Chapter XIII: Part 13

On our journey we passed a great river, which flows into the Kerkúk, and whose waters collect from the vallies of Mánd, Vál, and Kúrd-dereh. After six hours march to the west we reached the village of Yakúb-aghá and further on, along the shores of the Kerkúk, through steep and stony ways and the tremendous pass of Bogház-kessen, to where the river, which flows through Amasia, enters the Kerkúk, and falls into the sea at Ener. Having passed it we continued our way for eight hours over hills and valleys and arrived at the Castle of Hájí Murád, built by Uzún Hassan’s vezír. After the defeat of Uzún Hassan it surrendered its keys without contest to Mahmúd Páshá, the vezír of Sultán Mohammed II. It is a high and steep castle like that of Kavilí-hissár, of a thousand paces in circumference and without a ditch, which from its situation on a hill would be superfluous. In the castle are seventy small houses, but no market, khán, bath, college or imáret. There are a great number of nut-trees. On the border of the Kerkúk, which flows at the foot of the castle in a deep valley is a khán. The Súbashí resident here is subordinate to Shábín Kara-hissár. I here informed the Páshá of the strength of Shábín Kara-hissár, at which he was surprised. From hence we ascended a high mountain to the north and came in six hours to the village of Chaúdár; in seven more to Emírler, a village in the territory of Shábín; in five more to an Armenian village; in four more to the west to the village of Kílárjí Veliaga, on the border of a high mountain, consisting of two hundred houses, in the jurisdiction of Iskefser, in five more to the station of Básh-chiflik also in the jurisdiction of Iskefser on the frontier of Erzerúm and Sívás, which has already been mentioned on our road to Erzerúm. Further to the west is the castle of Ník-hissár (good castle) and five hours further the village of Kazán-kia in the province of Sívás, in the jurisdiction of Ník-hissár. Still passing to the west by Bogház-kessen we came through thick woods to the village of Kúmánova; in two hours more to the great village Sontissa, on the frontier of Nígissár, with three hundred houses, a mosque, and bath; and in five hours more to Zavádí-tekiessí, of two hundred houses, on a high mountain on the frontier of Ládík; a great foundation, being a great convent at the tomb of a great saint. Its Dervishes are almost all of the Prophet’s family. I here performed with the Páshá the prayer of I’idí-asha (Kurbán-bairám) and the Sheikh of the convent gave us a repast. The tails having been sent on, we passed the next morning in five hours the pass of Setlí-púlí, and arrived at the village of Hamíd, which has a mosque and gardens; and in five hours more to the west, at Ládík.

_Description of the Castle of Ládík._

This castle was built by one Havík one of the Greek Princes of Amasia. Melek Ghází of the Dánishmend family, who came from Mahán with the Seljúk family, conquered both Ník-hissár and Ládík in the same year. There are three Ládíks in the Ottoman Empire, viz: that of Konia now quite ruined by rebellions, that of Korládík in the province of Ván and the third, Ládík of Amasia. After the conquest of the town by Bayazíd I., Ládík surrendered its keys to Timúr-tásh Páshá, who accepted them with the good wish that the inhabitants might live long. The blessing of this wish is still evident in the long and prosperous lives of the inhabitants. Bayazíd II., when governor of Amasia, passed six months of the year in this place and made a delightful garden, which is kept in order by a Master (Ustá) and forty Bostánjís, Kúrújí and Tablakjí. It is a town free from all duties and gifts, because it is the wakf of Bulbul Khatún the mother of Ahmed I. The governor of Sívás has no right to interfere by his officers. The judge has the rank and pay of three hundred aspers, but may collect in a fair way six purses annually from the districts. There is a Muftí, Nakíb, Serdár, Kiaya-yerí, Naíb and Mohtessib. The Castle is an old pile of building, which is now without a commander or garrison; the Bostánjís run over the woods and heaths and watch the town, which has seventeen quarters; forty-seven Mihrábs, six of which are jamís and three of them Imperial ones; three thousand and twenty houses covered with bricks and surrounded with gardens; seven convents, the most remarkable of which is that of Seid Ahmed Kebír; two baths; seven kháns; a large caravánseraï, built by Gházi Davúd Páshá; four hundred shops, and a bezestán; forty-one palaces of Vezírs and great men, all having baths; no particular college, but lectures are given in all the mosques; eighteen schools for boys and two dining establishments. The Noblemen wear sable pelisses, the merchants ferráje and kontosh of cloth, and the women velvet trowsers, boots, ferráje of cloth, white veils and pointed caps; they are no where to be seen but in the bath and in the houses where they pay visits. They are most modest, lovely creatures, who entangle lovers with sweet words and gracious behaviour.

Its eatables are large pears better than those of Malatia, Nissú, Khúí and Merend; delicious cherries, a kind of bread called Memejik-ekmek which is the first bread in the world after the Súmún of Sapánja: there are no raisins, melons, water-melons, figs, &c. The white honey called Tághbálí is not equalled either by that of Creta, Adana or Sicily. Its fine cotton linen excels the linen of Mossúl and Lekefúr in Persia.

