as the Christians call them,) in a gilt barge, row'd by eighty slaves; and as the barge was entirely built for rowing, it is incredible with what prodigious swiftness we flew along the water, going at least three or four leagues an hour. As we went to hawk and shoot on these lovely Islands, the Grand Signior had several other barges, with his fowlers, ostragers, and falkners, and a vast number of setting-dogs, spaniels, and many casts of hawks of all kinds,, who followed us at some distance. The Sultan keeps several families on the great Island, who plow and sow entirely to feed the wild fowl, letting a vast many acres of grain rot every year on the ground, that they may make their haunts there; and it being death to shoot one of them, but when the Grand Signior is on the Island, it is incredible what prodigious quantities resort thither. There are of all sorts and kinds on it; for even those that are of a weak wing, and make short flights, as patridge, pheasant, quail, &c. and which could not easily fly hither, are by the Sultan's order carried there to breed. The Islands lie at the extremity of the Propontis, and tho' they are not many leagues round, have great variety of grounds. In the largest, towards the north, there is a sort of mountain; and as all the plains and valleys, and even the mountain itself, abound with natural woods, mix'd with fine vineyards, and arable lands and pasturage, beautifully chequer'd, there is not possibly a lovelier scene to be met with.
We came there early, and they having had notice the day before, the Sultan's horses which were kept there, were all at the sea-shore, waiting for him and his attendants. We landed opposite to his magnificent hunting-lodge, with great silence, and in an instant we were all mounted, and the select band of his sportsmen, with their dogs, hawks, and guns, attending us. When we were got up into the Country, this great band divided itself into eight or ten several parties, which were for different kinds of game, and then all fell to their sport with such agreeable confusion of entertainment and pleasure, as was perfectly surprizing. I am persuaded, both their falkners, fowlers, dogs and hawks, are infinitely more skilful than ours; for I saw not one that did not perform their parts to admiration all the while we were in the field; and tho ' both at our own and the Emperor's Court I have been often delighted with such sports, yet I never saw any thing comparable to these.
I will give your Lordship a short account of two or three passages, that gave me most pleasure, that you may judge if I am unreasonable in applauding them so highly; and as you used in your youth to be fond of such entertainments, I hope it will still be agreeable to you, to hear of those of others.
I observe they use the same diversion as we do in England, of daring the larks with the Hobby, soaring over them aloft in the air, while the dogs rang'd the field till the nets are drawn over the poor birds that lie close to the ground, and are afraid to trust to their wings; but then 'tis their custom that the moment they are taken, they are carried in a cage to the Emperor, who immediately gives them their life and liberty. Their goshawks fly the river at mallard, duck, goose, or hern, and the several kinds of large water-fowl; and all the time we were in the field, I never saw them fail to kill them at source, as they call it. But what was more surprizing, was, a large kind of falcon, which is so couragious, that saw them seize on the fallow deer and wild goats, fastning between their horns, and flapping their wings in their eyes, till they run themselves dead, and the huntsmen come in and cut their throats.
But their fowlers are yet more extraordinary than their hawks: I saw one of them, call'd Ibrahim, who drove a covy of patridges into his nets, as cur shepherds would drive sheep into a pinfold; which, as it was a method unknown to me, I shall describe to your Lordship. He had an engine made of canvass, exactly cut and painted, like an horse, and stuffed with feathers or hay; with this horse and his nets he went to the patridge-haunts; and having found out the covy, and pitch'd his nets below slopewise and hovering, he went above, and taking the advantage of the wind, drove downward. Then covering his face with long grass, and holding the engine so as to hide him, he stalk'd towards the patridges very slowly, raising them on their feet, but not their wings; and driving them just before him at pleasure. If they chanc'd to chuse a road contrary to the path he would have them take, he cross'd them with his horse, and by artfully facing them, forced them into the path that led to the nets, to my great surprize and pleasure.
