aspect was now given to the capital, and old and young rejoiced in the auspicious event. On the following day Sultán Murád repaired to the mosque of Ayiúb, where two swords were girded on him; one being that of Sultán Selím, and the other that of the blessed Prophet (on whom be the peace of God!): no monarch was ever girt in this manner. On his return he entered by the Adrianople gate, and in passing he saluted the people who had assembled in crowds on his right and left, and received him with loud acclamations. He then proceeded to the seráï, in the inner apartment of which he saluted the Khirka-sheríf, or cloak of the Prophet; placed on his head the turban of Yúsúf or Joseph, (on whom be peace!) which had been brought to Islámbol from the treasure of the Egyptian Sultán Ghúrí; he then offered up a prayer of two inclinations, in which he prayed that he might be acceptable to God and the people, and be enabled to perform important services to religion and to the state. Though young in years (being only four years), he was remarkable for prudence and intelligence. The Khás-oda-báshí (master of the inner chamber), the Khazíneh-dár-báshí (chief treasurer), the Khazíneh Kátibí (secretary of the treasury), and the Khazíneh Kehiyásí (deputy of the treasurer) now approached his presence, and invited him, as is usual on such occasions, to visit the treasury. Dervísh Mohammed Zelellí, the father of the humble author, happening to be present at the time, entered the treasury with them. There were no golden vessels to be seen, and besides a quantity of lumber, there were found only six purses of money (30,000 piastres), a bag of coral, and a chest of china-ware. On seeing this, Sultán Murád filled the empty treasury with his tears, and having made two prostrations in prayer, he said “Inshallah, please God! I will replenish this treasury with the property of those who have spoiled it, and establish fifty treasuries in addition.” He contrived, however, the same day to raise 3,040 purses for the usual largess, which was distributed amongst the troops notwithstanding their oath not to accept of it. That same night Sultán Murád had a dream, in which he saw Omar, who girt a sword about him, and unsheathing it, put it into his hand, and said: “Fear not Murád!” On awakening from his sleep, he banished his uncle Sultán Mustafá to Eskí Seráï, telling him at the same time to pray for his (Murád’s) prosperity. Sultán Murád made many excursions in disguise throughout the city, accompanied by Melek Ahmed Aghá his sword-bearer, and Vujúd the Bostánjí Báshí, on which occasions many riotous persons and robbers were executed and their heads stuck upon poles. Murád was the most bloody of the Ottoman Sultáns. He prohibited all the coffee, wine, and búza-houses, and every day some hundreds of men were executed for transgressing this order.