_The Walks of Ládík._

The head fountain of the water Bállí-kiasú, which flows through the town, is a pleasant walk on the Kiblah side. Another famous walk on the east side is called Frenk-gozí, the Frank’s eye; Hossein Páshá built a koshk by the splendid spring which arises here; the water is so cold that people cannot take out of it three stones consecutively. The rivulets formed by those two sources of Bállí and Frenk-gozí flow through the town supplying water to the palaces, kháns, mosques, gardens, and mills, and terminate in the lake of Ládík. Another walk is that called Akbínár, a fountain of cold water, which does not flow through the town, but outside. All these sources rise in the high mountains to the north of the town and find their way into the lake of Ládík. On the west of Ládík, a pleasure-place called the monastery, a delightful spot with a water called Rámja, which is sweeter than the water of Ma’avia. These united sources divide below the castle into two branches, one of which waters the gardens of Kowa-mahallessí below the pilgrimage of Khizrlik, and the other passes by the pilgrimage of Bálídedeh, where the principal men come to meet the pilgrims returning from Mecca.

_The warm laths of Ládík._

A hot spring is situated one hour and a half on the west of Ládík on a high hill in a village, called Khalliz, below which it flows as a small rivulet, turns some mills, and falls into the Kizil Irmák; being situated behind the mountains of Ládík it cannot fall into the lake. The warm bath of Khalliz is much renowned. In the cherry season this place is visited by thousands of people, who here renovate their health by God’s command. An outlet from this hot bath flows into the river Khalliz which empties itself into the Kizil Irmák. Another warm bath (Ilije, Turkish; Humma, Arabic; Germáb, Persian;) is on the west side of Ládík in the jurisdiction of Kaúza. Kaúza is in this country the name of a hot bath, which in Rúmelí is called Kainarje; in Tartary, Ilissí; in Mogolastán, Kerenda; and Frangistán, Bagno. It is a double bath so that men and women have their separate bathing places. The basin in the men’s apartment is ten feet square and is such a delightful sight that it might restore dead men to life. The water rushes forth from four lions’ mouths, which are at the four corners. The water is not very warm, but in addition to this great basin there is a small one the water of which is so extremely hot, that no man can bear it. On the four sides of this great basin under vaults are eight bathing troughs, where thousands of men are cured in the cherry season. In the same bath is a cold, limpid spring, called the maiden’s eye (Kiz-gozí), which gives fresh life to those who drink of it. The distance between this spring, cold as ice, and the hot spring is but a yard.

_Description of the Lake of Ládík._

This is a large lake to the east of Ládík, which would take a day to go round; eleven different sorts of fish are found in it, the description of which would be too long to give. Twenty-six springs and rivulets flow into this lake on its four sides, from the districts of Zedaí, Súnssa, Kaúza and Zeitúm; it has no outlet. On its border is Bogházi-koí, a pleasant village, and the village of Otúz, renowned for its kaimak (cream), which is no where better; it can be cut like cheese and is elastic as gum. If any Kaimak can be compared with it, it is that of Bíngol (thousand lakes). Amasia lies eight hours to the south of Ládík, and to the eastward is Ník-hissár; the jurisdiction of Kavákelí is at a journey’s distance. To the west is the town of Koprí and the jurisdiction of Zeitúm at a journey’s distance. North to it is the harbour of Samsún and further on Sinope.

_Pilgrimages of Ládík._

Sheikh Seid Ahmed Kebír, buried in his own convent, was the disciple of Sheikh Ekber who is also buried here in the old mosque, built by himself in the year 952 (1545); he was one of the Sheiks of Sultán Orkhán. Beneath the castle Sheikh Ya Wúdúd is buried, and Báli-dedeh at the meeting place of the caravan of Mecca. Ghází Tayár Mustafa Páshá is also buried here beneath a lead covered cupola.

I remained at this place three days with my gracious Lord, the Páshá, to whom great feasts were given, and then marched five hours to the west to the village of Shabín-ághá, of two hundred houses, where Kássim Aghá gave a grand feast; five hours further on we reached the village of Korkoí, of three hundred houses, a mosque and gardens. The next day, when the tails were about to be carried forward, two Chaúshes arrived as messengers from Constantinople to Diárbekr, whom the Páshá arrested. On their being searched nothing was found but a Khattí-sheríf to the Páshá of Baghdád, Sáleh Páshá, removing him from his government and recalling him to Constantinople in order that he might be made Kápúdán Páshá. The same day the Páshá despatched his messenger Sáleh to Murteza Páshá, the brother of Sáleh Páshá, the governor of Baghdád, to acquaint him that couriers from the Porte were on the way with an invitation to Constantinople to which he should pay no attention, but beware of the snare laid for him, and join instead the party of Várvár Alí Páshá, who was marching to Constantinople. The Courier Sáleh received an hundred ducats to join Murteza Páshá with all speed; and on the fourth day the Khassekí and Chaúsh, who were the bearers of the Imperial rescript, were set at liberty and continued their route to Baghdád. The Páshá remained six days at Korkoí and moved on the seventh, when after five hours march we reached the old town of Merzifún.