But I saw this same man with more delight, taking the whole eye of pheasants, both cock, hen, and pouts, to the great entertainment of the Sultan and my self, who observ'd him from the top of a neighbouring hill. He had an excellent pheasant-call, all the different notes of which he understood, and made use of with such perfect skill, that having pitch'd his nets in the little pads and ways of the wood, which they make like sheep-tracts in the places where they haunt; and taking the wind with him, and his canvass horse, for they still run down the wind, he drove the whole eye, or brood, into his snares, and brought them to the Sultan, who was much pleased, and rewarded him for his skill and diligence with a purse of money. It were a vain attempt, to think of describing the twentieth part of the diversion and sport we met with; but if your Lordship will represent to your self, a vast number of swallows in a summer's evening, on the bank of a lovely river, hunting for their prey, and pursuing with infinite swiftness and skill, the little flies and insects floating on the air or the water, or the tops of the grass, you will have a tolerable image of our sport, and the isles of Adasi this delightful day.
After all, your imagination will fall vastly short, both of the numbers of the pursued and the pursuers, and the transports and delight of the beholders: All nature, not excepting the great Lord of Nature the Sun, labouring to pay its share of tribute and homage to the Grand Signior's pleasure. But as I never should have done, if I attempted to describe half the diverting scenes and adventures of that day, I will shut them all up, with giving you an account of one of the last of them; when the Sultan being wearied, retired to a noble tent that had been set up for him, where in the shade we continued to enjoy the prodigious prospect, (for it was open from the bottom a few feet) and to refresh ourselves with drinking sherbet, chocolate and coffee. His Highness immediately order'd all the game we had kill'd that day, to be laid in their several heaps before him; deer, chamois or wild goats, on one side; and on the other, wild geese, duck and mallard, herns, cranes, pheasants, patridge, grouse, snipes, quails, rails, and a number of birds, that I know not how to name, being foreigners to our country, unless I make use of the Turkish language.
But as the Grand Signior resolv'd to wait for the Visier, whom he had sent three days before, to inspect the Architects and Engineers he was employing in the island Tenedos; just as we had sufficiently, like true conquerors, refresh'd ourselves on the field of battel, possess'd ourselves of the plunder, and reckon'd the slain, the Grand Visier came. He gave his Highness a very particular and agreeable account, of that strong and noble Arsenal and Magazine, which he is building with such vast expence, by that harbour. It is true, the Port is very ordinary; tho' even that is improving, by the vast mole he is running out into the sea, opposite to the ruins of old Troy. The Arsenal, when finish'd, will be of great importance, and put a bridle, as it were, on the mouth of the Hellespont, the Propontis, and Thracian Bosphorus; and will contribute a good deal to preserve the dominion of the Archipelago, that is, so much as our excellent Prince is pleas'd to allow him in those seas.
We had hardly receiv'd the Visier's relation of the fortifications there, when we were all order'd to embark in our several stations and barges, where our Gally-slaves receiv'd us with their usual salutation; and in a little time, by the help of so many well-plied oars, brought us to Constantinople. However, as the night overtook us in the middle of the channel, and the wind blew very high, tho' without danger, I observ'd the sea-water perfectly seem'd to flash fire, with the violent motion against the sides of the barge; so that I read plainly by it, to my great surprize. It put me in mind of Moses's expression in the first of Genesis, where he says the Spirit of God mov'd on the face of the waters; and then follows, God said, Let there be light, and there was light; and made me wonder some have not fancied, that as man was created out of the earth, so light was form'd out of the waters, and the divine motion given them, as suddenly and brightly as the flame starts out of gunpowder, when touch'd by the fire.
