the west, and reached after five hours the kent Abdallí, a Persian
village of a hundred houses, which at the time of the conquest was
fixed to be the frontier of Karss. We advanced to the north four hours
to kent Ayárán with five hundred houses; the inhabitants of which
are Gokdúlak; from hence through mountains of luxuriant vegetation
to kent Sheráb-kháneh, situated on a hill, of three hundred Armenian
houses with many gardens, it is a ziámet on the frontier of Karss. We
continued our journey to the west, passing over fertile steppes, and
seeing many castles, which had been ruined by Sultán Murad IV. After
four hours we arrived at kent Begum; the daughter of Uzún Hassan Sháh
of that name built it; the Persian Princesses are even now styled
Beghum: there are three hundred houses of Armenians and Georgians; it
was ruined by Timúr, but seven high arches are still extant among the
ruins on the border of Arpachaí, where the Princes of the Ak-koyúnlí,
Meimendi Khán, Ashár Khán, Otgabai Khán, Gúndúzbai Khán and other Sháhs
are buried, some lying, some seated on their thrones, as if they were
in life, with their names, and the chronographs of their deaths. The
three sides of this old town are a great Yaila. From hence we went to
the west through marshy ground, and some meadows, to the old castle of
Shúreger; Hossein Bikara, delighted with its situation on the river
Arpachaí, built this town according to the advice of Doctor Shúrgerí;
it passed into the hands of Kara Yússúf and was destroyed by Timúr;
Lala Kara Mustafa Páshá ruined it again; large vaults and masses are
yet conspicuous amongst its ruins. The musical tune Shureh is said
to have been invented by Shúreger at the time he was building this
town, whose inhabitants all delight in music, and are famous singers.
The castle is in ruins, and no more than three hundred houses with
terraces are now existing. The half of its districts being situated
on the other bank of Arpachaí belong to the government of Eriván;
those on this side to Karss. It is a mountainous fertile tract of
Georgia which extends northward to the Aras and Zenghí, and along
Mount Caucasus to the Caspian Sea; and on the west to Erzerúm. From
Shúreger we advanced to the west, crossing five small rivers, some of
which come from Georgia, some from the mountains of Azghúr, and flow
into the Aras; some of the ground is marshy. We then arrived at the
ferry of a river, the name of which I am ignorant of. Sultán Murad
crossed this river on his expedition to Eriván, and the spot is yet
marked, where his tent was fixed; the inhabitants planted trees round
it, and made it a prayer-place. Five hours further to the west through
fertile ground is the village of Búlánik, a free ziámet of Sefer Aghá,
of three hundred houses. Seven hours further is the castle of Karss;
we remained a night as guests with Alí Aghá, and continued our journey
next day to the village of Dushen Kia (the falling rock), on the
frontier of Karss, with two hundred houses; then five hours, ascending
and descending through high fir-woods and meadows to Wernishán on the
frontier of Karss, formerly a sanjak. The opposite shore of the Aras
belongs to the castle of Bayazíd, and the Alaï Beg of Wernishán resides
here; it is an Armenian village of three hundred houses. Akhiska is
two journeys from hence to the north; six hours further to the west
through fields to Zeinkhán on the territory of Karss, of two hundred
houses, a Dizdár, a garrison, a khán, a mosque, a bath, and forty
shops; it is the seat of a Súbáshí subordinate to Karss; the castle is
square and built of stone, the inhabitants are an obstinate people. We
continued our journey through fir woods for seven hours to Soghánlí
Belí, a strait famous all over Persia and Turkey for the difficulty
in crossing it; three hours beyond this straight we reached the kent
Kúmadámí, of a hundred and fifty houses, on the frontier of sanjak
Pássín, an Armenian village on the banks of the Aras. Eight hours
further is the village of Pássín, of three hundred Armenian houses,
in a plain, it is the ziámet of Ja’afer Efendí the land registrar
(Moharerí Wiláyet) at Erzerúm; five hours further along the Aras is the
station of Goz; we passed in sight of the bridge of Chobán, built by
the dynasty of that name, through level fields, and arrived at Hassan
Kala’a, which has been already described. Four hours from hence we
arrived safe at Erzerúm, where we found our gracious Lord the Páshá,
on the walk of Abd-ur-rahman Ghází; I presented the camels, letters
and caraván of the khán of Eriván, and reassumed my functions as Clerk
of the Custom-house, assisting every night at the assemblies of the
Páshá. At this time the Capijí Alí Aghá arrived from Constantinople,
with a Khattí-sheríf of Sultán Ibrahím, by which the Páshá received
the Imperial command to repair with all the troops of his government
to Karss, to be ready for the war against the Infidel Persians. The
Páshá paid obeisance to the noble túghra and instantly dispatched
commissaries to Erzerúm, Mera’ash and Sívás, in order to raise and
collect troops. I, poor Evliyá, received a commission to go to Sídí
Ahmed Páshá, the governor of the sanjaks of Sánja and Tortúm.
