Page:Busbecq, Travels into Turkey (1744).pdf/117

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

the same Part was acted over again; only Rustan carried it a little more covertly, and reservedly, because of the Presence of other Bashaws. There, at last, I yeilded to stay behind, only leaving a Memorial with them of this Import, that I staid behind unknown to my Master, and therefore I would leave all my Concessions to his Arbitrement, to cancel or confirm: As for myself, I would be responsible for nothing, nor oblige myself by any Promise, whatever issue God were pleased to give of my Negotiation. This Memorial was of great Service to me afterwards, in difficult Circumstances, so that the Bashaws could not, for shame, treat me so severely in their Resentments, as otherwise they would have done.

Thus, Sir, you have an Account of my Stay behind my Fellows, with the Reason of it. They left Constantinople about the latter end of August, 1557. The Winter following, the Grand Seignior went to Adrianople, as his Custom was, both to strike a greater Terror into Hungary, upon the Report of his nearer approach thither, and also for the Conveniencies of his Hunting, (for there the Winters are colder than at Constantinople,) both which he thought conducive to his Health. The Country thereabout is full of Marshes and Stagnant Waters, by reason of the nearness of many Rivers; so that there are abundance of Water-Fowl, as wild-Ducks, Geese, Herons, Storks, Cranes, Bitterns, &c. To catch them, he makes use of Hawks, or a lesser sort of Eagles, which are so used to the Sport, that, though the Fowl fly up to the Clouds, they'll fetch him down from thence; but, if they fly lower, then they truss them, and with a mighty Force strike them with their Bills to the Ground. I am told, that some of his Falcons are so disciplin'd and expert, that they will venture on a Crane,