On the first of Shawal we left the harbor of Basrah, accompanied, as
far as Ormuz, by the frigate of Sherifi Pasha. We visited on the way
from Mehzari the grave of Khidr, and proceeding along the coast of
Duspul (Dizful), and Shushter in Charik, I made pilgrimages to the
graves of Imam Mohammed, Hanifi, and other saints.
From the harbor in the province of Shiraz we visited Rishehr (Bushir)
and after reconnoitering the coasts and unable to get any clue as
to the whereabouts of the enemy by means of the _Tshekleva_,[64] I
proceeded to Katif, situated near Lahsa[65] and Hadjar on the Arabian
coast. Unable to learn anything there, I went on to Bahrein, where I
interviewed the commander of the place, Reis Murad. But neither could
he give me any information about the fleet of the infidels. There is a
curious custom at Bahrein. The sailors, provided with a leather sack,
dive down into the sea and bring the fresh water from the bottom for
Reis Murad's use. This water is particularly pleasant and cold in the
spring time, and Reis Murad gave me some. God's power is boundless!
This custom is the origin of the proverb: "_Maradj ul bahreia
jaltakian_," and hence also the name "Bahrein."
Next we came to Kis, _i.e._, old Ormuz, and Barhata, and several other
small islands in the Green Sea, _i.e._, the waters of Ormuz, but
nowhere could we get any news of the fleet. So we dismissed the vessel,
which Mustafa Pasha had sent as an escort, with the message that Ormuz
was safely passed. We proceeded by the coasts of Djilgar and Djadi,
past the towns of Keimzar or Leime, and forty days after our departure,
_i.e._, on the tenth of Ramazan, in the forenoon, we suddenly saw
coming toward us the Christian fleet, consisting of four large
ships, three galleons, six Portuguese guard ships, and twelve galleys
(_Kalita_), 25 vessels in all. I immediately ordered the canopy to be
taken down, the anchor weighed, the guns put in readiness, and then,
trusting to the help of the Almighty, we fastened the _filandra_[66] to
the mainmast, the flags were unfurled, and, full of courage and calling
upon Allah, we commenced to fight. The volley from the guns and cannon
was tremendous, and with God's help we sank and utterly destroyed one
of the enemy's galleons.
Never before within the annals of history has such a battle been
fought, and words fail me to describe it.
The battle continued till sunset, and only then the Admiral of the
infidel fleet began to show some signs of fear. He ordered the
signal-gun to fire a retreat, and the fleet turned in the direction of
Ormuz.
With the help of Allah, and under the lucky star of the Padishah,
the enemies of Islam had been defeated. Night came at last; we were
becalmed for awhile, then the wind rose, the sails were set and as
the shore was near ... until daybreak. The next day we continued our
previous course. On the day after we passed Khorfakan,[67] where we
took in water, and soon after reached Oman, or rather Sohar.[68] Thus
we cruised about for nearly 17 days. When on the sixth of Ramazan,
_i.e._, the day of Kadr-Ghedjesi, a night in the month of Ramazan,
we arrived in the vicinity of Maskat and Kalhat,[69] we saw in the
morning, issuing from the harbor of Maskat, 12 large boats and 22
_gurabs_, 34 vessels in all, commanded by Captain Kuya,[70] the son of
the Governor. They carried a large number of troops.
The boats and galleons obscured the horizon with their mizzen sails
(_Magistra_)[71] and _Peneta_ (small sails) all set; the guard-ships
spread their round sails (_Chember-yelken_), and, gay with hunting,
they advanced toward us. Full of confidence in God's protection we
awaited them. Their boats attacked our galleys; the battle raged,
cannon and guns, arrows and swords made terrible slaughter on both
sides. The _Badjoalushka_ penetrated the boats and the _Shaikas_[72]
and tore large holes in their hulls, while our galleys were riddled
through by the javelins (_Darda_)[73] thrown down upon us from
the enemy's turrets, which gave them the appearance of bristling
porcupines; and they showered down upon us....
The stones which they threw at us created quite a whirlpool as they
fell into the sea.
One of our galleys was set on fire by a bomb, but strange to say the
boat from which it issued shared the like fate. God is merciful!
Five of our galleys and as many of the enemy's boats were sunk and
utterly wrecked, one of theirs went to the bottom with all sails set.
In a word, there was great loss on both sides; our rowers were now
insufficient in number to manage the oars, while running against the
current, and to fire the cannon. We were compelled to drop anchor (at
the stern) and to continue to fight as best we might. The boats had
also to be abandoned.
Alemshah Reis, Kara Mustafa, and Kalfat Memi, captains of some of the
foundered ships, and Derzi Mustafa Bey, the Serdar of the volunteers,
with the remainder of the Egyptian soldiers and 200 carpenters, had
landed on the Arabian shore, and as the rowers were Arabs they had been
hospitably treated by the Arabs of Nedjd.
The ships (_gurabs_) of the infidel fleet had likewise taken on board
the crews of their sunken vessels, and as there were Arabs amongst
them, they also had found shelter on the Arabian coast. God is our
witness. Even in the war between Khaiveddin Pasha and Andreas Doria no
such naval action as this has ever taken place.
When night came, and we were approaching the bay of Ormuz, the wind
began to rise. The boats had already cast two _Lenguvurta_, _i.e._,
large anchors,[74] the _Lushtas_ were tightly secured, and, towing
the conquered _gurabs_ along, we neared the shore while the galleys,
dragging their anchors, followed. However, we were not allowed to touch
the shore, and had to set sail again. During that night we drifted
away from the Arabian coast into the open sea, and finally reached the
coasts of Djash,[75] in the province of Kerman. This is a long coast,
but we could find no harbor, and we roamed about for two days before we
came to Kichi Mekran.[76]
As the evening was far advanced we could not land immediately, but
had to spend another night at sea. In the morning a dry wind carried
off many of the crew, and at last, after unheard-of troubles and
difficulties, we approached the harbor of Sheba.[77]
Here we came upon a _Notak_, _i.e._, a brigantine (pirate-ship), laden
with spoils, and when the watchman sighted us they hailed us. We told
them that we were Mussulmans, whereupon their captain came on board
our vessel; he kindly supplied us with water, for we had not a drop
left, and thus our exhausted soldiers were invigorated. This was on
Bairam day, and for us, as we had now got water, a double feast-day.
Escorted by the said captain we entered the harbor of Guador.[78] The
people there were Beluchistanis and their chief was Malik Djelaleddin,
the son of Malik Dinar. The Governor of Guador came on board our ship
and assured us of his unalterable devotion to our glorious Padishah.
He promised that henceforth, if at any time our fleet should come to
Ormuz, he would undertake to send 50 or 60 boats to supply us with
provisions, and in every possible way to be of service to us. We wrote
a letter to the native Prince Djelaleddin to ask for a pilot, upon
which a first-class pilot was sent us, with the assurance that he was
thoroughly trustworthy and entirely devoted to the interests of our
Padishah.
V