In the close of their Summer-Falls, I once saw a great many of them go into a Tavern over-against my Lodging, (where Ice from Mount _Olympus_ in _Asia_ was always to be sold) and there they ask’d for Icy water, which they drank jetting strangely backwards; for the _Turks_ count it profane either to Eat, Drink or Piss in a standing posture, unless in case of Necessity; but they do it bending their Bodies, as Women do with us when they make Water. And whereas in the dusk of the Evening I could not well discern the meaning of that Posture, I was told that most of them drank a draught of cold Water, to make way for their Meat, for otherwise it would stick to their Jaws and they could not swallow it; and, besides, this moisture of their Palate did quicken their Appetites. In their Diet they are not choice, and after their Fasts they may eat any Meat which was lawful for them to do at other Times. If they fall sick, they omit their Fasts, but with this condition, that when they recover they must fast so many Days over, as they neglected before. But when they are near an Enemy, and ready to fight, lest Fasting should weaken their Bodies, they are allowed to eat; and if a blind Superstition restrains some of them, then their Emperor, at Noon, in the sight of his whole Army eats his Dinner, and by his Example they are all encouraged to do the same. They use Wine at no time of the Year, they count it profane and irreligious so to do; especially, they abhor it on their Fasts; then no Man is so much as to smell to it, much less to taste it. I often ask’d, why _Mahomet_ was so strict, as to forbid his Followers the use of Wine? In answer to my demand, they told me this Story, that _Mahomet_ making a Journey to his Friend, at Noon entred into a House where there was a Marriage-Feast, and setting down with the Guests, he observed them to be very merry and jovial, kissing and embracing one another, which was attributed to the chearfulness of their Spirits raised by the Wine; so that he blessed the sacred Juice, as being an Inspirer of much Love amongst Men: But returning to the same House the next Day, he beheld another face of Things; as Gore-blood on the ground, a Hand cut off, an Arm, Foot, and other Limbs dismember’d; and these, he was told, were the effects of the Brawls and Fightings occasioned by the Wine, which made them mad, and destroy one another: Whereupon he changed his Mind, turning his former _Blessing_ into a _Curse_, and forbidding it, as an Abomination, to all his Disciples for ever. For this Reason all was quiet in the Camp, and the greatest Composure imaginable, especially at their Feast-time: So much did Camp-Discipline, and a Strictness received from their Ancestors prevail upon them!