_Description of Merzifún._

It was built by the Dánishmend family and conquered by Bayazíd I. It is now a castle in good condition and useful against rebels, in the sanjak of Amasia, belonging to Sivás, and is guarded by watchmen. The town is a wakf of Saint Pírdedeh and is commanded by the Kizlar Aghá. The judge, appointed with three hundred aspers, may annually collect from the different districts six purses. As it is an inland castle it has neither commander nor garrison. Its public officers are a Muftí, Nakíb, Serdár, Kiayayerí, Mohtessib and Naíb. We were here the guests of Diláwer Aghá, the Silihdár of Tabání Mohammed Páshá, who treated the Páshá and fourteen hundred men of his suite for ten days with the greatest hospitality: so that not even a bag for the horses nor a cup of coffee were provided for by the Páshás people. The officers were lodged in the town by billet (Yáfteh) and lived with their hosts in perfect harmony like fathers and sons; four thousand men of the troops were provided with lodgings in the neighbouring villages, the inhabitants of which, though Turks, are of a gentle and mild temper, and give freely of what they have. Every necessary for sustaining life is here found in abundance. The town is situated on the border of Mount Deshán and contains four thousand houses covered with brick, forty four quarters and seventy mosques, the oldest of which is that of Murad II., in the market-place; it is in the olden style with one mináreh, and is much visited.

The colleges are, that of Murad II., where lectures are held also on tradition, seventy schools for boys, and two dining rooms, one of which is at the convent of Pírdedeh. At an hour’s distance from the town is the Convent of Akásha, and in the towns are those of Abdul Kádir Jílání, and one of Khalvetís; the Kháns are in the market. On the left corner of the gate of the old khán is suspended the mace of a Pehliván.

_Description of the Baths._

The old bath, divided for men and women, was built by Mohammed I., and has more than seventy troughs or basins. Round it dwell the felt and safian makers, who tan blue, yellow and red safian. The walls of the bath are all lined with chalk mixed with musk and amber, the odour of which pervades the whole building and renders it so dry that neither on the walls nor on the windows does a drop of moisture collect. Being an old building, however, it is not light, but rather dark. The water is very warm and limpid.

_Praise of Pírdedeh._

When Murad II., the father of Mohammed II., was building a mosque and college here, the enemies of Pírdedeh calumniated him by saying, that he accompanied the women into the bath and foretold to them hidden things, which are forbidden in the Korán, such as whether they would lie in with a boy or girl. Murad II., angry at such scandalous behaviour, took his sword with the intention of performing a meritorious action by killing the accused. When he came to the bath and saw Pírdedeh walking about with an apron round his loins, he upbraided him for mingling with the women in the bath and rubbing them instead of letting it be done by the waiting women. Pírdedeh said, “My Prince, I do such service only to women who are pregnant with great Doctors and learned men, and therefore enter not the bath in the common way.” Thus saying, he entered through the stone wall which opened for him, and the place is yet shown where he passed through before the eyes of the Sultán. The Sultán then said, “I came hither Dedeh to kill you with this sword in a legal way.” “Such is not the act intended for you sword,” replied the Saint; “your sword is destined to conquer Smyrna, which Timúr was unable to subdue; but which has fallen into the hands of the Greeks. Go, therefore, and conquer Smyrna and eat this bread.” On saying this, he took up two pieces of marble lying before the bath, kneaded them like dough and presented them bread, one to Murad II., and the other to his son Mohammed II., foretelling the conquest of Smyrna to the first and that of Constantinople to the second. This prediction being fulfilled, twenty-six years afterwards Mohammed gave to his convent an endowment of three hundred and sixty-six villages, so that the whole town of Merzifún belongs to this foundation. Every year a Mutevellí (administrator) from the Kizlar Aghá, who is the Názir (inspector) accompanied by three hundred horsemen, comes to take possession of the village and distribute its revenues among the dervishes and other poor men. The two pieces of white marble bread are actually shown fixed into the wall, where the Saint passed through it. This bath is a place for miraculous cures, and is the counterpart of the bath built by Avicenna.

The houses of the town, adorned with Sháhneshíns (projecting windows) all look towards the kiblah. Its inhabitants are sound and healthy on account of the prevalence of easterly winds. In the summer the inhabitants repair to Mount Deshán for summer lodgings (Yaila). These alps were given of old, when the Dánishmend family came from Mohán in Khorassán, to the sons of Deshán and are now in possession of one of their descendants, who receives a duty for the pasture of many hundred thousand head of cattle. Some hundred rills and rivulets, flowing down from these heights, water all the fields and gardens of the town. The nature of the soil is such, that however copiously it may rain, the fields are not productive unless watered by the rills of Deshán; but then they become so fertile that the corn returns an hundred fold; for one kíle at least eighty. These rills are under the inspection of a particular Aghá, who regulates the distribution of them, for if such a magistrate were not appointed, the inhabitants of Merzifún would kill each other for the sake of the water. A part of the rills and sources of Mount Deshán flow in the direction of Koprí and water its fields and gardens; another into the district of Kaúza in the valley of Ládík; and another still to the northward to the valley of Osmánjik. The town of Merzifún stands on a hilly site backed by Mount Deshán. Amasia is fifteen hours on the kiblah-side of this town, Ládík twelve, Osmánjik sixteen, Gumish ten, and Kerkerán eight. On the northern border of Mount Deshán stands the castle of Koja Kala’assí, looking upon the town of Koprí. If you march from Merzifún along Mount Deshán for five hours to the northward you arrive at Koprí, and in three journeys further at Samssún, which is the harbour of Merzifún, it being nearer to it than Sinope.

_Products._

Must, pure as that of Aintáb, sweet raisins, and the white bread of Pírdedeh; six hundred shops almost all occupied by dyers, who dye a peculiar blue even finer than the Persians. Its cotton stuffs are exported in great quantities to Crimea and exchanged for prisoners; the ferrájes and dresses of the inhabitants of Crimea are made of the stuffs of Merzifún. Its spun cotton, shirts, blankets, cushions and other printed articles are also in good estimation.