I forgot to take notice to your Lordship, that as the Visier brought with him the new plan of the Dardanelles, the Sultan bid me take notice of the Romeli-iskissar, (or the Castle that guards them on the side of Europe) which has been built up of late years very fine and strong, and fortified with the largest cannon in the world; and ask'd me, if I thought the ships of my King would be able to batter down that, as they had done the old one in his great Uncle's time? I was a little surpriz'd at the question; but I avoided answering it directly, as civilly as I could, by saying, I doubted their being able, and was sure they would not be willing. But as we landed immediately at the Seraglio, the Sultan only answer'd me with a smile, and a courteous nod; and ordering the barge to convey me safely cross the water to Galata, I took my leave of this good-natur'd and generous Sultan, who wants only our Education and Religion, to make a great figure in the world. I got to my lodgings about two hours after sun-set, much pleas'd with the magnificent variety of one day's diversions; and was hardly set down on my sofa to repose myself, after so agreeable a fatigue, when my old Druggerman or Interpreter, Abraham, a learned Jew, whose conversations often entertain my solitary hours, came to me with a good deal of surprize and amazement in his face. I immediately saw something extraordinary had happen'd, and enquir'd of him what was the matter? My Lord, says he, I bring you an account, which if it proves true, will make the enemies of my nation, and the despis'd Jewish people, glad to lick the dust of their shoes. Here is Rabbi Solomon just come from Tunis, who is sent to warn our brethren, that the ten Tribes are discover'd in the middle part of Africa, where they retir'd in the days of their Captivity and affliction. He says they have a vast Empire there, and are very powerful, having near 50 millions of souls under their Kings, who are most observant of the Law, and have preserv'd their language pure and unmix'd, as well as their rites and ceremonies. The said Rabbi Solomon avers, that the great Messiah is risen among them, and hath chosen out an army of 500000 pick'd men, all as valiant as the Maccabees; that they have left all the strong holds of their Empire of Gangara and Seneganda well garison'd, and are in motion from the frontiers of those kingdoms, to cross the desarts of Borno and Guoga, and pass the Nile, seize on Egypt, and then the land of Canaan their Inheritance, and build up the fallen glories of mount Sion and Jerusalem. As I had a map of Africa in my room, I immediately search'd it for the kingdoms and desarts, my good Druggerman had settled his friends in, and found so far all was right; but desiring to know what authorities he or Rabbi Solomon had for this report, he gave me two letters from the Synagogue of Tunis, directed to the faithful Jews of Stamboul and its Provinces, willing them to be on their guard, and behave like men, for the Kingdom was about to be restor'd to Israel. Along with these he communicated to me, under the solemnest promises of secrecy, the Messiah's Manifesto; in which he exhorts his subjects and brethren to prepare to rise, for the restoring both the sword and sceptre, into the hands of the faithful and chosen of heaven; and commands them to be ready, to depart for Jerusalem to the solemn sacrifice, so soon as they had certain intelligence from him, of his being possess'd of Egypt and Grand Cairo. I read them all over (that is, the Turkish translation of the Hebrew) with much admiration; and asking Abraham, if he believ'd these to be genuine letters? he answer'd me very hastily and angrily, as genuine as the Talmud; and that it was universally known to all the Turks, and the merchants in Stamboul, that these things were true; and it is certain, I had heard for several days, of some commotions in the inland parts of Africk, of a strange people. I then ask'd him, what the Jews determin'd to do? Even, says he very eagerly, to obey the commands of their Messiah; and so soon as he hath conquer'd Egypt, to depart from the four winds under heaven, and be gather'd unto the brethren of the dispersion at Jerusalem, at the solemn sacrifice. He said this with tears in his eyes, and such emotion of heart, that I could not chuse but pity him, and his deluded people, who are as credulous as malice or love; and will probably, throughout this vast Empire, be standing with their ears prickt up, and, like birds, ready to take wing with all they can carry with them, if the news of this Revolution continues.
He had hardly done talking of this new-risen Messiah, when the Chiaus from the Grand Signior entred my apartment, with I know not how many slaves, loaden with part of the spoils we had taken that day, and which in his Master's name he presented me with, by his order. Your Lordship may believe, my thanks were not the only payment I made, in return for this prodigious favour; but I must own, it gave me so honest and reasonable a pleasure, to receive so extraordinary and publick, a mark of the Sultan's regard for me, that I thought it cheaply purchas'd. I made the Chiaus sit down by me; and, as if some revolution planets were risen on the world, he began to tell me, that since the Sultan had come to the Seraglio, the Grand Visier had told him two surprizing pieces of news. Upon this the Chiaus related Abraham's story, very much in the same manner I have told it your Lordship; but with this addition, that the new Messiah was the strongest and most beautiful man upon earth.
