be used so freely in the city, and so made him feel conscientious
scruples at neglecting Mahomet’s directions on this head. Therefore
proclamation was made that thenceforth no wine should be imported
into Constantinople, not even for the Christians or the Jews. This
proclamation concerned me and mine not a little, as we were by no
means accustomed to drinking water. For where could we get wine, if
it was not allowed to enter the walls of the city? Long home-sickness
and the continued uncertainty about the result of our negotiations
had already told upon our strength, and this compulsory change in
our diet was, in consequence, likely to be very prejudicial to our
health. I commissioned my interpreters to make strong representations
to the Pashas in the Divan, and to maintain our ancient privileges.
There opinions were divided. Some thought we ought to be content with
drinking water, for what would the neighbourhood say, demurred they, if
they saw we had wine brought into our house? Why, that while they were
strictly forbidden its use, Christians in the midst of Constantinople
were swilling away to their hearts’ content, and polluting the city
far and wide with the fumes of their liquor. Nay, even Mussulmans who
came to me went away reeking with wine. These considerations proved
well nigh fatal to our suit. However, the opinion of the Pashas who
took special charge of our interests, finally prevailed. They declared
that we were not able to stand such a change of diet, and warned the
Divan that sickness and death would in many cases be the consequence.
The end of it was, that we were allowed the choice of one night, on
which we might have as much wine as we wished conveyed to the sea-gate,
this being the most convenient point for us. There we had carts and
horses to meet it, and bring it into the house with as little noise as
possible, and so we retained our rights.
Some members of the Greek nation did not fail to put the Sultan to the
test in the following fashion. Having ascertained that he was about
to pass through a district which was planted with numerous vineyards,
they assembled in great numbers, and began tearing up the vines by the
roots. Some of them commenced to block the road with the vine stocks,
and others to load carts with them. When the Sultan came to the place,
he stopped, wondering what the matter could be, and calling to him the
nearest of the men, inquired what they were about. They answered, that
as by his proclamation they were forbidden to drink wine, they were
rooting up the vines for firewood, as they would be useless for the
future. Then Solyman replied, ‘You are wrong, and have not understood
my intentions, as you ought to have done. If I enjoined abstinence
from wine, I did not therefore prevent anyone’s eating grapes. Grapes
are to be reckoned among the most excellent of the fruits which God
has granted to man. There is nothing to hinder you from enjoying their
juice while fresh, so long as you do not put it up in casks, and turn
it to a wrong use by your pernicious art. Do you think pear-trees
and apple-trees ought to be rooted up because they do not produce
wine? Leave off, you fools, and spare the vines, which will bear you
excellent fruit.’ Thus the Greeks took nothing by their scheme.
I now return to the plague, which, as I told you, had attacked our
house. When it broke out, I sent to Roostem to ask for permission
to remove to some place that was free from infection. I did so with
hesitation, as I was acquainted with his character; still I could
not incur the imputation of neglecting my own health and that of my
servants. Roostem answered, he would lay my request before the Sultan,
and the next day sent me back word that his master had made this reply:
‘What did I mean, or where did I think of flying? did I not know that
pestilence is God’s arrow which never misses its mark? where in the
world could I hide myself, so as to be shielded from the stroke of His
weapons? If He ordained that the pestilence should strike me, neither
flight nor concealment would be of any avail. To try to escape from
the inevitable was a vain attempt. His own palace was not at that very
moment free from the plague, but nevertheless he stayed there, and it
was likewise my duty to remain where I was.’ Thus I was obliged to
await my doom in that plague-stricken house.
But not long afterwards it came to pass that Roostem was carried off
by an attack of dropsy.[232] He was succeeded by Ali, who was then
the second of the Vizieral Pashas, the most courteous and sagacious
statesman I ever met among the Turks.[233] When I sent him a valuable
silken robe with my congratulations on his promotion, I received a
gracious reply, for he asked me to treat him as a friend on every
occasion, and not to hesitate to apply to him if necessary, and indeed
he was as good as his word.
The first occasion on which I experienced his kindness was, when the
plague broke out afresh in my house, and, besides attacking other
members of my household, carried off the excellent gentleman, who,
under God, had been our chief support in time of sickness. I sent to
Ali Pasha to ask the same permission I had formerly asked of Roostem.