_Pilgrimage to the Saints of Merzifún._

The first of all the Saints of this place is Sheikh Pírdedeh, who came with Hají Begtásh from Khorassán by permission of Koja Yessúí. He dwelled outside of Merzifún to the north on a hill, and spent his days in the baths as a Santon from the time of Orkhán to that of Mohammed II. His convent which is a larger building than even that of Koyún-bábá at Osmánjik, is provided with a kitchen and cellar (Kílár) and affords every night lodgings and food to two or three hundred travellers; two hundred dervishes of the order Begtáshí, barefoot and bareheaded, serve their guests who visit the tomb of the Saint, say a Yass in honor of the deceased and perfume their brains with the sweet odour of musk, which exhales from his tomb. So great a number of candlesticks, lamps, candelabra, vases for rose water and censers are not even to be seen at Imán Riza. His habit, carpet, banner, drum, crown, mace, sling and strap, the treasure of these dervishes, are preserved in boxes, and many thousand travellers both on land and sea have here suspended their slings and maces in eternal remembrance. I, poor Evliya, being a great friend of Dervishes, according to the Prophet’s tradition: “Poverty is my glory!” put with their permission the crown of Pírdedeh, which is a Turkish cap of felt, on my head; the whole convent meanwhile resounding with the cries of Allah and pious prayers. The building is entirely covered with lead. The second pilgrimage is that of Sheikh Abd-ur-rahím Ben Emír Merzifúní, who was the disciple of Zein-ud-dín Háfí at Brússa and composed the work, Wassayaí Kudsie (Mystic Admonitions). He accepted a living of eight aspers a day at the mosque of Sultán Mohammed I., at Merzifún, where he lived and died; his tomb is now a place generally visited. In his mystic poems he has taken the name of Rúmí, they are all in the style and cant of the Sofís. We remained ten days in this town to look at its curiosities. On the tenth day arrived Murád the Khassekí and Haúrúzjí the Chaúsh, who had been put into prison for four days by our gracious Lord, the Páshá, that his messenger, Sáleh, despatched before them to Murteza Páshá, might arrive first; but “Man proposes and God disposes;” Sáleh was struck by apoplexy at Nissibín and remained there, while the two messengers of the Porte, who started four days after him, arrived at Murteza Páshá’s lodging at Diarbekr, presented him first with the diploma of Captain Páshá, for which good news they received a sable pelisse and a purse of money each, and then attacked him suddenly and severed his head from his body. They now arrived at the Mehkemeh (Court of Justice) of Merzifún with the head in a box, which they there deposited, and then came into the presence of the Páshá, who was surrounded by all his men, their hands grasping the daggers in their belts. The Khassekí and Chaúsh trembled like leaves, kissed the threshold of the gate and after having sat down on their heels, the Páshá upbraided them saying, “Infidels, why have you killed this unfortunate Murteza Páshá? All your things and saddlecloths had been searched, and nothing was found but the diploma appointing Murteza, Kapúdán Páshá; where did you hide the order for his death? Pray, speak the truth.” They said, “Most fortunate Vezír we are servants who but do what we are ordered. The proverb says, ‘If there were not the Sultán’s words the executioner would not commit the deed.’ We hid the order for death in a leaden box, in the water-bottle, where it escaped the search. We reached Murteza Páshá before your messenger, who was struck by apoplexy, and after having prevailed on him to return from Baghdád to Diarbekr, we there opened the bottle, took out the firmán and executed it. The head is now at the Mehkemeh, and the command is yours; who should beware of your own head. Health to you!” The Páshá satisfied with the Khassekí’s answer gave him a purse of money, saying, “Now get you gone, or God may send you misfortune!” The Páshá was now troubled about his own fate, and began to collect Sárija and Segbán (irregular levies), wrote letters to Várvár Páshá and sent me to Koprilí Mohammed Páshá, who was then in the town of his birth (Koprí) and to Hassan Aghá who was at Kilis.

_Journey from Merzifún to Koprí._

We set out on the 10th Moharrem in a northerly direction along Mount Deshán, passed the village of Begorán and in six hours reached Koja Kala’a a small castle on a rock accessible but by one road and one gate. It was besieged at different times by the rebels Karayázijí, Saíd Arab and Kalender, but never was taken by them. It was however conquered by Bayazíd I., from the Dánishmend family and belongs now to the district of Koprí; the garrison consists of an hundred men, and it has a mosque, cistern, magazine for corn and seven or eight small guns, but no bath, khán or bezestán. The inhabitants make cans of fir-tree, which go by the name of bodúj, they also manufacture musical instruments called chekúr, tanbúr, rádha, karadozen, yúnghár, &c. In six hours more, after passing many villages on the border of Mount Deshán, we arrived at Koprí.