JOURNEY TO BAIBURD, JANJA, ISPER, TORTUM AND AKCHEKALA’A.
I left Erzerúm with nine servants, proceeding to the north in the plain
of Erzerum, two hours to the village of Kán, of two hundred Armenian
houses; five hours more to the north we came to the village of Sheikh
Umúdúm, which has been described in our journey to Georgia. Six hours
further to the north, through vallies and hills, to the bridge of the
Georgian straight, a bridge built over the Euphrates by Shah Uzún
Hassan. It is on this spot that the rebel Abáza Páshá cut to pieces
forty regiments of janissaries sent against him; their bones are piled
up near the bridge: the village of Gúrgí-boghází (Georgian straight),
has two hundred houses, in the district of Erzerúm. We passed to
the north over flowery meadows nine hours to Rúmlí Sultán, a great
saint buried underneath a cupola. Here is the cave whence springs
the Euphrates, which is above all praise, since it is mentioned with
praise in the Korán. At Keifí, one of the sanjaks of Erzerúm, are the
iron mines, where iron shot are cast; several hundred little rivulets
run from these iron mines into the Euphrates, and somewhat spoil the
sweetness of the water; but from its source in the rock of Rumlí Sultán
unto Keifí it is the most delicious and most healthy water in the
world. Rumlí Sultán was a Saint, who appreciating the good qualities of
this river, took up his residence at its source; it is a village of two
hundred houses. We advanced three hours to the north to Akchekala’a in
the territory of the sanjak of Tortúm, built by Ulama Páshá in order to
control Georgia; in course of time the castle has been dismantled of
its walls and garrison. It lies north of Tortúm, and has six hundred
houses, a khán, and a mosque; it was destroyed by Bayazíd II. when
governor of Trebisonde in his youth. We proceeded six hours to the
west, to the village of Saúlú of a hundred houses in the territory of
Jánja, on the top of a high mountain without gardens; and seven hours
further to the west, to the castle of Jánja, otherwise Gumish Kháneh
(silver house). I went straight to the Court of Justice, and read the
firman, which all the inhabitants were ready to obey. I remained as
guest in the house of the inspector of the silver mines and began to
visit the town. It was built by Alexander, one of whose philosophers
discovered the silver mines. Mohammed II. conquered it by the sword
after the defeat of Uzún Hassan in the field of Terján. Silver is here
found in such abundance, that every child has a silver plate. The
inspectorship is let for seven million aspers; the inhabitants are
exempted from all taxes, because they are obliged to labour in the
silver mines, seventy of which are worked. These are the richest silver
mines in Turkey, the others are those of Kághzemán, Hakkárí, Bingol,
Sanjar, Akár, Aswán, Libanon, and Merzifún. These are the Asiatic and
African silver mines of the Ottoman Empire; the European ones are the
following: on the frontier of Bosnia, Sira, Berinjesse near Uskúb at
Karatova, Novaborda near Pereshtina, Sidr Kaissi near Salonia; but
their veins are thin; those of Jánja are as big as an arm, perfectly
pure silver: There was also a mint here, but it is now abandoned, I
however, got some aspers with the inscription, coined at Jánja. After
taking a good view of the town I was presented by the principal men
with three hundred piastres, a vase for rosewater (gulábdán), and
a censer (bokhúrdán) of silver, and after two days march through
mountains and straights I arrived at the old fortress of Baibúrd.
The Princes of the family of Akkoyúnlí, who came with the Dánishmend
family, and with the ancestors of the Ottomans from Mahán to Rúm,
first settled here, and having found a rich treasure of silver in the
mines, by which they became rich (Bai), the place was called Baiyúrd,
which was changed into Baibúrd. Mahmúd Pasha the Vezír of Mohammed II.
conquered it from Uzún Hassan. According to the description of Sultán
Súleímán, it is the seat of a Súbashí separated from the khass of the
Vezír of Erzerúm, a jurisdiction of a hundred and fifty aspers, the
revenues of the judge amount annually to six purses. There is a Muftí,
a Nakíb, Sipáh-kiayayerí, and Yenicherí-serdárí.