The other account he gave me was, that according to a belief they ever have entertain'd in Persia, a great Prophet had lately appear'd there, who calls himself Mahomet Mahadi, the son of Hossein second son of Ali, who solemnly avers to the people, (who so many ages have been expecting him) that he lay hid all this while in a cave of the mountains of Georgia. He declares he is come from Mahomet, and is deputed and authorized by him to refute all errors, and reunite all in one belief, that there may be no more divisions and schisms, among faithful Mussulmen and true Believers.
He preaches on horseback, and made his first sermon in the city of Maradel; and seiz'd on the horse, which for so many Centuries has been kept for him there at the publick cost,[1] ready saddled and bridled. The Chiaus, who told all this with the gravest air in the world, said that he was followed by great multitudes; and that it was expected the Turks and Persians might by his means be united in Faith and Doctrine; but that the Prince of Basora and he were like to have violent struggles. As I desir'd he would explain the occasion of their difference, he told me, that the Prince of Basora[2] had all along pretended to an hereditary succession in the good graces and peculiar favours of the holy Prophet Mahomet. That in virtue of that interest he had in him, the Prince and all his ancestors had constantly, for such rewards and sums as they could agree for, given written assignments on the Prophet in heaven, for such places there, as the Prince recommended persons to him for. This privilege his ancestors and he, like our Popes, had possess'd undisputed, till now that unfortunately the new Prophet Mahomet Mahadi avers, that he is commission'd to declare, that the holy Prophet has abrogated the Privileges, formerly allowed to the Princes of Basora, they having recommended many unworthy people to his best posts in heaven; and that now the said privileges were entirely transferr'd to Mahomet Mahadi, the son of Hossein, the son of the blessed Ali. I ask'd the Chiaus, if these accounts were well vouch'd and confirm'd? He assur'd me they were; and that all men were alarm'd with them beyond imagination, expecting vast revolutions would attend them, unless some unforeseen accidents should intervene and prevent them. That the Grand Visier, by the Sultan's desire, had sent for the Mufti to consult with him hereupon; being apprehensive very dangerous commotions may arise on the side of Persia, if the utmost care be not us'd in it; and that it was believ'd the Grand Signior would be summon'd, to give an account before the new Prophet, of the fatal schism between the Turkish and Persian Mussulmen. The Chiaus having ended his extraordinary history, was pleas'd to withdraw; and as the good Abraham retir'd along with him, they left me to my own reflections on the amazing credulity, superstition and blindness of mankind. If either of these two accounts from Africa or Persia prove true, it is possible those populous territories, may be laid waste and destroy'd in the flame they may kindle. But the Jews, my Lord, are above all other nations foolishly credulous; this Abraham my Truchman, is really more knowing and judicious than most of his Tribe, and yet he reads the Talmud, the Misnah, and all the fabulous mysteries of the Cabbala, with as much veneration as the Pentateuch. He is as much persuaded that our tears were not salt, till Lot's wife was chang'd into a pillar of salt; that she has still her Menses; and that she was thus chang'd, because that out of malice she would not put down the saltseller on the table to the angels; as that Sodom was burnt. He believes stedfastly, that before the Decalogue was given the Israelites, God desiring it should not be confin'd to them, went to mount Seir, and offer'd it to the Idumæans descended from Isaac; but when they heard the sixth commandment, Thou shalt not kill, they got up and refused it; for that it had been said to their ancestors, (Gen. xxviii.) By thy sword thou shalt live. That upon this God offer'd it to the Ishmaelites descended from Abraham by Hagar; but when they heard the seventh, Thou shalt not commit adultery, read, they refus'd their obedience to that command, since they had receiv'd a contrary one, namely, Thou shalt increase and multiply; upon which (he avers) God was forc'd to offer it the Jews, who took it without exception.
