Koran to: “God does what he wills and orders what he likes.” I asked the father whether the mother of this monstrous child was still alive, he said “Yes, and that she was actually again with child.” I said, “Bandage her body tightly, that she may miscarry, for if the head of the child should grow to the size of its brother’s, its entrance into the world might cause an inconvenient enlargement.” The father said, “You are joking, but I assure you most earnestly, that when the mother of this boy laid in with him, the birth was so easy that she was aware of nothing at all and thanked God for such an easy deliverance.” I, poor Evliyá, said, “But never has there been created a creature with such a head, such a face and such teeth; do you believe it to be the real produce of your loins?” The man answered, “Having once gone to the mountain with my wife to cut wood, we there enjoyed a shepherd’s hour in most pleasant conversation. I then left her reposing under a tree, and went on my business, when I suddenly heard her cries, and saw her running towards me pursued by a naked giant, tall as the fir-trees. When she got home she fell sick, and her figure increased in size daily, until at the end of a year’s time she was delivered of this boy, whose head grows bigger and bigger every day.” I said, “If it please God, that it should still grow to a larger size, you must come to Constantinople, where if shown to the Vezirs and great men of the Empire he may easily gain two thousand piastres in a year.” _Praise of the Alum, called Solomon’s Alum._ This is a reddish alum produced in the mountains of this town, which is therefore called Shábín Kara-hissár; it is much sought after by the goldsmiths of all countries. The Inspectorship is let at seven hundred thousand aspers a year. It breaks up into pentagon and sexagon stones shaped like the seal of Solomon; the goldsmiths use it to brighten the silver, and the surgeons for plasters. It has many excellent qualities. The temperature of this town being mild the inhabitants are fair. Its quinces and a kind of small bread are famous. We remained here three days as guests in the palace of Tapán Ahmed Aghá, purchased coffee, horse-shoes and some other necessary things and then returned.