_Form and size of the Castle._
It is a pentagon, and stands on a high hill, the height of the wall
is forty royal cubits, it has no ditch, on account of its position;
there are three hundred old houses, but no market, khán, or bath;
two gates, one to the east, opening towards the gardens, and one to
the west, by which you descend to the lower town, consisting of more
than a thousand houses with terraces; there are nineteen quarters of
Moslims, and nine of Armenians; no Jews nor gipsies, but a great number
of Greeks, because it is not far from the seashore. A great number of
its inhabitants are Turks and Turcomans. Mohammed II. transplanted
hither a colony of three thousand men of the inhabitants of Tíre, whose
descendants are very orderly, good men. Its mosques are pleasant, the
most frequented of them is that of the conqueror, in the Castle; in the
market that of Záhid Efendí, a mosque covered with a terrace in the
olden style; its minareh is a slender building of bricks; at its left
are the Court of Justice, the Imperial dyeing-house and the Flour-hall.
Near to the women’s bath is the mosque of Kázizádeh Mohammed Chelebi,
an old but sweet mosque; near the river Jorúgh, is the mosque of
Shengel-baí; the part of the town beyond the river Jorúgh is called
Yoris Mahallessí; there is a dining establishment and college, with
three baths, the first is the bath at the bridge; the second, that of
Alí Shengáh; the third, the red bath; the temperature of these baths is
most excellent: there are three convents of Dervishes, and a great khán
close to the mosque of Kázizádeh; before this khán there is a market
every Sunday attended by from five hundred to a thousand persons;
three hundred shops, an elegant Bezestán, and some coffee-houses.
Of its provisions, fresh butter, white pies, and a kind of wheat
called camel’s teeth are much renowned; so are also the carpets and
felts of Baibúrd, light, well-coloured, fanciful carpets, which are
exported into all countries. The air being rather cold, it is not
very favourable to flowers and fruits, but it is amply provided with
fruit from the neighbouring places. There are some pretty faces, and
seventy schools for boys, who are quick and clever; the old men live
to the age of a hundred and fifty, who losing their teeth pronounce
with difficulty the letter S, but the women are very eloquent. Erzerúm
is two journeys direct north from hence. A man may go from here to
Erzerúm, by footpaths, in two days, and on horseback in four days.
_Description of the River Jorúgh._
It rises in the mountains of Erzerúm, supplies water to a great number
of fields, and flows straight to the lower town of Baibúrd; the two
banks are adorned with many elegant palaces and koshks and gardens,
where the inhabitants delight to fish; its name is corrupted from
Júírúh (river of spirit) a name it well deserves by its most excellent
qualities. The inhabitants of the town cut their wood on the mountain,
and putting on it a private mark throw it into the river, which it
floats down until it is stopped in the middle of the town by a great
rake, where each person comes to fetch out his wood. This river comes
to Baibúrd from the east, washes the rocks of the castle, passes
through many well-cultivated villages, and flows at the bottom of the
Castle of Conia, a large river, into the Black Sea. Some hundred boats
of the Lázes, which are called Sarpúna and Mengesila, navigate this
river to Georgia and Mingrelia, and exchange their merchandize for
slaves.
_Pilgrimages._
The mountain facing the mosque in the quarter on the opposite bank of
the Jorúgh, is called the parrot’s mountain, it is the burying-place
of Abd-ul wahháb A’ari, and is a general walk. This high mountain
commands the town, but cannon shot cannot reach it from hence, the
distance being too great, and the river Jorúgh flowing between. The
hill which rises in the town, opposite the mosque, is ascended in half
an hour. The Pilgrimage of Osmán Ghází, who is here buried underneath a
cupola of bricks. The Pilgrimage of Jághir Kánlidedeh has the greatest
credit with the inhabitants of this town, as he is a recent Saint;
people yet alive having witnessed his miracles. Near this place, an
able architect built a bridge of fir-tree across the river Jorúgh, in
the shape of a swallow’s wing, to which the fir bridge over the Duina
at Fúja Shehrí in Herzgovina can alone be compared; but this bridge
of Baibúrd having only a single arch, is higher and finer than that
of Fúja. In the cemetery to the Kiblah of the town, are buried many
thousand great men, but I have mentioned only those I visited. After
taking a good view of the town, and having collected the number of
troops fixed by the firmán, I received from the Súbashí a present of
three hundred piastres, and continued my journey accompanied by fifty
armed men.