He replied that he could give me leave to go where I pleased, but it
would be more prudent to ask that of the Sultan as well, for fear that
if he should happen to fall in with my men going about at large, he
should be angry at my being outside my lodgings without his knowledge.
Everything, he said, depended on the way in which a matter was brought
to the Sultan’s notice, and that he would lay the subject before him in
such a manner as to leave no doubt of his assent. Soon afterwards he
informed me that I had permission to go wherever I thought proper.
The island they call Prinkipo[234] appeared to be the most convenient
place for my retirement. It is four hours’ sail from the city, and
is the most agreeable of the numerous little islands which are in the
neighbourhood of Constantinople, for the others have only one village
or none at all, but this has two.
As to what I said, that the person on whose skill we had chiefly relied
had been taken away from us by death, this was none other than my most
excellent and faithful companion during my long sojourn abroad, our
doctor, William Quacquelben.
I had ransomed a man, who (though I did not know it at the time),
proved to be stricken with the plague. While William was endeavouring
to treat him for the disease, being not sufficiently careful of
himself, he got infected with the plague poison. On this point he
did not agree with the rest of his profession, but declared that,
when the plague was rife there was more panic than real danger; his
opinion being that, at such times there is about the average amount of
different kinds of illness, and that people are then so nervous, that
they think most of them are the plague, and that consequently every
sort of ulcer or pimple is then regarded as a plague boil, and treated
accordingly. And so, although he was already sickening of the plague,
he never suspected what was the matter with him, until the sickness,
which had been increased by his concealing it, broke out with violent
paroxysms. He all but died in the hands of those who ran to support
him, and not even then could he be induced to believe it was an attack
of the plague. When I sent, the day before he died, to make inquiries,
he replied he was better, and asked me to come to him, if I could spare
the time. I sat with him a long time, and he told me how very ill he
had been. All his senses, he said, and especially his sight, had been
so impaired that he could recognise no one. He was now better in this
respect and had the command of all of them; the phlegm only continued,
which interfered with his breathing, and if this were relieved he would
be well at once. As I was leaving him, I said, I heard he had some
sort of abscess on his breast. He admitted that such was the case, and
throwing back the bed-clothes showed it me, saying, there was nothing
bad about it, he had got it from the knots of a new doublet he had put
on, which was too tight.
In the evening, according to the rules of my house, two of my servants
went to attend him for the night, and were preparing to change his
shirt. When he was stripped, he noticed on his body a purple spot
which they said was a flea-bite, and then he saw more and bigger ones.
‘These are no flea-bites,’ said he, ‘but messengers to tell me my death
is near. Let us therefore profit by this warning.’ From that moment
he devoted the whole of the night to prayer, pious meditation, and
listening to the Scriptures being read, until as morning broke, he
departed this life with full assurance of God’s mercy.[235]
Thus I lost a very dear friend and excellent fellow-worker, while the
loss to the literary world was not less than mine. He had seen, learnt,
and taken note of many things, and intended sooner or later to publish
the results of his observations, but death cut short the work he had
so admirably planned. So highly did I appreciate his loyalty and his
tact, that, if the state of my negotiations had permitted, and I had
been granted permission to return, I should not have hesitated to leave
him as my deputy at Constantinople. From that time it appeared as if
my labours were doubled, and now that I have returned home, I seem
to have left a portion of myself behind in my dear friend’s grave at
Constantinople. May peace be with his blessed spirit! His virtues are
recorded on the monument, which I erected to his memory.
But to return to my islands,[236] on which I lived very pleasantly for
three months. I enjoyed the greatest privacy, there was neither crowd
nor noise. There were a few Greeks on the island in whose houses we
lodged, but there was no Turk to act the jailer and dog my footsteps
when I wanted to amuse myself; for the Turkish servants, to whom I
had grown accustomed, did not interfere with me, and I was allowed to
wander freely where I would, and to coast about the numerous islands as
I pleased.
Every place there is full of plants of different sorts, cottonweed,
narrow-leaved myrtle, knapweed, and many others. The sea abounds with
fish of every kind, which I caught sometimes with a hook and sometimes
with a net. Boats were to be had with Greek fishermen, whom we employed
to help us.
I used to cross to any spot that presented an agreeable view, or held
out good hopes of sport. Sometimes, where the water was clear and
shallow, I took a fancy to carry on open warfare by spearing with a
trident a crab or a lobster as he scuttled along, and so pulling him
into the boat. But the mode of fishing, which was at once the most
pleasant and the most profitable, was that with a seine or drag-net.
