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
Gonia now became the meeting-place of the whole army summoned by
the governor of Erzerúm; forty or fifty boats of Láz Mengesile, who
descended the river of Jorúgh, took to flight as soon as they were
aware, that the castle was again in the hands of the Moslims, and that
an Ottoman army was encamped along the shore of the river. They were
pursued by Sídí Ghází Páshá, who captured forty-seven boats, made three
hundred Mingrelians prisoners, and drowned about six hundred in the
river. This expedition was thus crowned with three victories: 1. The
conquest of the boats; 2. that of the castle; 3. the conquest of the
Mingrelian boats, which had arrived to the assistance of the Cossacks
with provisions. Sídí Ahmed Páshá distributed those provisions amongst
the Moslim victors, so that plenty now prevailed in the Ottoman camp.
The night was again passed with illuminations and feasting; the
shouts of Allah, and the sounds of the Ottoman drum interrupting the
silence of the night. The next day clouds of dust rising on the side
of the Jorúgh announced the arrival of a new army, whose glittering
armour dazzled the eyes; it was that of Koja Sefer Páshá, the Vezír of
Chaldir, who summoned by the command of our Lord the Páshá of Erzerúm,
arrived with the Georgian army in great speed to the assistance of the
Castle of Gonia; Sídí Ahmed Páshá went with the other Páshás to meet
them, and it was a grand sight to see these troops on fine horses,
well armed with spears, swords, shields, and muskets, with flying hair
and strange figures. When Sefer Páshá himself came with the train of
his guards (Matarají, Tufenkjí, and Shátir), he received Sídí Páshá’s
salute, and then rode on his right, Báki Páshá keeping on the left.
When they approached the castle a general salute of guns and musketry
gave them welcome. Provisions now arrived in abundance at the Imperial
camp from Georgia, Mingrelia, Láz, and Batúm. Next day fresh troops
appeared to the south of Gonia, it was the Páshá of Trebisonde, who
came with three thousand good troops; in seventy boats (sandal) and
a hundred ships of the Lázes, called Mengesila, he carried plenty
of provisions, and ten guns. Sídí Ahmed Páshá being acquainted with
his arrival neither went himself to meet him, nor sent any troops to
perform that ceremony. He halted with his troops on one side of the
castle. Having waited on Sídí Ahmed Páshá he received him without the
least honour, but with the following speech.
“I am the Páshá of Tortúm, which is from four to five journeys distant
from Gonia, and it was not my duty to hasten to its assistance; but I
did it for the sake of the faith and the Empire. You, Páshá, who are
the Governor of Trebisonde, and Begler-beg of two tails, and at only
two journies from Gonia, why did you not arrive till within these seven
days to its assistance. Quick, executioner!”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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