_Description of the Castle of Tortúm._
It was built by the old King of Georgia Mamerúl, was conquered by Uzún
Hassan, and by Mohammed II., and then fell again into the hands of
the Georgians. Selím I. first retook it when Governor of Trebisonde,
and Sultán Súleimán lost it again. He despatched his second Vezír
Ahmed Páshá to reconquer it, who took it after a siege of seven days
and an assault of seven hours, cutting all the Infidels to pieces;
and providing it with stores and men. He then advanced further into
Georgia, and the two castles of Nejákh and Mírakhor surrendered. From
hence he proceeded to Akchekala’a, which being a stronghold was not
taken till the seventh day. The Begs of the castles of Penkerd, Asherd,
and the little Akchekala’a paid obeisance. The district of Bevána with
three hundred villages did the same, and the inhabitants remain Ottoman
subjects even to the present time. The castles Isper and Pertekrek
yielded to the Ottoman power; so did also the district of Dadánlí with
seventy-six villages, and fifteen castles, large and small; the castles
of Tekkhíss and the valley of Bersássa were conquered, and Tortúm was
put down in the register as the seat of a sanjak Beg belonging to
Erzerúm; it furnishes sixty thousand men, and the Páshá’s revenues
amount annually to twelve thousand piastres in a fair way: Its judge
is appointed with a hundred and fifty aspers, and there are nine well
cultivated districts, the principal of which are those of Bervána,
Dadánlí and Isper, their annual revenue amounts to three thousand
piastres.
_Size and Shape of the Castle._
It is built in a square form, on a high rock; an iron gate opens to the
east; in the castle is a mosque of Sultán Súleimán’s time, and in the
lower town is seven hundred houses and seven mosques, two baths, two
kháns, twelve schools and seventy shops, but no stone bezestán, imáret
or medresseh. The pears, grapes and peaches are much praised; as it
is only two journeys from Erzerúm, the merchants send chests full of
fruit to that place; the inhabitants are righteous, hospitable men;
the river which flows through it goes into the Black Sea; in the town
of Tortúm saltpetre is produced for Government. While I was collecting
troops here, and visiting the town, news arrived to Ghází Sídí Ahmed,
the Páshá of the place, that the Cossacks had assailed the castle of
Gonia; he instantly put on his armour, mounted on horseback, summoned
all the Zaims and Timariots who wished to volunteer in this expedition,
assembled about a thousand men, and started with his troop under the
triple shout of Allah. We marched a whole day and night, reinforcing
our number on the road, and halted next morning in a valley. We
continued our course to the north for the whole of the second day,
passed on to the frontier of Trebisonde and entered that of Gonia:
here we met the Mingrelian troops, which came to join the Páshá, and
were honourably received, they consisted of three hundred well armed
horsemen with lances, and about a thousand riflemen with flying hair,
between forty and fifty years of age, with strange figures and ugly
faces, whom the Páshá flattered with good words. This night we passed
along the river Jorúgh, and arrived next morning at the castle of
Gonia on the Black Sea, which we saw filled with Infidel Cossacks, who
at the moment they saw us roared out, Jasus! Jasus! (Jesus); seventy
Chaikas were moored behind the castle. The Páshá with a hundred and
fifty Aghás, and all the troops which had joined him on the way, with
loud cries of Allah, attacked the ships lying in the river, cut the
cables, and let the boats float out into the Black Sea, cutting down or
making prisoners, those who were left to guard the boats, and towing
the Chaikas into a bay at a gunshot’s distance from the castle; the
Infidels, seeing they could not escape in their boats, acted like
swine that are laid hold of, and began to fire. The Moslim troops
on their side prepared every thing for an assault; and made ladders
of the masts and rigging of the captured ships. The Mingrelian and
Georgian troops entered the trenches in broad daylight, the walls were
fired upon, and the assault was made from all sides. The Páshá led
the assault himself with such courage and spirit, that the Infidels
had not time to recollect themselves, but fled to some ships, which
were left on the Jorúgh. Some of these boats being overloaded went
to the bottom, those who by swimming reached the opposite shore were
received by the muskets of the Moslims and went to Hell: seventeen
of the ships on the Jorúgh were burnt, and two hundred Infidels, who
could not re-enter the castle, were taken prisoners; seventy Moslims
fell martyrs in this triple assault. The Páshá now pressed the arrival
of the troops from the district of Sanjak Batúm. Finally there arrived
some thousand Lázes armed with lances, casques, muskets, and sounding
their war fifes, called Zígúla, with white banners waving; they joined
the Páshá, halting on the bank of the river. The Páshá left them not a
moment’s rest, but encouraged them by addressing them in the Circassian
language. Thus a crowd was collected who threw up earth and faggots in
mounds before the castle, on which the storming ladders were fixed.