I had a place, which the fishermen thought likely, surrounded with a
drag-net, and, by making use not only of the net itself but also of the
long ropes with which its two ends were dragged ashore, we managed to
enclose a very considerable space. Round these ropes the sailors twined
a quantity of green boughs to scare the fish and prevent their escaping
into deep water. So, when the ends of the net on either side were drawn
to land, the fish were driven into a narrow space; they then began to
get frightened and did their best to escape, each following its natural
instinct. Some tried to avoid the danger by a bold leap over the net.
Others, on the contrary, by burrowing in the sand endeavoured to save
themselves from being entangled. Some tried to gnaw through the meshes,
though they were made of very coarse twine; these were mostly of the
shark tribe, which are armed with powerful teeth. These creatures have
such instinct that when they have bitten away twine enough to open a
passage for one, the whole shoal follows where the first has got out,
and leaves not one for the fisherman. As I was afraid of this trick, of
which I had been warned beforehand, I stood in the bows holding a pole
with which I kept striking their noses as they gnawed at the net, much
to the amusement of my attendants. My efforts were rewarded with only
partial success; a few were caught, but a great many got away. So you
see that even a fish, when hard put to it, can turn cunning. However,
we took plenty of other fish to console us for the loss of some of the
sharks—such as sea bream, sea scorpions, weavers, char, rock-fish, and
ruffs. Their variety made them a pretty sight, and I greatly enjoyed
making out their names and habits. So at night I returned to my camp
with my bark wreathed with laurels, and laden with booty and prisoners.
The next day I shared my spoils with Ali Pasha and his major-domo,
who returned me their grateful thanks, and said the present was very
acceptable.
I sometimes took a fancy to capture _pinnas_, for which I used a pole
and iron contrivance made for the purpose, with which I pulled them
up from the bottom. They are very plentiful in that sea, so much so
that they seem to have been artificially laid down. I found in them
the pinna-guards, celebrated by Cicero, Pliny, and Athenæus, which
were usually in pairs, a male and a female, but sometimes in larger
numbers. I am afraid, however, that the other statements made about
them by the above authors are not altogether to be trusted. That they
are interesting, I admit; the question is, are they based on fact.
They relate that the pinna with its shells wide open lies in wait for
tiny fishes, but that, as it is a blind and senseless lump of flesh,
it would not know when they are inside its fortalice, if it were not
warned by a bite from the pinna-guard; then it closes its shells, and
shares with the pinna-guard the fishes that are shut in. For the shape
of the pinna, you may consult Belon.[237] It fixes the sharper of its
two ends into the bottom of the sea, and fastens itself by a tuft of
hair or thread, so firmly, that one might think it was planted there.
By these threads it sucks up its nutriment, which is clearly proved
from the fact that, if torn up from its place, it dies from want of
nourishment, like vegetables and plants when severed from their roots.
But it is probable the pinna-guard chooses this home in order to have
a strong defence against the violence of ravenous fishes and a quiet
haven when the sea is boisterous, from which it can sally out when
it likes, and retreat again in safety. I should not, however, wish in
saying this to be suspected of intending to detract at all from the
authority of such great men; my object is simply to draw the attention
of others to the subject in the hope of its being investigated more
thoroughly.[238] We used to have no difficulty in filling our boat
with pinnas; they are not good eating, and you would soon get tired of
them, being coarse and tasting like mussels. But the fisherman told us
to pick out the pinna-guards, of which a dish was made, that was alike
agreeable to the palate and wholesome for the stomach.
Among the rest there is a small island, which is uninhabited. Close to
it I recollect capturing monstrous and extraordinary creatures, such
as starfishes, razorshells, clusters of cuttlefish eggs, sea-horses,
enormous snails, and some yellow balls like oranges, but no fishes,
except one skate or sting-ray, which is capable of inflicting a serious
wound with its sting. It tried to strike us, and in so doing impaled
itself and was caught.