Nay, I've heard him maintain, that at his leisure hours in the sixth day, God created ten things privately; 1st, the earth that swallowed up Corah, Dathan, and Abiram; 2dly, the whale that swallowed up Jonah; 3dly, the rainbow which he hid in the clouds; 4thly, the ram which was sacrific'd for Isaac; 5thly, the rod with which Moses wrought his miracles; 6thly, the manna for the Jews; 7thly, the stone of which the tables of the Law were made; 8thly, the devil and his accomplices; 9thly, hammers and pinchers, which men cou'd never have invented; and 10thly, the head of Balaam's ass. He has been still of opinion, (among a thousand other as absurd opinions) that as women cannot be capable of the covenant of circumcision, so they cannot be entitled to happiness in the next life; and that at the day of judgment, which will be on a Friday, Adam must be compleat, and therefore will reassume his rib, and so Eve will cease to be; and all women descended from her will be contracted into that rib, and be no more, and consequently not judg'd.
But it were endless to reckon up the traditions he holds; and I only quote these few, to shew your Lordship the wild superstition and credulity of this people, who make a mock of our faith as absurd, and yet are capable of ruining the welfare of their country and families, by following the first Impostor that sets up for a Messiah, and begins a rebellion that for a few months appears successful.
But we will dismiss him at present, to speak on something more agreeable; and to acquaint your Lordship, that I here transmit you the names of such of the Greek Popes and Bishops, &c. as are averse to submit to, and unite to the Church of Rome, which they look on as a superstitious and idolatrous usurper; and who have join'd unanimously in the Remonstrance, to which their names are annex'd, in petitioning for his Majesty's powerful protection against her. As it is highly reasonable, to make some provision for the necessities, and even the ease of these deserving men, I do earnestly beg, that such a moderate stipend shall be annually settled on them, as may prevent their suffering too far, from the power and oppression of the Jesuits, for their maintaining the truth of their doctrines, and the equality, if not the preeminence of their Church over Rome.
But your Lordship must accompany me with the Grand Signior, in another excursion we made by water, for fresh air and the diversions of the field, a very few days ago; which may possibly give you some amusement to read, as it gave me infinite delight while I was enjoying it. I was summon'd last Tuesday by the Sultan, to attend early at the Seraglio the next morning; when accordingly we got aboard the same barges, with all the Falconers and Fowlers, Guns, Dogs, and Nets, that were necessary to make our diversion fully compleat. Your Lordship has heard of that little wonder of the earth, for beauty and riches, the Grand Signior's new house of pleasure, known by the name of the Fanari Kiosc, which he has finish'd with such immense expence at the lovely Promontory near Chalcedon. 'Tis built something after the manner of the King of France's house of pleasure at New Marli, but adorn'd with vast expatiating porticos of the finest pillars, and over them with close galleries of his Sultana's apartments. The whole is built in the middle of the finest garden, after the European manner, that is to be met with in the world; cut out into regular plantations of fruit and forest, and parterres of flower-gardens, mix'd with so agreeable an extravagance, that it seems to strike the eye and the imagination of the spectator, with too forcible a surprize. For the extent of the gardens is so unbounded, the plantation of trees, both fruit and forest, are so numerous and so large, and the whole so skilfully interspers'd, with a vast profusion of parterres and compartments of flower-beds, fountains, cascades, vases, obelisks, temples, vistas, porticoes, walks and alleys; and all surrounded with so perpetual a serenity of the heavens, and fertility of the earth, that it looks like the Paradise, which God planted for the Lord of the world to dwell in. The gardens are so vastly extended, that they constantly allow deer to graze among them; but they are such as they breed up, and prepare for this purpose, by hamstringing them, so that they can't run fast; and gelding them when their heads are grown, so that they never herd with other deer, nor cast their horns, but still wander about the gardens; where they strike the fancy very agreeably, with seeing so unsual an inhabitant of the parterre, browsing among the knots of flowers. The prospect from this great height is as astonishing, as all the other circumstances; for from hence we have a compleat view of the Grand Seraglio, its buildings and gardens, of the vast dome of Sancta Sophia, and the chambers of the Divan; the lovely Isles of the Princes, and the smooth glassy face of the Propontis, as well as the haven of Chalcedon; the beauteous bason and gulf of Nicomedia, and the rich hills and plains of fertile Bythinia, that lie below its view, in the finest irregular level that the eye can dwell on.
