Narrative of Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the Seventeenth Century, Vol. IIEvliya Çelebi
History
Narrative of Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the Seventeenth Century, Vol. II
Evliya Çelebi
Caucasus, South -- Description and travel; Istanbul (Turkey) -- Description and travel; Turkey -- History
The mildness of the air contributes to
the beauty of the inhabitants. The women wear Ferrájís and large
head-dresses, they are very decent and modest ladies. There are a
great number of gardens and vineyards. Of its eatables and products
the cherries are the most renowned. The water-cans of fir-tree refresh
those who drink out of them like the living spring; these cans are
called Akasik and Podúch. The inhabitants for the most part are
merchants. The surrounding forests being composed of fir-trees, the
inhabitants live by cutting and making planks of them, which are much
esteemed at Constantinople. Two journies to the west from this place is
the landing-place of Akcheshár; those of Ereglí, Bartín, and Hissárogí,
also belong to the sanjak of Bolí. The hotbath lies to the south,
on the outside of the town; amidst the gardens is a small hotbath,
extremely hot and particularly useful against the itch. It purifies
the stomach and cleanses the body. People of all degrees flock to this
hotbath on waggons.
_Places of Pilgrimage at Bolí._
The convent of Yúzghád Baba near the hotbath. We marched twelve
hours to the east, through cultivated villages to Kerde, the seat of
a Súbashí subordinate to Bolí; a judge with one hundred and fifty
aspers. The town consists of a thousand wooden and brick-built houses
in a large valley, nine quarters, and eleven mosques, besides the
Mesjíds; three convents, three kháns, two hundred shops, and seven
coffee-houses. The knife-cutlers and tanners of Kerde are renowned for
the knives and Safien of this place. The air is pleasant, and the
inhabitants healthy; they are mostly students eager for information
(Súkhte Thalebí). It is a common saying that Kerde is famous for its
thieves, its tanners, and its winter, which is compared to that of
Erzerúm; the inhabitants are a set of lively stout Turks. At the four
points of the compass, and particularly on the south towards Kánghrí,
are cultivated districts inhabited by forty or fifty thousand Turks.
The names of the districts are, Kizíl-úzú, Alaja-úzú, Aleh-diván,
Bir-diván, Ikí-diván, Uch-diván, and so on to seven Diváns, all in the
mountains. The name of Diván given to these districts originated in
the time of Ertoghrúl, who, being named Beg by Ala-ud-dín the Prince
of the Seljúk family, granted to the Infidels, whose districts he
conquered, the privilege of kettle-drums. The name is thus preserved in
seven districts, whose inhabitants are a rebellious people, speaking a
peculiar language of their own.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account