Page:Adventures of Baron Wenceslas Wratislaw of Mitrowitz (1862).djvu/67

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BARON WENCESLAS WRATISLAW.
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the fields, or wherever the cry of the priest reaches him. Their priests, when they thus summon the people to prayers, scream out like ox-drivers with us, and their voice is heard much farther than one would suppose.

Next day we went into the town again, and looked over it. As we returned to the boats we saw the Italian renegade, who had turned Turk, being conducted with a grand procession by the Turks into the town, in the following manner. First went about 300 Turkish soldiers, or azais, with long muskets, who shouted for joy, and some of whom fired; after these rode some horse-soldiers, apparently their commanders; next, five banner-bearers with red banners; after these went some disagreeable gipsy music, consisting of shawms, fiddles, and lutes; next rode the unhappy Italian renegade, on a handsomely caparisoned horse, on each side of whom rode a Turk of rank, and he in the midst, wearing a scarlet pelisse lined with foxskins, and a Turkish cap with several cranes’ feathers in it. In his hand he held an arrow, and had one finger directed upwards, thereby making profession of the Turkish religion. After him rode several trumpeters, blowing their trumpets without intermission, who were followed by about 300 Turkish hussars, ornamentally dressed in pelisses of spotted lynxskin, who sometimes shouted, sometimes sprang from their horses, and exhibited tokens of great exultation. When they rode in at the gate, they halted in the gateway, and all thrice made profession of their faith with great clamour, saying, “Allaha, illasa. Muhamet resulach!” i. e. “One true God, save him no other God, and Mahomet his chief prophet!” They also fired thrice. They then

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