Nay, the whole city of Constantinople rising in its beauteous terrasses, street above street, and dome above dome, with all its gilded minarets and steeples, towers and cupolas, and mix'd with the surprizing verdure of the groves and gardens, and shades of cypress, and other ever-greens, which beautify the prospect of that city, lies perfectly under its command; with all the crowds of shipping, saicks, skiffs, boats and barges, that perpetually cover the face of the sea below it, and by their constant motion heighten the prospect extremely.
To this earthly paradise were we carried, my Lord, the Bostangi Bassa steering us, as his office obliges him; and as it is not over four or five miles from the Seraglio, we flew there in our vast row-barge in an instant, and found it surrounded by a high wall of full twenty miles circuit. This extent of ground is kept entirely under all kinds of beasts, both of forest and chase, and all sorts of wild fowl; having vast natural lakes, and artificial canals and rivers, for those that delight in the water, and great ranges of plow'd fields sown, and woods and coppices cut into walks and avenues, for the other kinds. Being never disturb'd, but just on odd times when the Sultan comes to hunt and fowl, the frequency and tameness of the game is surprizing; both birds and beasts starting and flying before you for a little space, and then stopping their flight, and standing at a gaze about you, till the murdering hawk or gun, or the treacherous dog, teaches them to avoid the arts and snares, that Man is contriving for their ruin. Nay, in all the noise and confusion of the field, when such numbers were hunting on the one side, hawking on another, setting in this field, and shooting in some adjacent one; yet the herds of the beasts, and the flocks of the fowl, never attempted to betake themselves to the open country, but kept still within their belov'd confinement, and the delightful boundaries of the park-walls. Judge, my Lord, how lovely a scene this must make to one, who has so high a relish of the sports of the field, as the Grand Signior; where in every inclosure or coppice, you see new game rise before you, and find fresh employment for the faulkner, the huntsman, and the fowler. The truth is, we were marvelously entertained, for the three or four cooler hours of the morning; but as we wanted the delicious breezes of the Papa-Agasi Islands, and (besides the calmness of the day) there being not a cloud to be seen in the whole hemisphere, the Sun was so violently hot, tho' so early in the year, that one would have thought it had been in July or August, and made it impossible to move, under the violence of its rays, with any ease. We therefore retreated to the great Salone of the royal Kiosc, where in the fine porticoes to the north of the Salone, listning to the murmuring water-falls of one of the finest fountains in the World, we sate cool and undisturb'd by the Sun-beams. We staid a good while here, sitting on the Sofas, and musing after the fashion of the Turks, without speaking to each other, but now and then a few monosyllables; when we were agreeably surpriz'd, with the Bostangi-Bassa's approaching us with above 100 slaves, all loaden with different kinds of viands, the spoils of the field and the forest, the earth, the air, and the water. If there had been living creatures in the other element, the fire, as Aristotle pretends there are, I believe he had brought them too, and laid them as he did all the others, at the feet of his mighty Master. While we were at our sports in the field, the Bostangi Bassa had taken the slaves and barges, with all the nets, and had brought the tribute of the ocean for his part, mix'd with the spoils of the garden, in a great many baskets and dishes, loaden with cherries, strawberries, apricots, melons, and other of their early fruits. The Sultan was much pleas'd, and as it was near dinner-time, he order'd they should get it ready with all expedition; and as the Turks live on the simplest kind of food, that is as easily dress'd as 'tis digested; in a very little time it was serv'd up, in the north portico of the great Salone, where we were sitting. The Grand Signior, with his usual goodness, commanded me to dine with him; which I did with infinite pleasure, being delighted to receive every day, new proofs of his more than ordinary regard for me. Our meal, tho' it was chiefly rice, boil'd in the broth of different kinds of flesh, or else mix'd with bits of mutton, or the flesh of our pheasants and patridges, relisht very well; having the Turkish sauce to it, temperance, and heighten'd with (the more usual one of the Christians) exercise.
