The six voyages of John Baptista Tavernier, Baron of Aubonne through Turky, into Persia and the East-Indies, for the space of forty years : giving an account of the present state of those countries, viz. of the religion, government, customs, and commerce of every country, and the figures, weight, and value of the money currant all over Asia : to which is added A new description of the Seraglio / made English by J.P. ; added likewise, A voyage into the Indies, &c. by an English traveller, never before printed ; publish'd by Dr. Daniel Cox

CHAP. XIX. Of the Gardens of the Seraglio.

THE PRINCIPAL HEADS.

The Revenues of the Gardens employ'd for the Grand Seignor's Table. Cucumbers, a fruit of much delicacy amongst the Levantines, and how they eat them. A noble Pyramid, resembling Trajan's Pillar. Fountains. The number of the Gardiners.

IT is an ancient Custome, or rather, a Law, establish'd by the Ottoman Princes, that the profits made out of their Gardens, should be contributary to the keep∣ing of their own Tables, and they have several of them, in the Neighbourhood of Constantinople, as well on the Europaean side, as the Asian, all along the Sea∣shore. But I shall give an account, only of the Gardens of the Seraglio, that so I may not exceed the limits I have prescrib'd to my self in this Relation.

There are in the Seraglio several Gardens, wherein there are only Flowers, in di∣vers Appartments, and particularly in that of the Grand Seignor, and, no question, but the same thing may be said of the Quarter of the Sultanesses. Yet is there not any thing extraordinary, which might oblige me to give this description thereof. The great Garden, whereof the Bostangi-bachi has the oversight, as he has also of all the others belonging to the Grand Seignor, takes up the greatest part of the Seraglio, and consists of a great number of Walks, planted, of each side, with Cypress. Those Walks are much neglected, so that in several places, they are not clear'd of Bryars and Thorns. When it is known, that the Grand Seignor is to come and take his diver∣tisement there, a great number of Bostangis are immediately commanded out, to make clean the Walks, which he uses to frequent, and the spaces between those Walks are so many Kitchin-Gardens, or Orchards, which are very well furnish'd with Fruit-Trees, of several excellent kinds. Of Strawberries and Raspices there is great store, and they have large beds of Melons, and Cucumbers; but most of these last, which are accounted a great delicacy amongst the Levantines.

As to the Cucumbers, they commonly eat them without taking off any thing of the tinde, after which they go and drink a glass of Water. In all Asia, it is the ordinary sustenance of the meaner sort of people, for the space of three or four months; the whole Family lives upon them, and when a Child asks for something to eat, whereas in our Europaean Countries, they would give him bread, in the Levant, they bring him only a Cucumber, which he eats raw, as it comes out of the Garrison. Laborious persons, and such as are in a manner tyr'd with working, such as Camel-drivers, and those who are entrusted with the care of the Horses, and Mules, in the Caravans, make a kind of Sallad of their Cucumbers, not much unlike the Mash, which we would give our Horses. When they are come to the Lodging place, where the Caravan is to make a stay, they take a large Basin, which they almost fill with water, and having put some sowr milk into it, they cut a great number of Cucumbers, into great slices, and so make a kind of mash of them. 'Tis a pleasant sight to see them at the confounding of it. Amongst ten, or twelve, who all stand round the said Basin, there is but one woo∣den Spoon, which every one takes in his turn, till they have made a shift to empty the Basin. That done, they fall a drinking of water, and those who have wherewithall, go and take a dish of Coffee, or smoke a Pipe of Tobacco.

But to do them all the right they deserve, the Cucumbers in the Levant are excel∣lently good, and, though eaten raw, they never do a man any hurt. The Story of the Cucumbers which occasion'd the cruel death of Seven Pages of the Grand Seignor's Chamber, is not, haply, known to all people; or at least, all know not the reason, why the Pages of the Chamber are not now permitted to go into the Gardens.

Sultan Mahomet, the second of that name, taking a turn in the Gardens of the Se∣raglio, attended by his Pages, was much surpriz'd to see a bed of Cucumbers, which look'd very fair to the eye, and were extreamly forward, considering the Season. Be∣ing a great lovet of that fruit, he recommended them to the Bostangi-bachi, who told them over every day, and, with some impatience, expected their maturity, that he might present them to the Grand Seignor. Some daies after, going to Visit the bed, he found his number of Cucumbers shorter, than it should have been, by three or four, and that they who had taken those that were missing, had made choice of the ripest, and thereupon making a strict enquiry, to find out who have been guilty of that pre∣sumption, he found that the Pages of the Chamber were the only persons who had been, that day, in the Gardens.

Upon that discovery, he went and gave an account of the whole matter to the Grand Seignor, who was so highly incens'd thereat, that, not prevailing with any one of the Pages to acknowledg the Theft, he, out of a cruelty as much above all credit, as beyond all example, caus'd the Bellies of seven of them to be ripp'd up. The Theft was found in the Belly of the seventh of those unfortunate Young Men, who, after the execution done on the other six, would not acknowledge his guilt, out of hopes, that the Prince's indignation would not have extended so far. From that very time, and in commemoration of so strange an action, the Pages of the Chamber are not per∣mitted to go into the Gardens of the Seraglio; what one Prince has establish'd, as I have hinted elsewhere, being never revok'd by his Successors, who bear a certain re∣spect to the enactions of their Ancestors.

In the midst of the Great Walk, which goes from the Seraglio, to the Sea-Gate which looks towards Scudaret, there is a Pyramid, erected upon a square Pedestal, and which four men would have much ado to fathom. About the Pedestal they have suf∣fer'd some bryars and thorns to grow, and it seems to have been done out of design, to hinder peoples coming close to it. The Pyramid, from the top to the bottom, is full of Figures, whereof the heads are struck off; and it may be conjectur'd by some re∣mainders, that there was a very noble head on the top of it, as being the Master-piece of the work. This Pyramid somewhat resembles Trajan's Pillar at Rome; and some, who have seen both, imagine, they were the work of the same Master.

All the Fountains of the Gardens have their Basins of Marble, of different colours. Near each of them, there is a little Scafsold, surrounded with Ballisters, which they spread with rich Carpets, and Brocado-Cushions, when the Sultan comes to take his walk there: and 'tis only at that time, the Waters play; which Diversion he frequent∣ly gives the Princesses, who bear him company.

There are appointed for the culture of these Gardens two thousand Bostangis; and yet, though there be so vast a number to keep them, they come far short of the Neat Contrivances, and Imbellishments of ours.

Notes

• The Revenues of the Gardens, how employed.
• Cucumbers a great delicacy amongst the Levantines.
• A Pyramid; much resembling Trajan's Pillar.
• Fountains,
• The Gardiners