When the weather kept us from the sea, I amused myself on shore in
looking for rare and new plants. Sometimes by way of exercise, I walked
round the island, dragging with me a Franciscan friar, a capital young
fellow, but, though young, very fat and unaccustomed to exertion. He
had gone with me as a companion from the monastery at Pera. One day,
as I was walking fast to warm myself, he followed me with difficulty,
puffing and blowing, ‘What need is there,’ he would cry, ‘for such a
hurry? We are not running for our lives or chasing anybody! Are we
postmen charged with letters of importance?’ This went on till the
sweat broke out in his back through his clothes in a great round
patch. When we returned to our lodging, he made the house echo with his
groans and lamentations, and threw himself on his bed, crying out he
was done for. ‘What harm,’ he exclaimed, ‘have I ever done you that you
should try to kill me before my time?’ And it was only by dint of much
pressing that we could induce him to come to supper.
Occasionally friends from Constantinople and Pera and some Germans of
Ali’s household paid us a visit. When I asked them ‘Whether the plague
was abating?’ one of them replied, ‘Yes, in a marked degree.’ ‘What is
the daily death-rate then?’ quoth I, ‘About five hundred,’ said he.
‘Good God,’ I exclaimed, ‘do you call this the plague abating? How many
used to die when it was at its height?’ ‘About a thousand or twelve
hundred,’ he answered.
The Turks imagine that the time and manner of each man’s death is
inscribed by God on his forehead, and that therefore they have no
power of avoiding the fatal hour, and that till that time there is no
need for fear. This belief renders them indifferent to the dangers
of the plague, but does not secure them against its attacks. And so
they handle the clothes and sheets in which plague-stricken people
have expired, while they are still reeking with their death-sweat, and
even rub their faces with them. ‘If God,’ say they, ‘has decreed that
I shall die thus, it must happen; if not, it cannot injure me.’ This
of course is just the way to spread contagion, and sometimes whole
households perish to a man.
While I lived in the islands I made friends with the Metropolitan[239]
Metrophanes, who was abbot of a monastery in Chalcis, one of the
islands, a polite and well-educated man, who was very anxious for a
union of the Latin and Greek Churches. In this he differed from the
views entertained by Greeks generally, for they will hold no communion
with members of the Latin Church, which they consider an impure and
profane sect. This shows how strong is each man’s conviction of the
truth of his own faith.
When I had spent about two months in the island, some of the Pashas
became suspicious of my long stay, sought an interview with Ali,
and told him that they considered it would be more convenient if I
were recalled to the city. For what if I should escape? I had ships
at my command, and everything that was needful to facilitate my
flight, should I be so inclined. Ali told them to set their minds at
ease, saying, he had the most perfect confidence in me. He sent me,
notwithstanding, a cavasse to tell me of this. The man, after examining
everything, without appearing to do so, and finding nothing to indicate
an intention of running away, returned with a message from me to Ali
Pasha not to be afraid; I would do nothing which would give him cause
to repent of his confidence in me. I took care, by the way, to give the
cavasse a douceur. So my holiday was prolonged into the third month,
and I returned to the city, at my own time, without being recalled.
From that time forward Ali Pasha and I became firm friends, and were
for ever interchanging views with the object of re-establishing
peace. He is a Dalmatian by birth, and the only polished gentleman I
came across among the Turkish savages. He is of a quiet and gentle
disposition, courteous, and extremely intelligent, possesses great
capacity for business, and has had much experience both as general in
the field and statesman in the cabinet. For he is now advanced in
life, and the posts he has held have always been important ones. He is
above the average height, and, while his habitual expression is grave
and serious, it has about it an ineffable charm. To his master he is
deeply attached, and he shows it by his anxiety to arrange a peace,
for he feels that the Sultan’s health and years require rest. The end
which Roostem had sought to bring about by rudeness and intimidation
he endeavoured to compass by courtesy and moderation;—in short, Ali
treated me like a friend.
Roostem was always sour, always overbearing, and meant his word to be
law. It was not that he was ignorant of how matters stood. He knew
right well what the condition of the times and the Sultan’s advancing
years required, but he was afraid that, if any word or act of his
should betoken a milder mood, he would be suspected of hankering after
a bribe, for his master had no confidence in his integrity in this
respect. For this reason he did not desist from his usual rudeness,
although he was desirous of patching up a peace. Accordingly, when
anything was said that did not please him, he refused to listen to me,
and showed me the door, so that every conference I had with him ended
in his losing his temper; though I cannot be sure that his anger was
not sometimes assumed.