We had some dishes mix'd up with a sort of curdled milk, call'd Joghourt, and differently colour'd with saffron, or the juice of pomgranates and raspberries, and several other ingredients; and some fish and roast meats, or Kiabab (as they call it) of our venison and wild fowl, which we hardly tasted. To this we had the most delicious and wholsome drink, that ever the earth pour'd out of her breasts to her children, plain water, from the fountain we sate by, with a little fresh bread, (for they never eat it stale) to give it the higher flavour. Thus, without taking as many hours to it, as our gormandising Britons, and other Europeans do, we finish'd our light, and therefore our pleasing and healthful repast; which, however, was a little lengthned out, with a lovelier desert of fruit, than I had ever seen so early in May.
And now I cannot but take notice to your Lordship, of a fashion that obtains here in all meals of fruit-kind, which I heartily wish were the mode in Great-Britain; and that is, the placing on the table a large China bowl, with a cover to it that slopes down into the vessel, with a wide aperture in the middle of the descent. Into this every body throws the melon-parings, the stalks and stones of the cherries, and the cores of pears and apples, the skins of gooseberries, and the stones of damsins, plumbs, &c. all which we Christians, in so odious and filthy a manner, take out of our mouths slaver'd with our spittle, and lay expos'd to every ones eyes, on our plates or the table: Whereas this neat and cleanly vessel hides all that vile filth, and hinders the eye from being shock'd and offended with such heaps of nastiness. They call it Ordoma, which I know no word we have to answer; but it signifies a pot or Privy for the Mouth; and it is so universal of late among them, that those who can't buy China ones, have earthen ones of common potters ware; the Turks above all things, studying neatness and cleanliness.
But it is time, my Lord, to hasten to the sea-shore and our barges, whither the cool evening and the declining sun is calling us. Here you must now suppose us embark'd, and floating on the loveliest of all the basins in the earth, the smooth surface of the Propontis; flying with the incredible force of so many oars with vast rapidity on its crystalline bosom, unruffled with the smallest breeze. As we sate in the boat, I ask'd the Grand Signior, if the accounts of the Jews ten tribes being discover'd in Africk, and marching with their Messiah for Egypt, and of the Prophet Mahomet Mahadi appearing in Persia, were true. He seem'd a little surpriz'd with the question; but as he had no mind to punish my curiosity with a harsh reply, he told me I must wait for the lame post, to be secure of the truth of such great events; by which I found plainly, there is more in those reports than I imagin'd, tho' probably less than Abraham, my Interpreter, and the Chiaus would have me believe.
Imagine us now, my Lord, landed at Constantinople, and retir'd to our different habitations, and the trouble of this letter shall last but a very little longer, than while I describe to you the exact figure and person, of one of the Turkish Santones or Dervises, as they are generally call'd. I found this extraordinary creature, sitting in my hall when I came home, from whence he would not retire by fair means, for all that my servants could say, till I came and gave him a piece of silver, to procure the favour of his quitting my territories. He was not one of those kinds of Monks, who live together in a particular community, under certain regulations; but a vagabond member, that counterfeited abstinence and sanctity, and a scorn for the World and all that was in it, in order to be admir'd and rewarded. He was a little creeping wretch, with a long red beard, that he continually stroak'd, and had cover'd his head with a tall sugar-loaf cap of blue linnen, with black strings and fringe sow'd to it, which hung down to his neck. He wore two sheep-skins for a coat, sow'd together like a sack, with two holes for his arms at the sides, and at the top and bottom for his head and feet: This he had tied about his middle, with a Buffaloe's tail, which was strung round with several little rings of red and white marble. He had a bracelet of the same creature's hide about his arms, and in his right hand he carried a wand, with a piece of ivory at the end, like a saw, to scratch his back where he could not get at it to claw it with his nails; to which splendid equipage, he had join'd a long thick club, as a weapon of defence, and an horn that hung over his shoulders by a string, to sound upon occasions, and gather the good Musselmen about him. Behold, my Lord, the dress of religion run mad, or putting on the mask of hypocrisy! would to God she never look'd better when so disguis'd, and we should have fewer of the Jesuite tribe cloaking the wickedness of their actions, under the sanctity of their habits; and yet fewer, who out of a furious zeal against such disguises, would strip religion as naked as the Savages of America! I wait with impatience for your next letters, and am,
My Lord,
Your Lordship's, &c.
Stanhope.