TURKISH ACCOUNT OF THE JANISSA1U ES. 651 



felt with the sabre, and to fire at the mark!" These were signals 

 which announced that a storm was at hand. The ministers were 

 alarmed and embarrassed, and all men of reflection awaited the event 

 with the utmost anxiety. 



At length, on the night of the 15th of June, 1826, the Janissaries 

 raised the standard of revolt on the open place ei meidane. They 

 soon collected a sufficient force to commence operations. The first 

 care was to seize on the camp kettles of their fellow soldiers ; for such 

 is the religious veneration in which these utensils are held, that to 

 gain them is to gain the co-operation of their owners. By this feat 

 they succeeded in drawing over and implicating great numbers. 

 They next proceeded to storm and plunder the houses of the officers 

 of state. The Grand Vizier lost no time in summoning together the 

 Agahs with their forces. They assembled in the Serai, where they 

 were joined by bands of students and citizens, eager to signalize their 

 zeal for their sovereign. The Sultan soon made his appearance, and 

 after an appropriate harangue, unrolled the standard of the prophet, 

 and despatched the Grand Vizier at the head of the troops to attack 

 the position of the rebels. The latter were so panic-struck by the 

 terrible oriflamme, that instead of attempting to prevent the assem- 

 bling of the citizens who flocked from Galata, Scutari, and Pera, they 

 fell back upon their point d'appui at ei meidane. The Grand Vizier 

 established his head-quarters at the mosk of the Sultan Akmed ; a 

 council of war was held, the issue of which was, that the two Viziers, 

 Ibrahim and Mohammed, instantly marched upon the enemy with a 

 few pieces of artillery. The Janissaries had fortified themselves in 

 their position by barricading the great gates of the place ei meidane. 

 To Ibrahim's summons to surrender, they sent back a shout of de- 

 fiance. This was the signal for the onset. A well-directed fire soon 

 levelled the barricades, and Ibrahim charged with such impetuosity, 

 that the rebels were instantly broken and put to flight. Their vast 

 barracks were burnt to the ground, many perished in the flames, and 

 those who were taken prisoners were slaughtered without mercy. 



The following day the Grand Vizier sat for the trial of offenders. 

 Among those the most distinguished for intrepidity of character and 

 turbulence of disposition was Ibrahim Agah, the superintendent of. 

 fire-engines. He had taken part in every previous revolt, and had 

 amassed great wealth by his exactions for the repair and supply of 

 pumps. " Agah," said the Grand Vizier to him, ironically, " it is 

 your duty to superintend the extinguishing of fires why were you 

 not present when the barracks were in flames ? " " That conflagra- 

 tion/' replied the Agah in the same vein, " was too great to be ex- 

 tinguished ; besides, it would appear it was the duty of a good subject 

 rather to increase than to appease its violence/' He was delivered 

 over to the mufti ; and when the executioners passed a cord of ser- 

 pent's skin round his neck, he cried, " Pull away, my brave fellows," 

 and died undauntedly. His body was flung into the street, and 

 treated with every indignity. Two hundred officers shared the same 

 fate. 



Mustafa, the fruiterer, one of the boldest and most determined 

 captains, for some time eluded the search of the police. At length 



