It was in the time of his illustrious reign, in the year A.H. 1041 (A.D. 1631), that by making excursions on foot in the villages and gardens near Islámbúl (Constantinople), I began to think of extensive travels, and to escape from the power of my father, mother, and brethren. Forming a design of travelling over the whole earth, I entreated God to give me health for my body and faith for my soul; I sought the conversation of dervíshes, and when I had heard a description of the seven climates and of the four quarters of the earth, I became still more anxious to see the world, to visit the Holy Land, Cairo, Damascus, Mecca and Medina, and to prostrate myself on the purified soil of the places where the prophet, the glory of all creatures, was born, and died. I, a poor, destitute traveller, but a friend of mankind, Evliyà, son of the dervísh Mohammed, being continually engaged in prayer and petitions for divine guidance, meditating upon the holy chapters and mighty verses of the Korán, and looking out for assistance from above, was blessed in the night _’Ashúrá_, in the month of _Moharrem_, while sleeping in my father’s house at Islámbúl, with the following vision: I dreamt that I was in the mosque of Akhí chelebí, near the Yemish iskeleh-sí (fruit-stairs or scale), a mosque built with money lawfully gotten, from which prayers therefore ascend to heaven. The gates were thrown open at once, and the mosque filled with a brilliant crowd who were saying the morning prayers. I was concealed behind the pulpit, and was lost in astonishment on beholding that brilliant assembly. I looked on my neighbour, and said, “May I ask, my lord, who you are, and what is your illustrious name?” He answered, “I am one of the ten evangelists, Sa’d Vakkás, the patron of archers.” I kissed his hands, and asked further: “Who are the refulgent multitude on my right hand?” He said, “They are all blessed saints and pure spirits, the spirits of the followers of the Prophet, the Muhájirín, who followed him in his flight from Mecca, and the Ansárí who assisted him on his arrival at Medína, the companions of Saffah and the martyrs of Kerbelá. On the right of the _mihráb_ (altar) stand Abú Bekr and ’Omar, and on the left ’Osmán and ’Ali; before it stands Veis; and close to the left wall of the mosque, the first Muezzin, Belál the Habeshí. The man who regulates and ranks the whole assembly is Amru. Observe the host in red garments now advancing with a standard; that is the host of martyrs who fell in the holy wars, with the hero Hamzah at their head.” Thus did he point out to me the different companies of that blessed assembly, and each time I looked on one of them, I laid my hand on my breast, and felt my soul refreshed by the sight. “My lord,” said I, “what is the reason of the appearance of this assembly in this mosque?” He answered, “The faithful Tátárs being in great danger at Azák (Azof), we are marching to their assistance. The Prophet himself, with his two grandsons Hasan