_Description of the old town and great bridge of Koprí._

We dismounted at the house of Yússúf Aghá, where we stopped as guests, and delivered our letters to Koprilí Mohammed Páshá and the other principal men, we then collected the Búlúk-bashís and ordered cryers to proclaim that all those who wished to have goods and slaves, and possessed breeches and a horse, were to come to us. After this we went to view the town. Koprí is a fortress in good condition on the border of Mount Deshán, in a tract intersected by hills and valleys at a place watered by two rivers. One of these is called Bogha-koí and flows past the bottom of the town; the other is at an hour’s distance, and is called Astavolúz. The town of Koprí is situated between them. At the time of their overflowing they inundate the whole plain of Koprí; the town derives its name Koprí (bridge) from the great wooden bridge by which the Astavolúz river is crossed. It is a wonderful work constructed of fir-trees. At an early period this town was called Shebender, the name for a bridge in the language of the Amalekites. The stone bridge, which was formerly here, broke down on the night of the birth of the Prophet, and was replaced by this wooden one. The two rivers which flow past the town of Koprí unite below it and fall into the great river Báfra. This town was first built by the Amalekites and was taken by Melek Ghází, the Prince of the Dánishmend family, from the Greek Emperors of Trebisonde. Bayazíd I. took the fortress, the abovesaid castle of Koja Kala’a, by capitulation. It now belongs to the government of Amasia, half of it being a ziámet and the other half a subáshílik subordinate to Tokát; the judge is appointed with three hundred aspers. Its districts contain no less than an hundred and forty villages with gardens, kháns, mosques covered with lead, and from three to four thousand houses all covered with bricks; the great borough Bogház-koí has three thousand houses; the other remarkable places of similar extent are Baghjeh-koí, Doyán-koí, Akdepeh-koí and Akoren-koí. From these hundred and forty villages and boroughs the judge annually collects seven thousand piastres. There is a Muftí, Nakíb, Serdár, Kiayayerí, Mohtessib and Naíb, but as it is an inland castle it has neither commander nor garrison. The rebels Kara Yazijí and Said Arab were natives of this town, but having been defeated at Erla they fled and became rebels. To secure this town against them a second castle of earth was built close to the stone castle, and the two have four gates, but the shops and markets are outside in the suburb.

The town of Koprí consists of six thousand houses covered with bricks of two stories, the lower story being built of stone and the upper of oak whitened with chalk; so that all the houses dazzle the eye by their brilliancy. The winter being severe they are all provided with chimneys, which lift their bonneted heads like white Minárehs. These chimneys looking like tall white columns give a good appearance to the town, which is all covered with red bricks. The principal building of stone in the castle is the Seraï of Elháj Yússúf Aghá built by Koprilí Mohammed Páshá; there are altogether seventy palaces, and twenty mihrábs, in eleven of which the khutbeh is performed. In the stone castle is the mosque of Hájí Yússúf Aghá, with a water basin, a jet d’eau, and a mináreh covered with lead. Of the convents the first is that of the great Sheikh, that of the Káderites, and of the Khalvetí, but there are none of the Mevleví. The people generally are friendly to Dervishes. There are eleven kháns, two imárets, and five colleges, because its lawyers, divines, medical men and students are numerous. The schools for boys are forty-eight, that of Hájí Yússúf is covered with lead and richly endowed. There are various baths, the best of which is the double one of Ahmed Páshá, a thousand shops, and a strong bezestán with four gates. Yússúf Aghá may be called the last builder of this town which he enriched by a great many endowments; the bezestán was also his building. The most elegant market-place is that of the tanners, who illuminate every night their shops with candles; there are also a great many dyers. Its gardens are in full cultivation and produce excellent fruits. The pears, grapes, cotton wares, wove and spun, and the blue linen are as famous as its rosy-cheeked beauties. The harbours of this town on the shores of the Black Sea are Báfra and Sinope, which are but a journey distant. At five hours distance is the strong castle of Ardoghán, which I am now about to describe.

The castle of Ardoghán is situated on a high hill, which is ascended by five hundred steps and therefore only accessible to men; it is a single rock like the fortress of Márdín. The highest point is a crooked rock, which seems to threaten ruin every moment. Melek Ghází, the conqueror of Nigissár, also conquered this town; and it was afterwards taken by Bayazíd I. It is commonly called Seddí Turkmán, the dyke of the Turcomans. The castle now contains an hundred and fifty houses, a cistern, mosque, and magazine for corn. Precious articles are kept within this castle and in that of Koja Kala’a on the border of mount Deshán. A Dizdár and forty-eight men do the duty. The castle is rendered safe by a drawbridge against the attacks of rebels. There is no market khán or bath. The district belongs to the jurisdiction of Koprí. Six hours westward is the station of Gol, a village in the district of Zeitún, with a mosque, a khán, and a bath. Six hours further, the village of Súrúk in the jurisdiction of Zeitún; and after a march of six hours along the Yaila of Kondúz we arrived at Zeitún, a large place in the territory of Amasia of two thousand houses with kháns, mosques, baths, schools and numerous gardens. Six hours further is the large place (Kassaba) Karghú, belonging to the sanjak of Kanghrí, of six hundred houses with gardens, a mosque, khán, and bath. Six hours further, the town of Túsia which has already been described. We remained here one day and returned again to Merzifún. The third day I arrived at Koprí, where I found every thing in the greatest confusion and the whole town in an uproar, because Koprilí Mohammed Páshá had received orders from the Porte to march against the rebels. From hence I went in six hours towards the kiblah to the village of Begoran on the border of mount Deshán, which we had passed in coming but did not stop at. In another six hours we again reached Merzifún and met Defterdár-zádeh Mohammed Páshá, my gracious Lord, to whom I brought two hundred men, Sáríja. He was overjoyed at this and instantly formed them into two companies (Bolúk), giving them the names of the company of Evliya Guzerlí and Habíb; and in addition to twenty-four other companies of irregular levies, they made together twenty-six hundred men. I remained ten days longer at Merzifún employing my time in collecting men, and on the 27th of Moharrem left it for the farm of Murteza Páshá, which I reached in six hours.

