The History of the Maritime Wars of the Turks. Chapters I. to IV.Kâtip Çelebi
History
The History of the Maritime Wars of the Turks. Chapters I. to IV.
Kâtip Çelebi
Turkey -- History -- 1453-1683; Turkey -- History, Naval
Whilst Torghudjeh was a capudan of the volunteers, he was on one
occasion lying in a harbour called Kantar, in the island of Jarba,
where he intended to oil his ships, amounting to eighteen, when
Jeghaleh, a Venetian commander, came down upon him with a hundred and
fifty vessels, blocked up the entrance to the harbour, threw overboard
their ballast, and sat down to enjoy themselves; conceiving, that when
Torghudjeh had exhausted his stock of provisions, they could take him
and his ships without any effort. They even wrote to Genoa, saying
they had secured the pirate Torghudjeh and his ships; and several of
their gentlemen fitted out a vessel, and with the intention of taking
a voyage of pleasure, sailed towards Jarba. Torghudjeh, on his part,
trusted in God, by whose providence there was in the neighbourhood a
small river, navigable by boats, which
emptied itself into the sea. He therefore set his men to work, and cut
a canal two miles in length, by which he conveyed his vessels to sea.
He left a tent which he had pitched on the shore, and the infidels
supposed he was safe in it. He then proceeded to a place about sixty
miles distant, where he completed the oiling of his vessels, and again
put out to sea. On his way he met the gentlemen on their voyage of
pleasure, and took them prisoners. When the infidels found out that
Torghudjeh had made his escape, thinking he had carried his ships
overland, they were confounded, and declared that he must be a magician.
CAPTURE OF INFIDEL VESSELS.
Torghudjeh now became the drawn sword of Islamism, and a brave and
famous corsair. He frequently attacked the infidels ships, and
destroyed their barges. He once met, at Mania, two barges, laden with
corn from Salonica, bound to Venice, which he seized, showing no
quarter to those on board. But his feats of this sort are numerous.
THE VISIT OF TORGHUDJEH TO MOGHREB, AND THE INVITATION TO HIM FROM THE
EMPEROR.
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