Christians. We visited the church which is dedicated to the Ἁγία Παρασϰενὴ[1], or Holy Friday; and they took our Lord the Patriarch to pray over the tomb of the deceased Pavlaki, who was Kapi Kachia of Vasili Beg of Moldavia: for, being guilty of some treachery towards him, the Beg sent and had him put to death. They conducted us to his Hotel, or rather to his beautiful Palace, built over the water, upon huge piles of wood, after the practice of building the mansions of Constantinople. It contains an astonishing number of rooms and apartments, and a bath entirely of marble. Its gardens are a delight to the beholder, and are furnished with canals for irrigation, all of coloured cement. There is also a church upon the premises: all of which have a front commanding a view of the sea.
From this palace we went down into a boat belonging to it, and were taken to the further extremity of the sea, or port, of Galata, where we entered a large river of fresh water; and, ascending some distance, went to see a Manufactorv, or Kiar Khanah, of Gunpowder, similar to that which we had seen at Bor, and very surprising, with wheels turned by the water[2]. This place is called Kiaghid Khanah.
Hence we came away, by land, and mounted up to the Ok Maidan; that is, the Field for the shooting of the Arrow; for in it is a pillar erected for this purpose. It is a pleasant green spot, commanding a view over Constantinople, which is opposite; and here the Christians celebrate the Festival of Easter, in mirth and gladness. They told us, on this occasion, that last year his Highness the Sultan Mahomet, God preserve him! came and erected his tent previously to the Feast, and was a spectator of their festivities; and that, in consequence of the great diversion they caused him, he made them a present of two purses, of a thousand Turkish piastres each.
Then we entered the Convent of the Silah Dar, or Armour-bearer, of the deceased Sultan Murad, which he built entirely new.