This is a very productive farm (Chiftlik) situated in the plain of Merzifún. As snow was falling here we suffered much from the cold and in three hours, after many difficulties, reached Kúlák Hájí Koí, a village of two hundred houses with a ruined khán and a mosque. The inhabitants had all fled and there remained not even a cock in the village. The troops were dying of hunger, and during the night so heavy a storm blew that the snow was five spans deep in the morning. When the trumpets of departure sounded we moved on, though every one cursed the march, and struggling with difficulty against the gale and snow reached the straight called Diriklipúl, where the distress was very great owing to the fury of the gale, the quantity of snow, the uncertainty of the road and the want of provisions. The Páshá distributed money and encouraged some of the bravest to go in search of the road, through the midst of the snow, which they passed over in shoes made of horse-hair. This sort of shoe is called Páchila, and is used in Turkistán and Persia when snow has fallen to any depth. It consists of a circle like a sieve, the inside of which is fashioned into a shoe made of horse-hair; this they put on their feet to walk over the snow. The circle round the shoe is to give a greater surface to the foot in order to prevent it from sinking into the snow. Provided with such shoes the troops entered the straight, but were in the greatest distress, for some were lost notwithstanding these Páchila. Mules, camels and horses were stumbling one over the other and cries and lamentations pierced the air. The Sárija and Segbáns, so many Calibáns (Kaltiban) were the first who fled. In short it was impossible to pass the straight of Diriklipúl and therefore we were obliged to repair with the rest of the troops and the heavy baggage of the Pásha to Gumish Kala’a (Silver Castle), which we reached after a six hour’s march. We remained here three days till the falling of the snow had ceased. All those who hastened to the fire lost their sight for some time, and those only who did not approach it, but endured the cold, retained the use of their eyes. Seventeen men lost either a leg or a hand or a foot by the excessive cold, and the leg or hand being cut off, the stumps were dipped into boiling resin, so that their cries pierced the air.

_Description of the town of Gumish._

It was built by the Byzantine Emperors and was conquered by Melek Ghází of the Dánishmend family. When Bayazíd I. marched to the conquest of Amasia the inhabitants of Gumish met him, and presented him with some silver vases and the keys of the castle. The inhabitants are therefore free of all duties, but it is incumbent upon them to work the silver mines. The inspectorship is held by lease, and furnishes annually to the Porte seventy quintals of pure silver, and one thousand pair of horse-cloths. In the Ottoman Empire there are no less than seventy silver mines, but this affords the purest silver; the goldsmith alloy an hundred drachms of this pure silver with ten of copper, and yet it is a good white silver, which receives the Imperial stamp. There are seven veins underground, which increase from day to day. The inhabitants of the town are all employed in the mines, and their commander is the inspector of the silver mines. The judge, appointed with an hundred and fifty aspers, may collect seven purses a year. The castle of this town situated on a hill is in a ruined state and has no accommodation at all within; being an inland castle it has neither a garrison nor commander. There is a Serdár and a Kiaya-yerí of the Janissaries, and the town consists of a thousand houses covered with planks, eleven mosques, of which that in the market-place is the most frequented, but no hospital, the salubrity of the air rendering one superfluous. Its products are the purest silver and horse-cloths and bags, which the Imperial stables and those of the principal men of Constantinople are furnished with from hence. The gardens produce good grapes. In the town are heaped up mounds of earth taken from the mines. We remained here three days on account of the heavy gales, and then advanced five hours to the south, suffering from the snow, to Dankaza-koí, a village of an hundred houses belonging to the jurisdiction of Gumish in the territory of Amasia. Near the farm of Kosseh Sha’abán Páshá is the Pilgrimage of Bardáklí-bábá and Akche-bábá, who are both buried here. The first gained his living by making cans (Bardák) for which the village is still famous. We visited the tomb of Bardáklí-bábá; after holding a council we approached, amidst a thousand difficulties, the high mountain of Kirk Dilim, which was passed with much suffering and the loss of many stragglers who returned to Dánkaza. Alí Aghá, the Kiaya of the Páshá, encouraged some brave lads, who had not yet lost their hands and feet, to wrap up the feet of the horses and mules by tearing up many carpets and coverlets, and in this way passed them over the snowy mountain of Kirk Dilim; but the heavy baggage, the munition, cellar, kitchen, and artillery were all left in the snow. The Kiaya of the Páshá again distributing money, the bags and casks were dragged up and rolled over the snow. This night was passed in a woody valley without the means of getting on, and seventy men, who had lost their hands and feet, remained behind. The next morning we continued our way amidst snow and storms through the straight of Kirk Dilim, and arrived after eight hours painful march at a village, the name of which has escaped my memory, whose inhabitants had all fled upon the news of our arrival. Men and horses during the night were nearly dying of hunger, and there was such a gale and heavy storm of snow that in the morning it was five spans in depth. On the signal of departure being given the Kullákjí, conductors (Sarbán), and tent-pitchers (Mehter) assembled before the Páshá’s tent and declared they were unable to stir. Ten piastres were promised to the men, but they answered, “Health first, then wealth.” The Páshá said, “My children, how is it possible to remain in this place, where there is not a grain of provisions?” In short the Kullákjí (leaders) could not be induced to move on until they had received a present of fifteen purses from the Páshá. There was, however, such a storm of wind, hail and snow that the horses danced like Dervishes Mevleví, and the camels like Lúlús (Tatar robbers). The unhappy leaders of them put their hands in their bosoms and uttered a piteous cry. Praise be to God! we now entered a forest and were a little sheltered against the wind and snow, and after a march of five hours arrived at the great village of Bardákjí, in the jurisdiction of Gumish, consisting of an hundred houses. From hence continuing our march to the south we arrived in four hours at the station of Kirk Dilim, a place of two hundred Mussulmen houses in the sanjak of Chorún. Here both men and horses rested till the following day, when the weather clearing up we proceeded through cultivated villages to the town of Chorúm, said to have been built (God knows if truly) by Kilij Arslán, the Prince of the Seljúk family, who sent his son Yakúb Mirza and some hundred sick men to this town, where being cured, it received in consequence the name of Chorúm. From the hands of the Seljúkides it passed into those of the Dánishmend family from whom it was taken by Ilderím; it is now the seat of a Sanjak Beg in the government of Sívás. His khass is three hundred thousand aspers, nineteen ziámets, and thirty-one timárs. There is a Colonel (Alaí-beg) a Captain (Cherí-báshí) a judge appointed with an hundred and fifty aspers, and receiving from its districts annually five purses, a Muftí, Nakíb, Serdár, Kiaya-yerí, Mohtessib, Súbáshí, Inspector of the hall (Kapán Emíní) and Náíb of the town. The military officers are in great favour because the troops are numerous and there are a great number of bad men. Lodgings were positively refused to our Páshá; but mediators were employed and documents were made out at the Mehkemeh (Court of Justice), so that they were prevailed upon to give us lodgings, but only for the space of three days. The town consists of forty-two quarters in which are forty-two mosques, four thousand three hundred houses covered with bricks and surrounded with gardens; nine mosques where the Friday prayer is performed, of which that of Sultán Murad is the best, it had but one minareh which was throw down by Ilderím Bayazíd. The mosque of Sultán Ala-ud-dín was repaired under Sultán Súleimán by the architect Sinán; as it is situated in the market-place it is much frequented. That of Murad covered with lead is the finest. The new bath is a foundation belonging to the bath of Alí Páshá at Tokát; in the palaces are many other baths. Of the colleges, of which there are seven, that of Murad is the most frequented; there are eleven schools for boys, seven kháns and eighteen fountains, the water by which they are supplied was conducted hither by Sultán Súleimán, in honour of the martyrs of Kerbela (who died of thirst). The convents of Dervishes are three, but no house for reading the korán or for tradition exists. The shops are three hundred, in which all the necessaries of life are to be found, although this is a town of Turkistán. The temperature of the climate gives red cheeks and good proportions to the inhabitants, who almost all wear cloth. The fair sex and the winter are both renowned. The Castle on the kiblah side of the town has only been built for protection against riots and rebellion. It has an iron gate, a commander and garrison. God knows! but it seems to have been built since the Islám, because there is no trace of any building of the time of the infidels.

