On the one Side, it is wash’d with the _Propontis_; on the other, the River makes an Haven, which _Strabo_ calls, _The Golden Horn_, from the Similitude it hath to an Horn; on the other Side, it is joined to the rest of the Continent, so that it almost resembles a Peninsule; and with the continued back of a Promontory, it runs out into the Sea and a Bay, which is made there by the River and the Sea. So that from the middle of _Constantinople_, there is a most pleasant Prospect into the Sea, and even to the Mount _Olympus_, in _Asia_, which bears a snowy Head all the Year long. The Sea there, is wonderful full of Fish, which sometimes swim down from the _Mæotis_ and the _Euxine_, through the _Bosphorus_ and _Propontis_, into the _Ægæan_ and _Mediterranean Seas_, and sometimes they swim from thence into the _Euxin_, according to the Nature of the Fish; and that in Shoals so thick and numerous, that you may catch them with your Hands. So that here is excellent fishing for _Mackrel_, _Tunny_, _Cod_, _Porpois_ and _Sword-Fish_. But the _Greeks_ fish more than the _Turks_, though these latter love Fish well enough; provided, they be of the Number of those, which they count _clean_; as for others, they had rather eat Poison than taste them, for a _Turk_ had rather his Tongue or his Teeth were pluck’d out of his Head, than taste of any Thing they think to be _unclean_, as a _Frog_, a _Snail_, or a _Tortoise_. And herein, the _Greeks_ are every jot as Superstitious as they; of which I will give you the Instance following. I entertain’d in my Family, a Youth of the _Greek_ Religion; I employed him as my Steward. The rest of my Servants could never persuade him to eat any _Periwinkles_ or _Cockles_; but at last, they put a Trick upon him; they caused them to be so high-season’d and disguis’d, that he, mistaking them for another sort of Fish, fed upon them most heartily. Whereupon, my People set up a Laughter, and threw down the Shells before him, where by he perceiv’d himself to be cozen’d: Whereupon, ’tis incredible to relate how much he was troubled. He went presently to his Chamber, and there fell a Vomiting, Weeping, and Afflicting himself most grievously, without any Intermission; insomuch, that two Months Sallary was not sufficient to expiate this Offence; for that’s the Guise of _Greek_ Priests, according to the kind and greatness of the Offence, they lay a pecuniary Mulct upon those who come to _Confess_, and they never _Absolve_ them till they pay it down to a Penny. In the furthest Point of that Promontory which I mentioned before, stands the Palace, or _Seraglio_, of the _Turkish_ Emperors: To me, it did not seem very magnificent, either for Work or Workmanship (for you must know, that as yet, I had not made an Entrance into it.) Under the Palace, in a low Ground, and as it were, upon the Sea-shore, are the Gardens of the _Grand Seignior_, where the greatest Part of _Old Bysantium_ is thought to have stood.