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
At _Belgrade_, upon one of our Fish-days, we were presented with
abundance of choice Fish, and amongst the rest, with large full-bodied
_Carps_, taken in the _Danube_, whose _Carps_ are very much commended: My
People did eat very greedily of them, and that was either the cause, or
the occasion, which cast many of them into a Fever; yet all that quantity
of Fish, which was enough to satisfy forty Men, cost but half a Dollar;
and the Truth is, other Things are as cheap. As for Hay, ’tis little
or nothing worth; the Meadows are so laden with it, that every Man may
take what he will, provided he pay for the Mowing and Carriage; which
made us admire the Wisdom of the old _Hungarians_, after they had passed
the _Save_, who chose so fertile a Country, as _Hungary_, to dwell in;
where there were all manner of Conveniences for Human Life. We passed
over a great Tract of Land, both beyond and on this side the _Save_, and
we found the Grass, Barley, Oats and Wheat, almost parch’d and withered
with Drought; but as soon as we entred _Hungary_, the Grass was so tall,
that a Coach, that went before, could hardly be seen by another that came
after; which is a great Argument of the goodness of the Soil.
The _Rascians_, as I told you before, begin at _Simandria_, and reach
as far as the River _Drave_; they are reputed to be a fudling sort of
People, and not very faithful to Strangers. Whence they had their Name
and Original, I do not certainly know; but truly they were kind enough
to us; we passed through some Villages of theirs of less Note, and at
last arrived at _Esseck_, which is almost inclosed with muddy Marshes,
and is famous for the slaughter of _Catzianerus_, and the overthrow
of the _Christians_. Here I was taken with a _Tertian Ague_, I was so
parch’d with Heat, in travelling the open Fields of _Hungary_; and at
_Esseck_ we passed the _Drave_, and came to _Lasque_, where being weary
with the Heat of my Journey, and my Ague, I laid me down to Rest. There
the chiefest of the Place came to me to bid me welcome; and presented me
with large Melons, Pears, and Plumbs of several Sorts, besides Wine, and
other Provisions, all of them very good; the noted Country of _Campania_
in _Italy_ hardly bears better. In the Room where I lodged, there was
a long Table all furnished with these Viands: My Servants desired the
_Hungarians_ to stay to Supper, excusing my Absence, because of my
Sickness. As soon as I awoke, and saw such a full-spread Table before my
Eyes, I thought verily I had been in a Dream, and ask’d my Physician,
how that came about? He told me plainly, that he himself had caused the
Table to be furnished, that so the very Sight of it might refresh me.
But must I not taste of it, said I? Yes, said he, but you must only
taste; and so I eat a little of it, and seem’d to be much the better for
it. The Day after the _Hungarians_ came to me again to present their
Service, desiring me to represent their Condition to the Emperor, in
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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