On one occasion, I remember, when I had been treating with him on
matters concerning the peace, and he had rejected my propositions as
inadmissible, and had told me to be off, if I had no other proposals
to make, I immediately rose and went home, having first said that it
was not in my power to go beyond my instructions. As he thought I had
done this with unusual warmth, he called back my interpreter and asked
him if I was displeased. When the interpreter replied in the negative,
‘I want your opinion,’ said Roostem; ‘if I were to obtain from my
master the terms he has mentioned to me, do you think he would be as
good as his word and pay me down the present he has promised me?’ When
the interpreter said he felt no doubt that I would most faithfully
perform whatever I had promised, Roostem replied, ‘Go home and ask
him.’ I had by me in ready money 5,000 ducats, which are equivalent to
6,000 crowns. With these I loaded my interpreter, and ordered him to
tell Roostem to keep them as a proof of my good faith and as a first
instalment, saying, that the rest would follow when the business was
concluded (for I had promised him a still larger sum), I was not in
the habit of breaking my word. Roostem was delighted to see the money,
fingered it, and then gave it back to the interpreter, saying, ‘I do
not doubt his good faith; but as to the peace there are difficulties of
no ordinary kind in the way; I cannot give him any positive assurance
about it, indeed I do not yet know my master’s intentions. Go, take the
money back to the Ambassador that he may keep it for me, till it is
certain what turn the business will take. In the mean time he must be
my banker.’
So I saved my money after all, Roostem himself being carried off by
death some months afterwards.
I must now tell you of the goodness of our most gracious Emperor. When
there seemed no object in keeping this sum any longer, after giving
due notice to the Emperor, I applied it to meet a year’s expenditure
(for our annual outlay amounted to 6,000 crowns). I afterwards repented
of this, when I began to reflect on the number of years and the great
labours and dangers this embassy had cost me already; I thought I had
not done myself justice, inasmuch as though I knew the money was but
my due, and I had a most excellent and generous master, a most just
judge of everyone’s deserts, I had forgotten to avail myself of the
opportunity, and had made no effort to secure for myself the money
which had been saved, beyond all hope, like a lamb snatched from the
very jaws of the wolf. There are many at court who have obtained far
greater rewards for far smaller services. I determined to call the
Emperor’s attention to the case, admit my error, and ask him to restore
the entire sum, and to set right with his usual princely generosity the
mistake I had committed through my carelessness. I had no difficulty in
making out my case before so considerate a judge; he ordered the six
thousand pieces of gold to be repaid me out of his treasury. If I shall
ever allow my master’s great generosity to fade from my memory, I shall
account myself unworthy to live.
But to return to my subject; there was a striking contrast between the
characters of the Pashas Ali and Roostem. The career of the former
had been such as to place his integrity in money matters above all
suspicion. Consequently he was under no apprehension that courtesy or
kindness on his part would injure him with his master. But Roostem,
on the contrary, was always grasping, always mean, and one who made
self-interest and money his first consideration.[240] Roostem used to
have very short interviews with me, but Ali would purposely keep me
for several hours, and make my visit pleasant by his great civility.
Meanwhile the Turks, who had come either to call or on business,
kept murmuring because they were detained so long waiting for their
audience, while the Pasha was closeted with me. I confess I got very
hungry at these interviews, for he used to summon me to him in the
afternoon, and I did not care to eat before I went, as I wished to
have my brain as clear as possible for my conference with this able
statesman. In these conversations he strenuously urged, that we should
each advise our own master to take the course we considered most for
his interests. ‘He was well aware,’ he said, ‘that his master required
nothing more urgently than repose, as his course was nearly run, and
he had had his fill of military glory; on the other hand, he felt
that there was no need to prove to me that peace and quiet would be
likewise to my master’s interests. If he desired to consult the safety
and tranquillity of his subjects, he ought not to rouse the sleeping
lion, and provoke him once more to enter the lists. Just as mirrors,
which are naturally empty, take the reflections of whatever objects may
be placed before them, even so the minds of Sovereigns,’ he argued,
‘are blanks, which receive what may be called impressions of what is
presented to them, and therefore we ought to put before our masters’
minds what would be most conducive to their advantage. Also we ought,’
said he, ‘to imitate good cooks, who do not season their dishes to suit
the palate of this person or that, but consult the general taste; in
like manner we, in settling the terms of peace, ought to regulate them
so as to attain results which would be agreeable and honourable to both
parties alike.’