The neighbouring mountains re-echoed the shouts of Allah! the Moslims
heaped bundles on bundles of twigs, and began to climb the ladders
like spiders and goats of Isper; the bundles heaped up before the gate
were set on fire. Ghází Ahmed Páshá himself mounted on the tower at
the eastern corner, and by his example encouraged the general assault.
From early dawn till the afternoon, neither the Páshá nor his troops
had tasted a bit of bread; in the afternoon the castle was conquered,
and I, poor Evliya, had the advantage of first proclaiming on its
walls the sound of Ottoman prayer. The castle being now filed with
victors, seven hundred Infidels were taken prisoners, and eight hundred
heads cut off, and planted on the walls; the seventy-seven boats were
towed back to the castle, and moored ready with all provisions and
munition. The rejoicings lasted three days and three nights, during
which the castle was illuminated. God be praised that I witnessed such
a conquest. At the moment when prayer was first proclaimed on the
wall, there appeared, on the eastern side of the Jorúgh, some thousand
standards and banners, who answered the report of the salutes fired
with the shouts of Allah; these were the troops of the Páshá of Karss,
who had arrived before Gonia after a flying march from Erzerúm, and now
encamped on the bank of the Jorúgh.
Gonia now became the meeting-place of the whole army summoned by
the governor of Erzerúm; forty or fifty boats of Láz Mengesile, who
descended the river of Jorúgh, took to flight as soon as they were
aware, that the castle was again in the hands of the Moslims, and that
an Ottoman army was encamped along the shore of the river. They were
pursued by Sídí Ghází Páshá, who captured forty-seven boats, made three
hundred Mingrelians prisoners, and drowned about six hundred in the
river. This expedition was thus crowned with three victories: 1. The
conquest of the boats; 2. that of the castle; 3. the conquest of the
Mingrelian boats, which had arrived to the assistance of the Cossacks
with provisions. Sídí Ahmed Páshá distributed those provisions amongst
the Moslim victors, so that plenty now prevailed in the Ottoman camp.
The night was again passed with illuminations and feasting; the
shouts of Allah, and the sounds of the Ottoman drum interrupting the
silence of the night. The next day clouds of dust rising on the side
of the Jorúgh announced the arrival of a new army, whose glittering
armour dazzled the eyes; it was that of Koja Sefer Páshá, the Vezír of
Chaldir, who summoned by the command of our Lord the Páshá of Erzerúm,
arrived with the Georgian army in great speed to the assistance of the
Castle of Gonia; Sídí Ahmed Páshá went with the other Páshás to meet
them, and it was a grand sight to see these troops on fine horses,
well armed with spears, swords, shields, and muskets, with flying hair
and strange figures. When Sefer Páshá himself came with the train of
his guards (Matarají, Tufenkjí, and Shátir), he received Sídí Páshá’s
salute, and then rode on his right, Báki Páshá keeping on the left.
When they approached the castle a general salute of guns and musketry
gave them welcome. Provisions now arrived in abundance at the Imperial
camp from Georgia, Mingrelia, Láz, and Batúm. Next day fresh troops
appeared to the south of Gonia, it was the Páshá of Trebisonde, who
came with three thousand good troops; in seventy boats (sandal) and
a hundred ships of the Lázes, called Mengesila, he carried plenty
of provisions, and ten guns. Sídí Ahmed Páshá being acquainted with
his arrival neither went himself to meet him, nor sent any troops to
perform that ceremony. He halted with his troops on one side of the
castle. Having waited on Sídí Ahmed Páshá he received him without the
least honour, but with the following speech.
