Walter Talbot, Who Spoke The Turkish Language, Was Allowed To
Converse With Him In A Chamber Among Other Boys.
He told Talbot that he
was no Turk, but had been deluded by them, saying that I and all my
people were put to death at Zenan, and that he must change his religion
if he would save his life, but he refused:
Yet they carried him to a
bagnio, where he was circumcised by force. Finding the aga would not
deliver the boy, I gave him the kiahya's letter, desiring him to be
given up if not turned; so he was refused. This city stands in a valley
under very high hills, on the top of one of which is a fair strong
castle. All kinds of provisions are here plentiful and cheap, and in the
neighbourhood some indigo is made, but I could not learn what quantity
or quality. This city is very populous, as indeed are all the cities and
districts we passed through.
[Footnote 333: It should rather be Kahwah house, signifying a house
where they sell coffee. - Astl. I. 373. c.]
The 1st March we came to Eufras, sixteen miles through a mountainous
and stony country. This is a small town on the side of a hill, to which
many people resort from afar about the 5th of January, where they do
some foolish ceremonies at the grave of one of their saints who is
buried here, after which they all go on pilgrimage to Mecca. The
governor of this town, though a Turk, used me very civilly on my going
up to Zenan; and, on the present occasion, sent a person six miles to
meet us at a place where two roads meet, to bring us to this town, where
he used us kindly. The 2d we lodged at a sensor called Assambine,
eleven miles, where were only a few poor cottages. The 3d to another
sensor called Accomoth, in a barren common, with a few cottages,
thirteen miles. The 4th to Mousa,[334] seventeen miles, through a
barren plain with few inhabitants. Mousa is a small unwalled town, but
very populous, standing in a moderately fertile plain, in which some
indigo is made. We departed from Mousa at midnight, and rested two or
three hours at a church, or coughe house,[335] called Dabully, built
by a Dabull merchant Our stop was to avoid coming to Mokha before
day.[336]
[Footnote 334: Probably the same place called Mowssi on the journey
inland. - E.]
[Footnote 335: It is not easy to reconcile this synonime of a coughe
house or church, with the explanation formerly given, that coughe
house means coffee-house; perhaps we ought to read in the text, a church
or mosque, and a coughe or coffee-house. - E.]
[Footnote 336: The preceding journal gives fourteen stages, the
estimated length of two of which are omitted. The amount of the twelve
stages, of which the lengths are inserted, is 185 miles; and, adding
thirty for the two others as the average, the whole estimated distance
will be 215 miles. In these old times, the estimated or computed mile
seems to have been about one and a half of our present statute mile,
which would make the entire distance 322 statute miles; and allowing one
quarter far deflexion and mountain road, reduces the inland distance of
Zenau from Mokha to 242 miles, nearly the same already mentioned in a
note, on the authority of our best modern maps. - E.]
We got there about eight in the morning, and were met a mile without the
town by our carpenters and smiths, and some others who had remained at
Mokha, all of whom had their irons taken off the day before, and were
now at liberty to walk abroad. The first question I asked was, what was
become of Mr Pemberton; when they told me, to my great satisfaction,
that he contrived to get hold of a canoe, in which he got aboard. From
the end of the town all the way to the aga's house, the people were very
thick to see us pass, and welcomed us back to Mokha. On coming before
the aga, I delivered the letters I brought from Zenan. He now received
me in his original dissembled shew of kindness, bidding me welcome, and
saying he was glad of my safe return, and sorry and ashamed for what was
past, praying me to pardon him, as he had done nothing but as commanded
by his master the pacha, and I might now assure myself of his
friendship, and that all the commands of the pacha should be punctually
obeyed. I soothed him with fair speech, but believed nothing of his
promises. He called for breakfast, and made Mr Femell, Mr Fowler, and me
sit down by him, desiring us to eat and be merry, for now we had eaten
bread and salt with him, we need have no fear of harm.
After breakfast the aga appointed us a large fair house near the sea, in
which we abode two days; but we were afterwards removed to a large
strong house standing by itself in the court yard of a mosque in the
middle of the town, where we were guarded by a captain and his company
appointed for the charge. He watched himself all day, and at night our
house was surrounded by his soldiers Mokha it a third part less than
Tayes, situated close to the sea, in a salt barren sandy soil, and
unwalled. The house of the governor is close to the sea, and beside it
is a quay, or jetty; which advances a good way into the water, at which
all boats from any ship are enjoined to land, lest they should defraud
the customs. Close to the quay is a platform or battery, on which are
about twelve brass cannon; and at the west end of the town is a fort
with a similar number of ordnance.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 165 of 218
Words from 167577 to 168576
of 221842
