Travels into Turkey: Containing the most accurate account of the Turks, and neighbouring nations, their manners, customs, religion, superstition, policy, riches, coins, &c. — John Shaqi
Travels into Turkey: Containing the most accurate account of the Turks, and neighbouring nations, their manners, customs, religion, superstition, policy, riches, coins, &c.Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain de
History
Travels into Turkey: Containing the most accurate account of the Turks, and neighbouring nations, their manners, customs, religion, superstition, policy, riches, coins, &c.
Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain de
Turkey -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800
So our _Turkish_ Guides being deceived by the exceeding Brightness of
the Night they called us up before Sun-rising, and we started out of our
Beds in great Haste, that so they might not impute any unlucky Accident,
upon the Way, to our Slothfulness; in the Morning, we pack’d up our
Baggage, and put my Bed and Tent in our Waggons, harnessed our Horses,
and were ready for our Journey, only expected the Word of Command. But
our _Turks_, when they found their Mistake, fairly went into their Nests
again, and after we had waited for them a great while, I sent to them, to
tell them, we were all ready; and now the Delay was on _their_ Side, my
Messengers brought me Word, from them, that the Moon-light had deceived
them, and therefore, they were gone to sleep again, for it would be a
great while before it would be Time to go; and they persuaded us to try
to sleep again too. And thus, we must either unpack all our Things again,
to our no small Trouble, or else, we must endure a great Part of the
Coldness of the Night in the open Air.
To prevent this Inconvenience for the future, I charged the _Turks_
not to be so troublesome any more, as to rouze me out of my Sleep, for
if they would but tell me over Night, at what Time they would rise in
the Morning, I would be sure to be ready at the Time appointed; for
I had Watches by me, that I intended to make Use of, which would not
fail to acquaint me with the precise Hour of the Morning; and if they
over-slept themselves, they should lay it to my Charge, so that they
need not scruple to trust me with the Hour of their rising. They seemed
to be somewhat satisfied herewith, and yet did not lay aside all their
Solicitude neither; for in the Morning betimes, they awakened my _Valet
de Chambre_, desiring him to go to me, and to see how the Index of my
Watches did pointed; he so, and returned Answer to them, as well as he
could, That ’twas very near Sun-rising, according as he found it. When
they had thus tried him once or twice, and found that he hit the Time
right, they trusted me for the future, and admired the Structure of our
Watches, that could so faithfully declare the Time; so that ever after,
we slept out our Sleep, without any Disturbances from them.
From _Nissa_ we came to _S. Sophia_; the Journey thither, and the
Weather, for that Time of the Year, was very tolerable. _Sophia_ is a
Town big enough, and well inhabited both by Citizens and Strangers: It
was heretofore the Royal Seat of the King of _Bulgaria_; and afterwards,
if I mistake not, of the _Despots_ of _Servia_, whilst that House stood,
before it was overthrown by the _Turkish_ Arms.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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