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
Timúr besieged this fortress with an innumerable army for the space
of seven months, and was obliged to retire in confusion. Though it is
situated in the midst of the province, yet a commander (Dizdár) and
a garrison is appointed, lest rebels should gain possession of it.
The lower castle is built on the banks of the river Túzánlí, a small
castle, whose circumference is not known to me. It has three gates, the
first opens towards the Kiblah, Karánlik Kapú; the second Ma’adenos
Kapú, looks in the same direction; and the third, Meidán Kapú, to the
west; from whence a great bridge leads to Gok-medresse, on the opposite
side of the town. The gate Serkíz leads over a wooden bridge to the
mosque of Gháríblar. The number of mosques, palaces, and houses are
six hundred. The river Túzánlí, which passes through the town, issues
from the mountains of the same name above Tokát, passes by Eskí,
Aine-bazár, Kargol, the castle of Túrhál, Chengellí-bíl, Sárikúsún, the
bridge of Davíkaví, Chapán, through the pass of Ferhád to Amasia, where
it joins the river Chekerek, opposite the great stone bridge. This
river springs from the lake of Ladek, comes from Súliova, and joins
the Tuzánlí near Amasia as aforesaid. It is vulgarly called Yava; the
proverb, “Tokát defiles it, Amasia drinks it,” is applied to it because
it flows from Tokát to Amasia. After it has passed Amasia it is called
Chehár Shenbesú (Wednesday’s water), and after irrigating many fields,
it disembogues in the Black Sea, on the western side of Samsún. Below
the village Chehár Shenbeh it is joined by several springs, and below
Nígissár, in the province of Sivás, it receives the river Kerkúk; thus
it reaches Samsún, after having increased its stream by those of seven
other rivers. The town of Amasia is built on both sides of this river,
and on the hills and mountains bordering on it. A bridge worth seeing,
the work of Sultán Bayazíd, crosses it. This river comes to Amasia from
the south, running northward, and turning many mills and water-wheels;
which at Amasia are not less to be praised than those of Hama and
Adana. Amasia is divided into forty-eight quarters of Moslíms, and
five of Christians; there are altogether five thousand houses, besides
palaces.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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