On the day we came here the late chief barber of the Sultán arrived in the quality of Kapijí-báshí accompanied by forty other chamberlains, saying, that he was the bearer of the diploma of the government of Diárbekr. The Páshá surrounded himself with all his guards, Sárija, Segbán, Gonullí (volunteers) three hundred pages and all the Levends. The forty kapijís entered trembling and the Páshá having asked, where the diploma was they had boasted of, was assailed all at once by them, but before they were able to do any harm to him, they were all disarmed and bound by his guards and soldiers. The Segbán and Sárija called for the executioners and were going to cut off their heads, when the principal men of the town kissed the earth before the Páshá, and begged the lives of these kapijí-báshís, who were, they said, only servants executing their master’s commands and therefore should be spared. The Páshá yielding to their prayers set them at liberty, instead of thrashing them to death as he ought to have done. Being liberated they went to the Mehkemeh, called the Sanjak Beg, read the firmán and demanded in consequence that the troops should be driven out of the town. The inhabitants remonstrated against it, showing that they might all be in danger of being cut to pieces and their houses burned down, if they were to undertake the least thing against the troops. The Páshá being made acquainted in time of what was going on, sent word to the kapijís immediately to quit the place if they wished to escape in safety. Thus they were all driven out of the town. The next day a messenger was despatched to Várvár Alí Páshá to acquaint him with what had happened. The inhabitants finding that our Páshá was a goodnatured and righteous Vezír gave him the salutary advice not to march to Constantinople, but always to remain at one or two journeys distance from Várvár Alí Páshá, and to take his station, until the snow should melt and the weather clear up, at Tokát or Kázova. The Páshá approving of their advice, visited the tomb of Sheikh Olván Chelebí, the son of Ashik Páshá, and proceeded to Tokát. In this plain we remained ten days, during which the Páshá received letters from Várvár Alí Páshá, exhorting him to be on his guard, and, as the spring was now approaching and the weather clearing up, to collect as many troops as he could for the march to Constantinople. The Páshá made as though he were going to Angora, and on the eleventh day we arrived in the plain of Chorúm at the convent of Sídim Sultán, a convent of bareheaded and barefooted Begtáshí, where the Páshá was lodged and splendidly feasted. The village of Kara Kechelí of two hundred houses in the territory of Chorúm is an hour’s distance from the red river. Here the snow beginning to fall and the wind to blow, the Sárija and Segbán drove the families out of their houses, threw the cradles with the children in them on to the snow, dug out the gates and thresholds to bring their horses into the rooms to the fire, and committed the same excesses, that they did at Gumish and Dánkaza, and which exceeded even the tyranny of Yessúf Hejáj. The next day we left Kara Kechelí and instead of passing over the bridge of Cháshnegír on the red river, proceeded to the passage of Kara Yechíd; which was indeed a bad measure, because the passage is a cruel one. It had ceased snowing but was so piercingly cold that the men and horses trembled like leaves; nevertheless the orders for the passage were given. It commenced with the tent-camels, the kitchen, stable and other heavy baggage of the Páshá’s led by twenty able pilots. Two hundred strings of camels and one hundred of mules belonging to the Páshá, as well as mine and the Kiaya’s passed over, and, went with all this heavy luggage to Kúrdseraí, but myself and the Kiaya remained on this side of the river waiting to see the passage of the baggage of all the Aghás. In the morning their heavy things arrived along with the treasure-camels of the Páshá, but at the moment the pilots had entered the river with them, there arose such a storm of hail and snow, of thunder and of lightning, that the strings of mules and camels were broken, numbers of them upset in the middle of the river, and a great many lost. Great masses of ice, the shape of mill-wheels, now began to float down the river and blocked the shores at the bridge of Cháshnegír. In the midst of the confusion which took place on both shores of the river, the Páshá arrived with his music sounding. He distributed large sums of money amongst the inhabitants of Kúrdseraí, who rescued the men and animals, while the troops on both sides of the river were running about crying and lamenting. Some brave fellows swam amongst the drifting shoals, but others were submerged, and camels, mules, horses and men, were floating about in confusion and dismay; some of whom were drowned and some saved. Some Kurds and Turcomans swam into the midst of the ice and rescued many camels, mules and horses, but as those who had crossed had left their clothes on this side the river, it so happened that a great number perished from cold. Of all the baggage, only that which had passed over before the ice began to drift was saved, the rest was lost. An hundred and sixty men, more than a thousand horses and mules were drowned, but only a small number of camels. The drowned men were for the most part Kulenkjí, Sárija and Segbán; some going to paradise and others to hell: the latter were at least delivered from the hell of winter. This horrible discomfiture lasted only from the morning till afternoon, when the drifting of the ice and the storm suddenly ceased, so that the Tatars, Delís, and Gonillás, who had waited till then, crossed over without the least difficulty. Witnessing these misfortunes I reflected on the cruel conduct of those troops, who had behaved in so barbarous a manner in the passage at Chardáklí-púlí, and now at Kúrd-dereh: burning down the houses, throwing infants on the snow and wounding men and women with battle-axes. The inhabitants of the villages came crying and lamenting to the Páshá,; but what was to be done with this crowd of Sárija and Segbán, of whom the Páshá stood in need and whose excesses therefore he was obliged to tolerate. I, poor Evliya, whilst witnessing those scenes, shivered at the thought of the vengeance which God would send one day on those cruel troops.

