'Collections of travels through Turky into Persia, and the East Indies. Giving an account of the present state of those countries, as also a full relation of the five years wars, between Aureng-Zebe and his brothers in their father's life time, about the succession. And a voyage made by the Great Mogul (Aureng-Zebe) with his Army from Dehli to Lahor, from Lahor to Bember, and from thence to the Kingdom of Kachemire, by the Mogols, call'd, the Paradise of the Indies. Together with a relation of the Kingdom of Japan and Tunkin, and of their particular manners and trade. To which is added a new description of the Grand Seignior's Seraglio, and also of all the Kingdoms that encompass the Euxine and Caspian Seas, being the travels of Monsieur TavernierBernier, and other great men.' [‎91] (640/1024)

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A Relation of the Grand Seignors Seraglio.
to ear whereas in our European Countries, they would give hirn bread ; in the
Uvantl they bring him only a Cucumber, which he eats raw, as it comes out of
the Garrifon. Laborious perfons, and fuch as are in a manner tyr’d with work
ing fuch as Camel-drivers, and thofe who are entrufted with the care of the
Horfes and Mules, in the Caravans, make a kind of Sailed of their Cucumbers,
not much unlike the Maih, which we would give our Horfes. When they are
come to the Lodging place, where the Caravan is to make a flay, they take a
large Bafm, which they almoft, fill with water, and having put fome fowr milk
into it they cut a great number of Cucumbers, into great flices, and, fo make a
kind of malh of them. Tis a pleafant fight to fee them at the confounding of it.
Amongft ten, or twelve, who all (land round the faid Bafin, there is but one woo
den Spoon, which every one takes his turn, till they have made a fhift to empty
the Bafin. That done, they fall a drinking of water, and thofe who have where
withal) go and take a difh of Coffee, or fmoke a Pipe of Tobacco.
But to do them all the right they deferve, the Cucumbers, in the Leavant are ex
cellently good, and, though eaten raw, they never do a man any hurt. The
Story of the Cucmbers which occahon’d the cruel death of Seven Pages of the
Grand Seignor’s Chamber, is not, haply, known to all people * or at^ leaft, all
know not the reafon, why the Pages of the Chamber are not now permitted to go
into the Gardens. . . . • t j r,,
Sultan Mahomet, the fecond of that name, taking a turn in the Gardens or the
Seraglio attended by his Pages, was much furpriz’d to fee a bed of Cucumbers,
which look’d very fair to the eye, and were extreamly forward conhdering the
Seafon. Being a great lover of that fruit, he recommended them to the Boftangi*
bachi, who told them over every day, and, with fome impatience, expected their
maturity, that he might prefent them to the Grand Seignor. Some dales afeery
going to Vifit the bed, he found his number of Cucumbers fhorter, than it mould
have been, by three or four, and that they who had taken thofe that were milling,
had made choice of the ripeft, and thereupon making a ftridfc enquiry, to find
out who had been guilty of that prefumption, he found that the Pages of the Cham
ber were the only perlons who had been, that day;, in the Gardens.
Upon that difeovery, he Went and gave an account of the whole matter to the
Grand Seignor, who was fo highly incens’d thereat, that, not prevailing with any
one of the Pages to acknowledge the Theft, he, out of a cruelty as much above all
credit, as beyond all example, caus’d the Bellies of feven of them to be ripp’d up.
The Theft was found in the Belly of the leventh of thofe unfortunate Young Men,-
Who, after the execution done on the other fix, wouid not acknowledge his guilt,
out of hopes, that the Prince’s indignation would not have extended fo far. From
that very time and in commemoration of fo ffrangean a£Hon, the Pages of the Cham
ber are not permitted to go into the Gardens of the Seraglio 5 what one Prince has
cftablifh’d, as I have hinted elfewhere, being never revok’d by his SuccelTors, who
bear a certain refpeft to the enactions of their Anceftors. , * ^
In the midfl of the Great Walk, which goes from the Seraglio, to the Sea-Gate A Pyramid.
which looks cowards Sc^dam, there is a Pyramid, erefted upon a iquare Pedeftal,
and which four men would have much ado to fathom. About the Pedelfal they
have iuffer’d fome bryars and thorns to grow, and it feems to have been done out ‘
of ddign, to hinder peoples coming dole to it. The Pyramid, from the top to
the bottom, is full of Figures, whereof the heads are fhuck oh j and it may hu
conjedur’d by fome remainders, that there Was a very noble head on the top of
it, as being the Maher piece of the work. This Pyramid fomewhat rcfelembles
Pillar at Home 5 and fome, who have feen both, imagine, they were the
Work of the fame mafler. # .
All the Fountains of the Gardens have their Bafins of Marble, or dineretit colours. Fountain^
Near each of them, there is a little Scaffold, furrounded with Ballifters, which they
fpread with rich Carpets, and Brocado-Cuihions, when the Sultap comes to take
his walk there ; and ’tis only at that time, the Waters play j which Diverfion he
frequently .gives the PrincefTes who bear him Company. , „ r ^ ,
There* are appointed for the Culture of thefe Gardens two thomand Bolfangis ; Tno Gardiners
and yet, though there be fo vaft a number to keep them, they come far fhort of
the Neat Contrivances and Imbelliftiments of ours.
(M) * ' CHAP.