“I am the Páshá of Tortúm, which is from four to five journeys distant
from Gonia, and it was not my duty to hasten to its assistance; but I
did it for the sake of the faith and the Empire. You, Páshá, who are
the Governor of Trebisonde, and Begler-beg of two tails, and at only
two journies from Gonia, why did you not arrive till within these seven
days to its assistance. Quick, executioner!”
The Páshás of Pássín, Akhiska and Kaighí interfered, saying, that it
was against constitutional law, that he being only a Páshá of one
tail, should kill one of two. He replied, “By God! if it is righteous,
according to religious duties, I’ll cut off his head, even if he be a
Páshá of seven tails; in consideration, however, of your intercession,
I won’t kill him, but relate the business to the Emperor; call quickly
for the Diván Efendí (Secretary).” While the dispatch was being drawn
up, orders were given to put seventy of the principal officers of the
troops of Trebisonde into prison, and they were accordingly shut up in
the castle, for not having urged the Páshá to hasten to the deliverance
of Gonia. The Diván Efendí made out the account of the conquest of
Gonia, and the accusation against the Páshá of Trebisonde; it was
signed and sealed by the three Begler-Begs, by the Judges of Gonia
and Trebisonde, and was ready to be sent off, when the inhabitants
of Trebisonde threw themselves at the feet of Sídí Ahmed Páshá,
supplicating not to be accused to the Porte. Sídí Páshá persisting in
his resolution, showed all the obstinacy of a Circassian. The principal
men of Trebisonde however, solicited the Páshás to intercede with the
Commander-in-chief Sídí Ahmed; and it was ultimately arranged, after
three days negotiation, that the Páshá and principal men of Trebisonde
should give forty-three purses of money, three sable pelisses, twelve
beautiful boys, twelve girls with eyes like Narcissuses, and of sweet
language, a silken tent richly embroidered with gold, a sword set with
jewels, a mare, seven quivers, vases of silver, the work of goldsmiths
of Trebisonde, bridles, hatchets, candlesticks of silver, three strings
of camels, three of mules, and a hundred and twenty horses. By these
gifts they obtained the favour of not being named in the report to
the Emperor; to whom only were mentioned the Begler Begs, Alaï and
Sanjak Begs, who had hastened to the deliverance of Gonia, and this
report was sent by Gurji Beg Zadeh to Constantinople. Another Kapijí
Báshí was despatched with the same news to the governor of Erzerúm,
but at the moment he was setting out, clouds of dust announced the
arrival of fresh troops on the banks of the Jorúgh; these were the
troops of Erzerúm sent to the succour of Gonia, under the command of
Hassan Atlí Aghá. The Zaims, Timariots and Jebellis of Erzerúm with
half the garrison, and the guards of the Páshá, forty banners of Segbán
and Sáríja (irregular levies of the Páshá), led by their colonels
(Bolúk Báshí). They were followed by a squadron of Delí, by another
of Gonullí (Volunteers), six squadrons of Tatar horsemen, a squadron
of six hundred Moteferrika, a squadron of two hundred Cháshnegírs
(carvers), a squadron of two hundred Serraj (saddle-men), squadron
of two hundred Kílarjí (men of the cellar), and lastly a squadron of
two hundred Ichaga (indoor servants), led by the Key-keeper (Miftáh
ghúlám agassí). They were also followed by forty chamberlains, each
one surrounded by from forty to fifty men clad in armour, on horses
of the finest breed, caparisoned with silver, and ornamented with
sea-horses bristles; they rode two and two, and immediately after them
came Hassan Atlí Aghá himself, with trumpets sounding, and took up his
encampment on the border of the fortress. All these chamberlains were
men, who had seen service in the quality of Kiayas (substitutes), Kaima
Káms (Lieutenants), Motessellims (Vice-governors) and Administrators
of provinces. Sídí Ahmed Páshá gave them a great repast, and next day
assembled all the architects of the country to repair the castle of
Gonia. The Turkish music played from seven sides, seventy tables were
spread, and day and night was spent in festivities. The side of the
castle that was damaged by the fire, and the mosque of Bayazíd II. was
first put in repair. Seven hundred men forming a new garrison, with a
new Beg, as Commander, were put into it with sufficient stores, and
all the arms taken from the enemy. Thus the castle of Gonia shone forth
in greater splendor than before. God be praised that I, poor Evliyá,
was so fortunate as to proclaim the first prayer on its newly conquered
walls!