_Praise of Sheikh Bárdáklí-bábá._

Near the above mentioned place is the pilgrimage of a Saint called Bárdáklí-bábá, a disciple of Sheikh Hájí Bairám. He obtained his living by making cans, which afforded a continual supply of water for the ablutions of his disciples. His can is suspended from his tomb and therefore he is called Bárdáklí-bábá, the father of cans or tankards. With the leave of the tomb-keeper, I took down the suspended can to perform my ablutions and found it full of clear water, though covered with the dust of forty years. The Páshá’s Imám and some others of his suite were astonished at this extraordinary sight, they asked the keeper if he would swear the can had not been recently filled with water. He swore that it had not been touched for forty years until I, poor Evliya, had taken it down to perform my ablutions. The Imám and the others said, “Well then Evliya hang it up again,” but I being determined to carry my point would not until I had performed the ablution in the legal way. The Imám and four other persons then did the same, but the water was not diminished in the least to our great astonishment. We again hung up the can, which was of a reddish colour, and on its side was written the verse of the Súra Ra’ad, “He sent water from heaven,” the number 66626, three Ks, two Js and one M, the figure of a glass and of a can. I now began to recite the Korán according to the intention of the Saint, with whom I made spiritual acquaintance, remarking the Prophet’s tradition, “If you are perplexed in your affairs look for assistance from the Inhabitants of the tombs.” The mirror of my heart was polishing and rubbing off the rust of sadness, when a woman walked in, who threw the body of a dead child and herself on the threshold of the tomb, crying and lamenting that her child had been killed by the troops, who had cast it on the snow, and calling down divine vengeance upon them, through the aid of the Prophet and the Saints. She was followed by a great number of injured men, who united their prayers and imprecations with hers. I trembled at hearing them, and drawing near with a friendly face, kissing their hands and cheeks, I said to them, “People of Mohammed, I also belong to the troops of the Páshá, who, God knows, does not approve of their excesses; but he has been forced to collect them in order to save his own head, which is endangered by the Grand Vezír, Ahmed Páshá, on whom must be laid the fault of all this.” An old man gave me some comfort by saying, that I was not included in this imprecation, which was to fall only on the troops; and a good deal of it was realized at the above described passage of the river, where so many lost their lives and goods, while I, poor Evliya, God be thanked for it! passed over safely to the opposite side.