Page:The Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier.djvu/16

In the mean time we sent our Spahi's to the Commander of those Tartars, to tell them, we would not stir 'till they were gone, and that being Souldiers as they were, they could not hope for any booty from us. The Commander answer'd, that he had divided his men in that manner only to do us Honour; but since we desir'd they should be gone, they requested us but to send them a little Tobacco. A boon which we readily granted them, and so we pass'd on.

We came to Adrianople the three and twentieth day after we parted from Belgrade. Adrianople takes its name from the Emperour Adrian, being formerly call'd Orestes. It is pleasantly situated at the mouth of three Rivers that throw themselves into the Archipelago. The old Town is not very big, but the Turks dayly enlarge the Suburbs, being a place which the Grand Signors very much delight in for the pleasures of Hunting and Hawking, especially at the wild Duck and Heron.

The fifth day after we departed from Adrianople, and the forty second after we departed from Vienna, we happily arriv'd at Constantinople, and crossing through the City over to Galata, went to the Ambassador's House. While we stay'd there to winter, we made a small Voyage to the Dardanells, to the Ruins of Troy, where we beheld nothing but Stones, not worth the while of going so far to see. Another day we took three Barks and Sail'd to Calcedon, that lies upon the Sea. There is in it a very ancient Church and they shew'd us the Room where the Council was held, with the same Chairs which were then made use of. Now it is only a Monastery, where two Bishops after they had shew'd us what they could, handsomly entertain'd us.

Then we went to view Pompey's Pillar at the mouth of the Black Sea. Concerning the Channel of which Sea, I must make one Observation; that though there be no part of the Sea but has one Current, yet this has two quite contrary one to another. That part next to Europe carries the Vessel to the Black Sea; and that next Asia brings it back again to the Mediterranean. So that you have no more to do but to cross over from one Shore to the other.

The Winter being over, the two French Gentlemen pursu'd their Voyage for Alexandretta. But for my part, I having another design in my head, stay'd at Constantinople, in expectation of a Caravan, which the people told me from Month to Month was coming. I was then ignorant, and did not understand that every year there were five or six Caravans that went from Bursa. Besides, that sometimes eight or ten Merchants travelling together, might go safe to Ispahan. Which ignorance of mine made me stay longer than I intended. At length, after I had continu'd eleven Months in Constantinople, I departed with a fair and numerous Caravan for Ispahan, which was the first time I travell'd into Asia. After that I made five others, wherein I had time better to understand the Qualities of the Countries, and the Genius of the People. The three last times I went beyond Ganges, to the Island of Java; so that for the space of forty years, I have travell'd above sixty thousand Leagues by Land; never returning but once into Europe by Sea. And thus in my six Voyages, and by travelling different Roads, I had the leisure and opportunityto