[39] A certain Englishman, Paul Rycaut by name, has left a description
of this encampment as he saw it on his visit a short time afterwards.
'The tents were raised on a small hill, and about 2000 in number,
ranged at that time without order, only the Grand Signior's seemed to
be in the midst to overtop all the rest, well worthy observation,
costing (as was reported) 180,000 dollars, richly embroidered in the
inside with gold. Within the walls of this tent (as I may so call
them) were all sorts of offices belonging to the Seraglio, apartments
for the pages, chiosks or summer-houses for pleasure, and though I
could not get admittance to view the innermost rooms and chambers, yet
by the outward and more common places of resort I could make a guess
at the richness of the rest, being sumptuous beyond comparison of any
in use among Christian princes. On the right hereof was pitched the
Grand Vizier's tent, exceeding rich and lofty, and had I not seen that
of the Sultan before it, I should have judged it the best that mine
eyes had seen. The ostentation and richness of this empire being
evidenced in nothing more than the richness of their pavilions,
sumptuous beyond the fixed palaces of princes, erected with marble and
mortar.'
[40] _Quaker Women_, by Mabel R. Brailsford.